No other single work, outside of the Bible, has had more influence on my understanding of the person and work of Jesus than this one:
“On the Incarnation” by Athanasius of Alexandria
I was at my favorite coffee shop about a year ago, having a conversation with one of their baristas that had become a good friend, and was Brother.
He introduced me to the other barista he was working with behind the bar, who was also a Brother. Somewhere in our conversation he mentioned that every year leading up to Christmas, he re-reads “On the Incarnation” as a way to prepare his heart to celebrate the Incarnation—God becoming a Man, the Word becoming flesh, Jesus born as a baby to a poor Jewish family in a dirty barn.
I loved that.
It’s a short book, easy to fly through in a few days. But it’s a rich book, unpacking the wonders of God becoming a Man—the perfect preparatory devotion for the joyous Christmas season.
I was inspired. So here we are, joining this barista’s advent devotion through the great Christian classic: “On the Incarnation.”
We will not be flying through it in a few days, however. We will being doing an 8-week study through the book, covering one chapter at a time, thinking deeply, and discussing the content together. We will begin November 1st and finish the Saturday before Christmas day.
Here’s the schedule:
11/1 - Chapter 1 (9 pages)
11/8 - Chapter 2 (8 pages)
11/15 - Chapter 3 (14 pages)
11/22 - Chapter 4 (11 pages)
11/29 - Chapter 5 (11 pages)
12/6 - Chapter 6 (16 pages)
12/13 - Chapter 7 (11 pages)
12/20 - Chapter 8 & 9 (20 pages)
A few encouragements:
This is an old book. It was written around year 318, about 1700 years ago. But don’t let that intimidate you! Athanasius writes so deeply, yet so simply. This book was written by him to explain to a recent convert to Christianity the fundamentals of the Christian faith, especially the core doctrines related to God becoming Man in Christ Jesus. You will be pleasantly surprised to find his writing on these foundational truths both rich and clear. In this copy’s introduction, written by none other than C.S. Lewis, the reader is given a number of compelling reasons to read old books—taking a break from our modern literature and reaching into the great works of the past; the works that have stood the test of time, lasting through the ages, and influencing Christian thought for millennia. I hope this book gives you the confidence to dig into more of the ancient classics!
This is an important book. Though Athanasius didn’t know at the time he wrote this book, a false teaching would spring up years later claiming that Jesus was not actually God, but a created being. This movement was strong and extremely dangerous for the Church. But this book, and Athanasius himself defending the sound doctrine of the Trinity and the Divinity of Jesus, helped to protect the Church from the destructive force of that heresy. Athanasius endured slander, persecution, and exile from his home 5 separate times in defending the Truth which is expressed in this book. God used him and his writing to preserve His Holy Church in the face of great opposition.
This book leads to worship. As you read and behold Jesus, you will be drawn to awe. You will understand new and glorious realties of the Incarnation that deepen your love for Christ. You will see even more clearly the depths of what Jesus has done for us in His love. And as you behold Jesus, 2 Corinthians 3:18 says that the Spirit will be transforming you into the likeness of Jesus. Your reading will lead to worship, which will lead to your sanctification to the glory of God!
How it will work:
This will function identically to our last Book Club! But if you’re new here, let me explain:
If you’re local, you can come pick up a FREE copy of the book at the shop. If you’re joining us from somewhere far away, you’ll have to order your own copy :( but you should have time to order it now and have it before the start date!
Starting November 1st, there will be a post every Saturday following the above schedule. The post will have some personal reflections, but also serve as an online meeting place for discussion and dialogue in the comments. You’ll get to share your thoughts and questions, as well as interact with the insights of others!
The only requirement of you is to get that week’s reading done sometime before Saturday, and be ready to share your insights on the discussion post! (participation in the online discussion is not required—we’d love if you simply followed along with the reading on your own if online discussion isn’t your cup of tea)
Also, we HIGHLY encourage you to invite someone else to join the Book Club with you and meet IN PERSON, if possible! We’d love to hear your thoughts on the online discussion, but nothing can replace real, embodied, face-to-face fellowship, so prioritize that if it’s an option for you.
If you have any questions: leave a comment here, send us a message on Substack, Instagram, or Facebook; or just come to the shop and ask!
