Durham E-Theses The theological and doxological understanding of resurrection: an examination of its centrality within the 4th century Christian orthodox understanding of Easter with particular reference to the festal letters of St. Athanasius of Alexandria Walker, Kenneth Donald Fraser How to cite: Walker, Kenneth Donald Fraser (2001) The theological and doxological understanding of resurrection: an examination of its centrality within the 4th century Christian orthodox understanding of Easter with particular reference to the festal letters of St. Athanasius of Alexandria, Durham theses, Durham University. 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Academic Support Oce, Durham University, University Oce, Old Elvet, Durham DH1 3HP e-mail: [email protected] Tel: +44 0191 334 6107 http://etheses.dur.ac.uk 2 KENNETH DONALD ERASER WALKER THE THEOLOGICAL AND DOXOLOGICAL UNDERSTANDING OF RESURRECTION AN EXAMINATION OF ITS CENTRALITY WITHIN THE 4TH CENTURY CHRISTIAN ORTHODOX UNDERSTANDING OF EASTER WITH PARTICULAR REFERENCE TO THE FESTAL LETTERS OF ST. ATHANASIUS OF ALEXANDRIA. ABSTRACT OF THESIS The Festal Letters of Saint Athanasius were composed in response to a decision by the Ecumenical Council of Nicaea in 325 AD. The Council of Bishops assembled primarily to confront the teachings of Arianism, which had questioned the Nature and Person of Jesus Christ. But another problem that the Council of Nicaea faced related to the celebration of Easter. For some time the Church had become divided about the proper observance not only of Easter itself, but also the Lenten Season and the post-Easter period leading to Pentecost. The Council deputed to the Bishopric of Alexandria the task of computing the correct dates for Easter to ensure unity of theological belief and doxological expression. While the practice of composing pastoral letters had already been established in Alexandria, Athanasius continued to notify the Church concerning Easter by sending Festal Letters throughout his entire period in office. In the first instance, we shall examine the historical background to these Pastoral Epistles. The theme of resurrection is then investigated in relation to three of Athanasius' main works - Contra Gentes, De Incarnatione and Contra Arianos (I - III). The third chapter particularises the concept of resurrection and the manner in which Athanasius perceives it within the Festal Letters themselves. This is complemented by an analysis of the doxological significance of resurrection within worship and especially Eucharistic practice. Chapter Five expresses the main theological realities that formed the foundation of Athanasius' soteriological beliefs. Central to these are the nature of the homoousion and the saving vicarious humanity of Jesus Christ. The sixth chapter concludes appropriately with a study of immortality in relation to body and soul. THE THEOLOGICAL AND DOXOLOGICAL UNDERSTANDING OF RESURRECTION AN EXAMINATION OF ITS CENTRALITY WITHIN THE 4TH CENTURY CHRISTIAN ORTHODOX UNDERSTANDING OF EASTER WITH PARTICULAR REFERENCE TO THE FESTAL LETTERS OF ST.ATHANASIUS OF ALEXANDRIA KENNETH DONALD FRASER WALKER The copyright of this thesis rests with the author. No quotation from it should be published in any form, including Electronic and the Internet, without the author's prior written consent All information derived from this thesis must be acknowledged appropriately. DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY UNIVERSITY OF DURHAM DEPARTMENT OF THEOLOGY AUGUST 2000 CONTENTS CHAPTER I THE HISTORICITY OF THE FESTAL LETTERS 1.1. General Introduction p.ll I. 2. The Council of Nicaea - Orthodoxy and Heresy p.14 I. 3. Commemoration of the Easter Season p.16 I. 4. Festal Origins and Traditions p.20 I. 4. 1. Epistolary Titles Defined p.20 I. 4. 2. The Historical Tradition p.21 I. 4. 3. Dionysius of Alexandria p.23 I. 4. 4. Peter of Alexandria p.26 I. 4. 5. The Athanasian Festal Tradition p.27 I. 4. 6. The Post-Athanasian Festal Tradition p.30 I. 5. The Alexandrian Background to Athanasius' Christology p.32 I. 5. 1. The Influence of Hellenistic Thought p.32 I. 5. 2. Clement of Alexandria p.37 I. 5. 3. Origen of Alexandria p.48 I. 6. The Pascha in Relation to Easter p.56 I. 6. 1. The Scriptural Background p.57 I. 6. 2. The Passover and Pascha p.60 I. 6. 3. The Fast of Forty Days p.64 I. 6. 4. The Lenten Fast and the Fast of Jesus p.67 -3- CHAPTER n AN UNDERSTANDING OF RESURRECTION IN OTHER WORKS OF ATHANASIUS II. 1. Textual Background p.70 H. 2. Contra Gentes p.73 H. 3. De Incarnatione p.77 II. 4. Contra Arianos p.94 -4- CHAPTER ill THE THEME OF RESURRECTION IN THE FESTAL LETTERS IH. 1. Two Theological Perspectives p.105 III. 2. Resurrection and Doxological Commemoration p.l 16 IH. 3. The Nature of Resurrection and its Expressed Themes p. 128 HI. 3.1. Resurrection as Personal Belief and Theological Truth p.128 HI. 3. 