Studies in Athanasius' "Apologia Secunda"

Athanasius, bishop of Alexandria from AD 328 - 373, was deeply involved in the ecclesiastical conflicts of his age. His major work, Apologia Secunda, completed in AD 357/358 is of great interest in giving Athanasius' defence against the charges which had been pressed against him by his opponents. The present book expounds the significance of the documents which he reproduces by checking these against other sources. It is shown that Athanasius' judgement in historical matters is less sure than in theology. Convinced of the rightness of his cause he adopted dubious methods against the Meletians and Eusebians. The book concludes with a series of appendices which fill out what is often only implicit in the Apologia.