Athanasius the Great

The great St. Athanasius of Alexandria, hero of the first ecumenical Council of Nicaea and arch-enemy of Arianism, has been the object of renewed scholarly attention in the last several years, led by the works of Khaled Anatolios. Thomas Weinandy has also contributed to this scholarly renaissance.

Now we have a new work to be published later this year by Baker Academic:

Peter J. Leithart, Athanasius (Foundations of Theological Exegesis and Christian Spirituality) (Baker Academic, July 2011), 224pp.

The publisher provides us the following blurb:

This erudite volume offers fresh consideration of the work of famous fourth-century church father Athanasius, giving specific attention to his use of Scripture, his deployment of metaphysical categories, and the intersection between the two. Peter Leithart not only introduces Athanasius and his biblical theology but also puts Athanasius into dialogue with contemporary theologians. The book draws on Athanasius's theology to shed light on contemporary theological debates and defends him against contemporary criticisms of "classical theism."

Athanasius launches the Foundations of Theological Exegesis and Christian Spirituality series. This series is based on the conviction that retrieval of the church fathers is essential to contemporary flourishing and further development in Christian theology; that patristic spiritual interpretation continues to hold out prospects for theology; and that participation in the divine was an important underlying conviction for Nicene Christianity on which we should continue to build today. The series contributes to the growing area of theological interpretation and will appeal to both Protestant and Catholic readers.

I look forward to seeing this reviewed in Logos: A Journal of Eastern Christian Studies.