The mission of this podcast is to highlight the beauty and diversity of God’s Church – both in Chattanooga and the Church at large.

Why Athanasius? In this episode, Adam, Joey, Keith, and David answer this question by discussing Athanasius’ reputation in the church, his historical context, and his tenacity for orthodoxy.

As one of the first great theologians to write after the Christianization of the Roman Empire, Athanasius is considered a pillar of the church for his works on basic doctrine such as the divinity of Christ. Athanasius’ life involved a lot of movement: he fled persecution in Alexandria as a child, spent time with monks in the desert, and was exiled five times. But in spite of physical dangers and heretical opposition, Athanasius remained persistently committed to defending the faith.

Listen to this episode to find out more about St. Athanasius including how he compares in height to Adam and how he almost got exiled over a non-theological issue.


About Adam Whitescarver

Adam is passionate about seeing God’s people possess vibrant prayer lives to help them make a difference in the sphere of influence God has given them. In ministry since 2001, Adam enjoys his family, teaching, singing, and reading a myriad of subjects. He and his wife, Stephanie, live in North GA with their four children.


Jump Through the Conversation:

• [0:32] Intro and musings on the word “erudite”
• [1:29] Why read Athanasius?
• [3:57] Why Athanasius is a pillar of the church
• [5:46] Physical description of Athanasius
• [7:32] Events that made Athanasius “doggedly determined”
  • Challenge of Arian heresy
  • Persecution in Alexandria
  • Anthony and other monks
• [14:11] On failure and suffering
• [19:23] Brief note on Athanasius’ “side hustle”

Links and Resources:

• A Beautiful Church website
• Chattanooga House of Prayer website
• Give today
• On the Incarnation (Adam’s recommended edition)
• Joey Sherrard’s ministry
• Keith Kettenring’s ministry
• David Carter’s ministry

Thanks for listening! Don’t forget to subscribe! If you like what you heard, please leave a review on iTunes and share what you liked about the show.