Works on the Spirit

athanasius and didymus

Athanasius’s

Letters to Serapion on the Holy Spirit

and Didymus’s

On the Holy Spirit

Translated, with an Introduction and Annotations, by

Mark DelCogliano,

Andrew Radde-Gallwitz,

and Lewis Ayres

st vladimir’s seminary press

yonkers, new york

2011

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Works on the Spirit : Athanasius’s letters to Serapion on the Holy Spirit, and, Didymus’s On the Holy Spirit / Athanasius and Didymus ; translated, with an introduction and annotations, by Mark DelCogliano, Andrew Radde-Gallwitz, and Lewis Ayres.

p. cm. — (Popular patristics series ; no. 43)

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN 978-0-88141-379-3

1. Holy Spirit—Early works to 1800. 2. Athanasius, Saint, Patriarch of Alexandria, d. 373. Epistolae ad Serapionem. 3. Didymus, the Blind, ca. 313–ca. 398. De Spiritu Sancto. 4. Athanasius, Saint, Patriarch of Alexandria, d. 373.—Correspondence. 5. Serapion, of Thmuis, Saint—Correspondence. I. DelCogliano, Mark. II. Radde-Gallwitz, Andrew. III. Ayres, Lewis. IV. Athanasius, Saint, Patriarch of Alexandria, d. 373. Epistolae ad Serapionem. English. V. Didymus, the Blind, ca. 313–ca. 398. De Spiritu Sancto. English.

BT121.3.W6813 2011

231'.309015—dc23

2011032049

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isbn 978-088141-379-3

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st vladimir’s seminary press

Popular Patristics Series

Number 43

The Popular Patristics Series published by St Vladimir’s Seminary Press provides readable and accurate translations of a wide range of early Christian literature to a wide audience—students of Christian history to lay Christians reading for spiritual benefit. Recognized scholars in their fields provide short but comprehensive and clear introductions to the material. The texts include classics of Christian literature, thematic volumes, collections of homilies, letters on spiritual counsel, and poetical works from a variety of geographical contexts and historical backgrounds. The mission of the series is to mine the riches of the early Church and to make these treasures available to all.

Series Editor

John Behr

Associate Editor

Augustine Casiday

Contents

Preface

Abbreviations

General Introduction

Introduction to Athanasius’s Letters to Serapion on the Holy Spirit

Life and Legacy

The Context of the Letters

The Structure of the Letters

Athanasius’s Argument

The Date of the Letters

Greek Text

Introduction to Didymus’s On the Holy Spirit

Life and Writings

The Date of On the Holy Spirit

The Context of On the Holy Spirit

The Structure of On the Holy Spirit

Didymus’s Argument

Jerome’s Latin Translation of Didymus’s On the Holy Spirit

A Note on the Translation

Athanasius, Letters to Serapion on the Holy Spirit

Jerome’s Prologue to The Book of Didymus On the Holy Spirit

Didymus, On the Holy Spirit

Bibliography

Index of Scripture

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About Works on the Spirit: Athanasius’s Letters to Serapion on the Holy Spirit, and, Didymus’s on the Holy Spirit

In the second half of the fourth century the mystery of the Holy Spirit was the subject of fierce debate. Those who fought against the Nicene Creed opposed the idea that the Spirit was God. Even some of those willing to accept the equality of the Father and the Son saw the Spirit as more angelic than divine.

The first great testament to the Spirit’s divinity—showing how the Spirit creates and saves inseparably with the Father and the son—is St. Athanasius’ Letters to Serapion. Only a few years later, Didymus the Blind penned his own On the Holy Spirit, which is here translated into English for the first time. For Didymus, the Spirit transforms Christians by drawing them into the divine life itself, and must therefore be one with the Father and Son. This volume offers new translations of two of the most powerful Patristic reflections on the work and nature of the Holy Spirit.

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Table of Contents