Athanasius was a small man with a very dark complexion. Athanasius is believed to have belonged to a small group of people called the Copts. He spoke Coptic and also had a dark complexion, as the Copts were. Many sources claim that he was nicknamed the "black dwarf" by his opponents. If these accounts are true, this would make Athanasius a member of Egypt's lower classes. In his youth, he often visited monks in the desert where he received theological instruction. He was perhaps a student of Saint Anthony. Athanase was a man of great character who lived his faith among the people. Because of his discipline, many respected him, even his enemies. In Athanasius burned a keen intelligence and a heart on fire for God, the God who had freely and miraculously entered human history to save humanity, becoming what we are to save us from what we had become.1 As the he apostle Paul, it is said of Athanasius that he was not gifted in speech, that he did not have much elegance, nor was he astute in political acumen. Although he was not a great orator, he was considered the main enemy of his rival Arius. At the Council of Nicaea in 325, Athanasius was secretary to Alexander of Alexandria. Three years after the Council, Alexander was ill and it would be the year 328 that he died. It is said that, shortly before his death, Alexander asked for his youngest friend, probably to indicate that he wanted him to be the next bishop of Alexandria.2 Meanwhile, Athanasius had fled into the desert, hiding , not wanting to be named bishop of Alexandria. Alexandria. Finally, after Alexander had been dead for several weeks, Athanasius was named bishop of Alexandria. It is noted that he... middle of paper ... but like the apostle Paul, he had endurance and tenacity. In this student experience, I lost my entire family because of my beliefs. But what was gained far outweighs the loss. Jesus told his disciples to let the dead bury their dead and to come follow him. This is the course this student chose to take. Like Athanasius, this student has now taken up the course of defending my God among the people bound by deception.BibliographyThe Athanasian Creed. (2009). In Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved May 7, 2009, from Encyclopædia Britannica Online: http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/40585/Athanasian-Creed. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Athanasian_CreedGonzalez L. Justo, The History of Christianity ISBN0-06-063315-8Hall, Christopher A. (1998) Reading Scripture with the Church Fathers: InterVarsity Press: Downers Grove, Illinois ISBN 0-8308-1500-7