Description: In this first volume of A Celebration of Faith Series, Steven R. Martins offers a solid apologetic for Athanasius as defender, not fabricator, of orthodox Christology, followed by the timeless, theological classic of Athanasius' On the Incarnation.
Brief description: STEVEN R. MARTINS is the founding director of the Cántaro Institute and founding pastor of Sevilla Chapel in St. Catharines. A second-generation Canadian, Steven is of Ibero-American parentage and has worked in the fields of missional apologetics and church leadership for eight years. He has spoken at numerous conferences, churches, and University student events, from York University, Toronto, to the University of West Indies in Port of Spain, Trinidad, and the national Universities of Costa Rica (UNCR and UNC) and the Evangelical University of El Salvador. He has also contributed articles to Coalición por el Evangelio (TGC in Spanish) and the Siglo XXI journal of Editorial CLIR. Steven holds a Master's degree summa cum laude in Theological Studies with a focus on Christian apologetics from Veritas International University (Santa Ana, CA., USA) and a Bachelor of Human Resource Management from York University (Toronto, ON., Canada). Steven presently serves on the executive board for Answers in Genesis Canada, and has served in the past with the Ezra Institute for Contemporary Christianity (EICC) as a staff apologist, writer and director of ministry development and advancement (DMDA) for four years. He has also served pastorally at Harbour Fellowship Church in St. Catharines. Steven is married to Cindy and they live in Lincoln, Ontario, with their children Matthias and Timothy.
Review Quotes:
Why would anyone read a book written 1700 years ago? The different context of old books can sometimes make them seem irrelevant. But the truth about God is perennial, and the titanic figure of Athanasius fought a battle against a corrupt church establishment and the Emperor Constantine to refute the teaching of the powerful but heretical Bishop Arias. He was convicted to uphold the truth, regardless of the consequences for him. It was Athanasias contra mundum, Athanasias against the world.
He did so, as Steven Martins ably demonstrates in his excellent introduction, to uphold the true teaching of Scripture and the ancient church about Jesus' dual nature. He was both fully God and fully man. Whereas Bishop Arias denied his divinity, in much the same way that Dan Brown also has through his popular fictional novel the Da Vinci Code. Athanasius' bold witness and truthful exposition brought a great light into a time of popular darkness. My prayer is that this new edition may yet fan into flame its ancient power and illumine our own dark days.
Scott Masson (Ph.D)
Associate Professor of English Literature
Tyndale University College, Toronto, ON.
Author of Romanticism, Hermeneutics and the Crisis of the Human Sciences
What does it mean that Jesus is "begotten of God" or "the firstborn of all creation"? Is He of the same essence as the Father, or is He an inferior created being? These crucial questions surrounding the doctrine of the Trinity are at the heart of the debate between Arius and Athanasius. In this book Steven R. Martins takes us on a journey and unveils the historical background of the debate, showing that the Trinitarian doctrine didn't begin at Nicaea or with Constantine, but with the teachings of Christ himself and the apostles in the New Testament. I was reminded of the importance of the sound biblical Christology that Athanasius passionately defended and was treated to Athanasius' own words in his On the Incarnation, his confession of the historical doctrine of the nature of Christ. This book is a must-read for anyone who loves church history and wants to be encouraged to stand for the truth of foundational orthodox doctrines.
Nathan Díaz
Pastor and Teacher, Cuajimalpa Evangelical Church, Mexico;
Council member of The Gospel Coalition (Español);
Founding Director of Fish Studios and radio program producer of Clasificación A