Re-examination of the Historical Sources on the Episcopal Ordination of Athanasius

Re-examination of the Historical Sources on the Episcopal Ordination of Athanasius

Nathan K. N.G.

In the Arian and Melitian controversy, the legitimacy of the episcopal ordination of Athanasius is the key issue. If his ordination was illegal, all he did in the controversy would become inappropriate. However, the present historical sources about this ordination show such diverse pictures that Totally different conclusions can be made depending on which sources are to be trusted.

This article tries to re-evaluate each historical source and explore the true historical facts using modern historiographical methods. These historical sources include Athanasius' Apologia contra Arianos, Chronicon Athanasianum, Epiphanius' Panarion,Gregory Nazianzen's Orationes 21, Philostorgius' Historia Ecclesiastica, Socrates' Historia Ecclesiastica, Sozomen's Historia Ecclesiastica and Apophthegmata Patrum. Based on such re-evaluation, an historical re-construction of the episcopal ordination of Athanasius is provided at the end of the article.