Recommended Reading: Athanasius’ The Life of Antony
“There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devils. One is to disbelieve in their existence. The other is to believe, and to feel an excessive and unhealthy interest in them.” – C.S. Lewis, Preface to The Screwtape Letters.
Let me be clear: the year is 2010, and the Enemy is real. Not a metaphor for “negativity” or some other waffle-word, but a real, conscious spiritual being who is in opposition to God and who is actively seeking to draw us away from God. In a culture that has ceased to believe this, we are even more vulnerable to assault – so it is crucial that we remember Peter’s admonition: “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” (1 Pt. 5:8).
In times like this, we need to spend time with one of the great heroes of the Christian faith: St. Antony of the Desert. St Athanasius – himself one of the great Fathers of the early Church! – wrote an inspiring biography of Antony, drawing from his own first-hand experiences with Antony and from the accounts of others. Written shortly after Antony’s death in 356 AD, The Life of Antony allows us to learn from “a man of spiritual wisdom, whose great austerity of life was always consciously directed to the better service of God.” (1) All who knew him, loved him and described him as joyful and full of life.
While still a young man, inspired by the Scripture “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor,” Antony gave up his worldly wealth and went out into the desert of Egypt to live a life of prayer. Throughout his life, to the age of over a hundred, he experienced severe attacks from the Enemy: temptations, assaults, visions, apparitions, and the like, both physical and spiritual.
Persevering in prayer and devotion to Christ, Antony became noted as a holy man: people came from far and wide to gain wisdom from him and to be healed. Though not learned in the academic sense, Antony was extremely wise, able to hold his own with Greek philosophers, instruct his disciples in the right understanding of Holy Scripture, and defend the orthodox faith against the heresy of the Arians. One of Antony’s great gifts was the discernment of spirits, and in The Life of Antony we get his advice first-hand, just as he taught his fellow monks. Faced with the most terrifying spirits, attempting to cow him into abandoning his dedication to God, Antony would boldly dismiss them in the name of Christ – the Name that is above all names.
How does this help us, today?
While the Enemy has changed his methods of assault, he has not changed his aims: to cause us to fear, to lose confidence in God, to distract us from our prayer, to hinder us in our growth in Christ. Powerless as the forces of evil are when faced boldly in the name of Christ, the Enemy yet has power to harm when we do not recognize the assault.
In the present day, the Enemy does not assail us with phantasms and wild beasts, as in Antony’s experiences. Rather, the Enemy’s onslaught has grown more subtle, often taking the form of distractions that try to pull us away from the life of prayer. Of doubts that creep into the mind about whether God really loves us, really hears us, really cares what we do. Of plausible-sounding excuses for why it’s really OK to do what’s contrary to God’s known will in this or that particular instance. The Enemy works through our weaknesses, whether pride, or anger, or gluttony, lust, or simply inattention.
And the Enemy is very subtle indeed. There is no need to tempt someone to a major sin if distraction will do the trick. If “work” can be made to take the place of God in my priorities, why, that is idolatry right there – no need to get creative! If I can be made to feel so embarrassed by the thought of spiritual warfare that I neglect to call on Christ in the face of temptation or doubt, that’s a major win for the Enemy.
The battle against sin and the Enemy rages just as hotly now as it did in Antony’s day. Every day we must choose to turn away from sin and turn toward Christ who has won the battle over evil.
Paul calls us to battle in no uncertain terms:
“Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” (Eph 6:11-12).
Reading and reflecting on the example of the great warriors of the Church will help to strengthen, prepare, and equip us to indeed “withstand in that evil day, and having done all, to stand firm” (Eph 6:13). Our brother in Christ, St. Antony of the Desert, has a great deal of wisdom to offer about how to be faithful to Christ in the midst of the worst temptations, the strongest assaults by the Enemy. Not only that, but Antony shows us that the life lived for Christ is richer and more joyful than anything we could possibly expect. Reading The Life of Antony, we are both strengthened and encouraged.
As Athanasius writes of Antony, commending us to read the history of his life:
“Therefore, read these things… so [you] may believe that our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ glorifies those who glorify him, and not only leads those who serve him to the end into the Kingdom of heaven, but even here, though they conceal themselves and seek to retire, he makes them known and celebrated everywhere, both because of their own virtue and because of their assistance to others. And if the need arises, read this to the pagans as well, so they may understand by this means that our Lord Jesus Christ is God and Son of God – and, additionally, that the Christians who are sincerely devoted to him and truly believe in him not only prove that the demons, whom the Greeks consider gods, are not gods, but also trample and chase them away as deceivers and corrupters of mankind, through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom belongs glory forever and ever. Amen.” (2)
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1) Attwater, Donald, with Catherine Rachel John. Penguin Dictionary of Saints. p. 44.
2) Athanasius. The Life of Antony and the Letter to Marcellinus. Trans. Robert C. Gregg. Paulist Press, 1980. p. 99.
Related posts:
- Just Ignore the Lion in the Corner? Facing the Reality of the Enemy
- The Spiritual Disciplines: The Wings of Prayer
- “Strive to Enter by the Narrow Door”: the Reality of the Christian Life
- Summer Reading Discussion!
- Reading Versus Television: Which Is Better?
3 Responses to “Recommended Reading: Athanasius’ The Life of Antony”
Dr Holly Ordway came to Christ through reason, in the pursuit of truth. "In your hearts honor Christ as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect" (1 Peter 15).
She writes about her journey from atheism to orthodox Christian faith in her book "Not God's Type: A Rational Academic Finds a Radical Faith" (Moody Publishers).
I have become a regular commenter here, but I look forward to reading this book. I have read On the Incarnation, and I know of a priest who thinks that the life of St. Antony is one which all Christians should be familiar with. And I am once again impressed with your articulate exposition here. Clearly there is a reason why you a Literature professor!
I have certainly found the life of St Antony to be inspiring and helpful. This is actually the second time I have read it. My priest lent me a copy pretty early in my Christian life, and then I revisited it these last few weeks as a response to recognizing that I was on the receiving end of spiritual attack. Very helpful in both cases.
I was inspired by your suggestion to look at my shelves where, lo and behold, I had a copy of Athanasius’ On the Incarnation (with an introduction by C.S. Lewis, even!) that I had bought in the fall but not read yet. So, I’ve started it!
I am so glad you are reading On the Incarnation! I did enjoy it, and I believe it is a critical work for Christians to read. As I recall, however, I was a bit disappointed in Athanasius’ claim that Christianity is true because so many people were willing to die for the faith (I mean look at how many people are willing to die for the Muslim faith, and I do not believe that faith knows the Truth). I think I remember liking the parts where he talked about the prophecies being true. When I was in the process of coming to know and understand Christ, I remember being very influenced because He fulfilled prophecy after prophecy of the Old Testament. But looking back, I guess I was already assuming God existed and there was great truth in the Old Testament. And by the way, you have the same copy of the book that I do. I think Lewis’ introduction is great.