St. Athanasius
Today being the memorial St. Athanasius this is my favorite story about him when he was being tried for sorcery and for murder and cutting off their right hand to use in magical rites.
Early in the proceeding, with a truly breath-taking disregard for recently established and documented truth, the "hand of Arsernius" was brought out for the horrified perusal of the council, along with the original tale of murder and sorcery involving him and Athanasius. But Athanasius was as resourceful as his opponents. Arsenius, never quite good enough at hiding himself, was ferreted out again at Tyre. Athanasius brought him to the council, wrapped in a cloak. He asked if those present knew Arsenius. When several answered that they did. Athanasius uncovered Arsenius's face. "Is this the right Arsenius? Is this the man I murdered? Is this the man those people mutilated after his murder by cutting off his right hand? Then he pulled off the cloak, revealing both of Arsenius's hands perfectly normal. "Let no one seek for a third hand," Athanasius concluded, with crushing irony "for man has received two hands from the Creator and no more." From the Building of Christendom Vol II by Warren H. Carroll
Warren Carroll series on Christendom is highly recommended. These are not rapid reads or simple overviews of the History of Christendom, but are much more expansive. His writing style is highly readable and while these books are scholarly and footnoted, they are not dry in any way and extremely informative. It really helps you to expand your view of Christian history. We often complain about events in the Church such as weak bishops, etc. Reading Church history really helps to put it all in perspective. Going back to the time of St. Athanasius when the Arian heresy had infected the majority of bishops and considering the fact that this was only a few centuries after the death of Christ you can see how the Holy Spirit has guided the Church. To look at history is to see that the Church has always had spineless clergy and laity. Just how many bishops refused to give in to King Henry VIII in England. Just one - St. John Fisher. Yet despite our own weaknesses and those of the Body of Christ -the Church just keeps chugging along despite us.
Looking at the times of St. Athanasius you see that theology was taken quite seriously even up to fights breaking out in the streets over it. Or the famous case of St. Nicholas punching Arius in the nose. There were many plots, intrigues, and political gambits used to advance a theological view. In comparison what we do today is quite boring. Our modern day dissidents are usually much more subtle and less out in the open about their views or they are made in such a way as to allow plausible deniability that they are actually denying Church teaching. Give me an honest heretic any day.
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I second the recommendation of reading Warren Carroll's history of Christendom series. I have volumes 1 - 4 and have been using them extensively as reference books in my studies. I hope to actually sit down and read through them some day though. Maybe after I graduate and have a lot of free time on my hands. . . hahahaha. . .
I'll third that recommendation!
And I agree, Jeff. A thorough reading of Church history really puts today's crisis in perspective.
How many volumes are there? I see on the Amazon link that it's two, but one of the reviewers said it's six volumes. (However, he appears to be a bit mad; he gave it five stars but claims Carroll is secretly a Knight of Templar or Freemason, and therefore evil.)
MissJean, the fifth volume (of a planned six) just came out. They are all available through Amazon. I would recommend Dr. Carroll's other books as well.
There's an Anglican-Use Catholic congregation called St. Athanasius in Boston, fyi:
http://www.locutor.net/
Where are our contemporary Athanasiuses?!
Unfortunately I think too many naive potential candidates are busy running around Retreat Center labyrinths and doing courses such as "Powers of the Universe" (which of course they can only do if they've passed "Sacred Universe 1" first)
http://www.csjlagrange.org/html/ministry_ctr.html
Where's Athanasius when you need him!
3rd, 4th, 5th... your recomendation on Warren Carroll's books. His treatment of Fatima and WWI and Rasputin in "1917", or the French Revolution "Guillotine and the Cross" and his other short works are also highly readable and exciting. For me, sometimes reading a good bit of history is as spritual as reading, let's say Thomas a Kempis' "Imitation".
My early Church History proff says the other problem with modern day heretics is that it is so hard to get a good burning organized nowadays.
more's the pity.
You could also get the books from a Catholic source.
http://www.aquinasandmore.com/index.cfm/FuseAction/store.AuthorSearch/Author/1089/
What was also amazing was that Arius died shortly before getting the chance to receive Communion. That's really putting the smack down. It seems like God was making clear his choice in what was heresy and what orthodoxy.
You don't need a lot of time on your hands to read the Carroll series. Just read a few pages a day as part of your devotional reading. It is, after all, the history of the Body of Christ and you have a duty to familiarize yourself with it.
That was my plan and, as it turned out, I couldn't keep it to just a few pages a day. It is flat-out a great read.
For those of you who have already enjoyed it: You read the book--Now attend the college! Christendom College in fairest Front Royal, Virginia, founded by Warren Carroll.
Thanks for the book recommendation! My knowledge of Church history is weak at best and I'd like to improve it. I'm adding it to my already-bulging Amazon wishlist.