I just finished reading Athanasius, the Hero (1906) by Lynn Harold Hough. It is a biography of Athanasius, a 4th century Alexandrian bishop.

The book begins with an overview of the period of time between the fall of the Roman republic and the life of Athanasius. I found this part particularly compelling; Hough is able to compress hundreds of years of history into a flowing narrative that imparts a sense of curiosity and a desire to find out what unfolds next. Hough then moves into a historical description of Alexandria, the city of Athanasius’ birth.

A good portion of the rest of the book deals with Athanasius’ struggle against the influence of Arianism. This includes the Council of Nicaea and several periods of exile handed down to Athanasius from Roman emperors. The book is written from a Christian point of view and delves somewhat heavily into the theological arguments of 4th century Christian thought.

I know very little about this period of history and theology in general, and found this book an interesting introduction.

“Often earnestness does not seem to sparkle and glitter much, but it carries in its heart a fire which will at last burst out in bright and lasting luminousness.”