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The Courage of Christ in the Theology of Athanasius
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 02 February 2009
Extract
In an earlier article in the Scottish Journal of Theology I have argued that Athanasius did not deny Christ's fear. A question which then naturally arises is, did Athanasius recognise Christ's courage? This question is made all the more pointed given G. C. Stead's view that Athanasius ‘is noticeably reticent about ascribing to [Christ] any positive constancy: the Lord “undergoes” (ὑπoμ⋯νει) the brutalities of the passion, but is not credited with ὑπoμoν⋯, still less with ⋯νδρε⋯α'. These conclusions drawn from the two inaugurals and the controversial works of Athanasius do, however, seem to require some qualification.
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- Copyright © Scottish Journal of Theology Ltd 1987
References
1 Pettersen, A. L.. ‘Did Athanasius deny Christ's fear?’ SJT Vol. 39 (1986), pp. 327–340.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
2 G. C. Stead. ‘The freedom of the will and the Arian Controversy’ in H. D. Blume & F. Mann (ed.) Platonismus und Christentum. Festschrift für Heinrich Dörrie. Jahrbuch für Antike und Christentum. Ergänzungsband 10. (1983) p. 255.
3 C.Ar. 3.54.6ff.
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10 Ibid., 57.2–4.
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13 Ibid., 15.10ff.
14 Ibid., 11.9.
15 Ibid., 12.10ff.
16 De Vita Antonii 74.22–24. Cf. ibid., 75.3–4: μ⋯ πι⋯σσειη τ⋯ν ὅπως δ⋯πoτε θάνατoν ⋯παγ⋯μενoν.
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20 De Fuga Sua 14.23ff.
21 C.Ar. 3.57.9–13.
22 Cf. Cicero De Fato 30; Origen Contra Celsum 2.20.
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29 Ibid., 14.19–20.
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34 C.Ar. 3.20.19–23.
35 Ibid., 3.20.17.
36 Ibid., 3.20.14f.
37 Ibid., 3.20.19ff.
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39 C.Ar. 3.19.2–3. 
⋯νθρώπων.
40 Ibid., 3.57.6.
41 Ibid., 3.57.6–7.
42 Ibid., 3.57.7ff.
43 Cf. Grillmeier op. cit. 31Off.
44 De Incarnatione 24.12ff.
45 Stead, op. cit. 255.
46 K. J. Torjesen, op. cit. 213ff.
47 De Incarnatione 27 passim.
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