Against Idolatry and the Origins of Evil
§2. Evil no part of the essential nature of things. The original creation and constitution of man in grace and in the knowledge of God. 5 In the beginning wickedness did not exist.
§2–5 (¶1)
§6. False views of the nature of evil: viz., that evil is something in the nature of things, and has substantive existence. (a) Heathen thinkers: (evil resides in matter). Their refutation.
§6–10 (¶2)
§11. The deeds of heathen deities, and particularly of Zeus. But of these and such like inventions of idolatrous madness, Scripture taught us beforehand long ago, when it said127, “The devising of idols was the…
§11–15 (¶3)
§16. Heathen arguments in palliation of the above: and (1) ‘the poets are responsible for these unedifying tales.’ But are the names and existence of the gods any better authenticated? Both stand or fall together.
§16–20 (¶4)
§21. The idea of communications through angels involves yet wilder inconsistency, nor does it, even if true, justify the worship of the image.
§21–24 (¶5)
§25. Human sacrifice. Its absurdity. Its prevalence. Its calamitous results. This is one of the few places where Athanasius has any Egyptian ‘local colour’ (cf. supra 9 and 10). M.
§25–29 (¶6)
§30. The soul of man, being intellectual, can know God of itself, if it be true to its own nature. The tenets we have been speaking of have been proved to be nothing more than a false guide for life; but the way of…
§30–34 (¶7)
2. But if they claim to have a soul, and pride themselves on the rational principle, and that rightly, why do they, as though they had no soul, venture to go against reason, and think not as they ought, but make…
§2–3 (¶8)
§38. The Unity of God shewn by the Harmony of the order of Nature. Since then, there is everywhere not disorder but order, proportion and not disproportion, not disarray but arrangement, and that in an order perfectly…
§38–4 (¶9)
§40. The rationality and order of the Universe proves that it is the work of the Reason or Word of God. Who then might this Maker be? for this is a point most necessary to make plain, lest, from ignorance with regard to…
§40–43 (¶10)
§2. Evil no part of the essential nature of things. The original creation and constitution of man in grace and in the knowledge of God. 5 In the beginning wickedness did not exist.
§2–5 (¶11)
§6. False views of the nature of evil: viz., that evil is something in the nature of things, and has substantive existence. (a) Heathen thinkers: (evil resides in matter). Their refutation.
§6–10 (¶12)
§11. The deeds of heathen deities, and particularly of Zeus. But of these and such like inventions of idolatrous madness, Scripture taught us beforehand long ago, when it said127, “The devising of idols was the…
§11–15 (¶13)
§16. Heathen arguments in palliation of the above: and (1) ‘the poets are responsible for these unedifying tales.’ But are the names and existence of the gods any better authenticated? Both stand or fall together.
§16–20 (¶14)
§21. The idea of communications through angels involves yet wilder inconsistency, nor does it, even if true, justify the worship of the image.
§21–24 (¶15)
§25. Human sacrifice. Its absurdity. Its prevalence. Its calamitous results. This is one of the few places where Athanasius has any Egyptian ‘local colour’ (cf. supra 9 and 10). M.
§25–29 (¶16)