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Examined Doctrine

Athanasius of Alexandria on the millennium & Christ's return

C.296 – 373 · GREEK FATHER
READ IN A PRIMARY SOURCELEANS TOWARD°
STANCE

No required position; several views held faithfully

On the Incarnation 32.6
"bestowed incorruption upon all by the promise of the Resurrection"

THE POSITION

He affirms a bodily second coming and a general resurrection — Christ's risen body is the first-fruits of the resurrection of all — but there is no thousand years, no earthly reign, and no chiliasm anywhere in the eschatological sections where it would have to appear.

SCRIPTURE
MATTHEW 26:64 · BSB

64 “You have said it yourself,” Jesus answered. “But I say to all of you, from now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.”

4 OTHERS HOLD THIS

M. HeiserJosh HowertonSecond London Baptist ConfessionWestminster Confession
Amillennial — the millennium is the present church ageAQUINAS · AUGUSTINE · CALVIN · TIM KELLER · LUTHER · PHILIP MELANCHTHON · R.C. SPROUL
Premillennial — Christ returns before a future millenniumIRENAEUS · JOHN MACARTHUR · JUSTIN PETERS · JOHN PIPER
Postmillennial — the gospel triumphs before Christ returnsJONATHAN EDWARDS · JOHN OWEN
See all 23 figures on the millennium & christ's return →

ABOUT THIS FIGURE

Defender of Nicene orthodoxy against Arianism through repeated exiles. On the Incarnation is his central work on why God became man.

10 OF 15 POSITIONS QUOTED
Everything Athanasius holds →
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"Athanasius of Alexandria on the millennium & Christ's return", Examined Doctrine, July 2026 edition, https://examineddoctrine.com/position/athanasius/millennium (archived at https://examineddoctrine.com/editions/2026-07/position/athanasius/millennium).

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