Tuesday, December 9th: Episode 657 introduces Athanasius of Alexandria, one of the most important defenders of the doctrine of the Incarnation. Athanasius argued passionately that Jesus must be fully God and fully human, or Christmas loses its power. His classic book On the Incarnation explains why God became man, using vivid images like a vandalized painting restored by the original artist. The episode walks through Athanasius’ battle at the Council of Nicaea and his opposition to Arius, who denied Christ’s divinity. Athanasius’ famous line, “He became what we are, that He might make us what He is,” provides a powerful summary of the meaning of Christmas. Listeners are invited to see Christmas as God entering human nature to heal and transform it. The episode encourages modern believers to hold fast to the truth of Christ’s divinity and humanity throughout Advent. Ultimately, Athanasius helps us understand that Christmas is not sentiment, but salvation.

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