2. Virtue and the Soul of Man p.131 III. 3. 3. Resurrection Belief as the Antithesis of Godlessness p. 135 III. 4. Resurrection and Human Response p. 138 SID. 4.1. The Attitude of Mind and Body p. 138 III. 4. 2. The Attitude of Humility and Purity p.141 HI.4. 3. The Attitude of Faith and Godliness p. 143 -5- CHAPTER IV RESURRECTION AND DOXOLOGICAL RESPONSE IV. 1. The Eucharistic Approach to the Feast p.146 IV. 2. The Nature of Festal Nourishment p.151 IV. 3. Resurrection and Apostolic Tradition p. 156 IV. 4. Resurrection and the Nature of Sacrifice p. 166 -6- CHAPTER V THEOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF THE FESTAL LETTERS Genera] Observations p. 183 Transcendence and Immanence p. 187 The Nature of Athanasian Christology p. 197 Corruption and Incorruptibility p.209 Resurrection and the Atoning Work of Christ p.214 Resurrection and the Ontological Nature of the Homoousion p.219 The Inhomination of the Word and the Salvation of Man p. 228 Resurrection in the Light of Creation p.234 The Vicarious Humanity of Christ p.237 Resurrection and Divine Grace p.241 CHAPTER VI RESURRECTION IN RELATIONSHIP TO BODY AND SOUL VI. 1. General Introduction p.246 VI. 2. The Immortality of the Soul p.249 VI. 3. The Human Soul in the Understanding of Athanasius p.256 VI. 4. The Human Soul and the Humanity of Jesus Christ p.262 VI. 5. Resurrection and the Human Soul in The Festal Letters p.286 VI. 6. The Rational Soul in the Economy of Man's Salvation p.290 -8- THE THEOLOGICAL AND DOXOLOGICAL UNDERSTANDING OF RESURRECTION AN EXAMINATION OF ITS CENTRALITY WITHIN THE 4TH CENTURY CHRISTIAN ORTHODOX UNDERSTANDING OF EASTER WITH PARTICULAR REFERENCE TO THE FESTAL LETTERS OF ST. ATHANASIUS OF ALEXANDRIA. DECLARATION AS THE AUTHOR OF THE ABOVE THESIS I DECLARE THAT NO PART WHATEVER OF THE MATERIAL THAT IS CONTAINED IN THE THESIS HAS BEEN EVER BEEN SUBMITTED FOR A DEGREE IN THE UNIVERSITY OF DURHAM OR ANY OTHER INSTITUTION KENNETH D.F. WALKER AUGUST 2000 -9- THE THEOLOGICAL AND DOXOLOGICAL UNDERSTANDING OF RESURRECTION AN EXAMINATION OF ITS CENTRALITY WITHIN THE 4TH CENTURY CHRISTIAN ORTHODOX UNDERSTANDING OF EASTER WITH PARTICULAR REFERENCE TO THE FESTAL LETTERS OF ST. ATHANASIUS OF ALEXANDRIA. STATEMENT OF COPYRIGHT "The copyright of this thesis rests with the author. No quotation from it should be published without their prior written consent and information derived from it should be acknowledged." KENNETH D.F WALKER AUGUST 2000 - 10- CHAPTER I THE HISTORICITY OF THE FESTAL LETTERS LI. General Introduction In his encyclical entitled Mediator Dei, issued towards the end of 1947, Pope Pius XII extolled the virtue, if not the necessity, of rediscovering the theological and doxological foundations which have continually underpinned the doctrine and worship of the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. These ecclesiastical corner-stones to her life and faith, as Athanasius sought to remind the Church in the Fourth Century, were Christological in nature and expression and had been set in place by the apostles to express the mind and spirit of the Church as she sought to affirm the redemptive power of God in and through His incarnate Son Jesus Christ. More precisely, when confronted by the problematic teachings of Arianism which sought to emphasise the creaturely side of Christ's nature, the Catholic Church was compelled to affirm the full divinity of Christ and the consubstantial relationship between the Father and the Son. Accordingly, these theological and doxological pointers stand as soteriological foundations for the established truths and doctrinal traditions of orthodoxy. Grounded upon this apostolic tradition the Church was called to express in the fullest way possible her Christocentric belief and worship. These areas of the Church's witness, Athanasius insisted, must remain true to scriptural tradition and reflect the Gospel light of resurrection through the One revelation of God's Nature and Being in and through Jesus Christ the Son who was of one substance with the Father in the unity of the One Spirit. "Assuredly," the 1947 encyclical stated, "it is a wise and most laudable thing to return in spirit and affection to the sources of the sacred liturgy. For research in this field of study, by tracing it back to its origins, contributes valuable assistance toward a more thorough and careful investigation of the significance of feast-days, - 11 - and of the meaning of the texts and sacred ceremonies employed on their occasion." The purpose of this thesis will be to explore the Festal Letters of St.