Matthew Hoskin, Professional Nerd
@mjjhoskin.bsky.social
PhD in Classics & Church History. Monks, manuscripts, popes, canon law. Prof of Christian History at Davenant Hall.
As raindrops cannot be counted, so can the wisdom of God not be fathomed.- Evagrius of Pontus, Exhortations to Monks 2.3
November 10, 2025 at 6:40 PM
As raindrops cannot be counted, so can the wisdom of God not be fathomed.- Evagrius of Pontus, Exhortations to Monks 2.3
The mind is the temple of the Holy Trinity. -Evagrius of Pontus, Reflections 34
November 5, 2025 at 12:38 AM
The mind is the temple of the Holy Trinity. -Evagrius of Pontus, Reflections 34
Prayer is a state of the mind that arises under the influence of the unique light of the Holy Trinity. -Evagrius of Pontus, Reflections 27 (trans. Sinkewicz)
November 4, 2025 at 10:30 PM
Prayer is a state of the mind that arises under the influence of the unique light of the Holy Trinity. -Evagrius of Pontus, Reflections 27 (trans. Sinkewicz)
"All things come of thee, and of thine own have we given thee." (1 Chr. 29:14) - A verse I know from the offering at church. It sprang to mind today reading of Athanasius' view of virtue and holiness. It is a gift from God to us that we offer back to Him.
August 14, 2025 at 5:41 PM
"All things come of thee, and of thine own have we given thee." (1 Chr. 29:14) - A verse I know from the offering at church. It sprang to mind today reading of Athanasius' view of virtue and holiness. It is a gift from God to us that we offer back to Him.
that very Word who was by nature Lord, and was then made man, has through a servant’s form
been made Lord of all and Christ, that is, in order to make all holy by the Spirit. -Athanasius, Contra Arianos 2:14
been made Lord of all and Christ, that is, in order to make all holy by the Spirit. -Athanasius, Contra Arianos 2:14
August 13, 2025 at 11:38 PM
that very Word who was by nature Lord, and was then made man, has through a servant’s form
been made Lord of all and Christ, that is, in order to make all holy by the Spirit. -Athanasius, Contra Arianos 2:14
been made Lord of all and Christ, that is, in order to make all holy by the Spirit. -Athanasius, Contra Arianos 2:14
For if the works of the Word’s Godhead had not taken place through the body, humanity would not have been deified. And again, if the properties of the flesh had not been attributed to the Word, humanity would not have been thoroughly delivered from them. -St Athanasius, Contra Arianos 3:33
August 13, 2025 at 8:42 PM
For if the works of the Word’s Godhead had not taken place through the body, humanity would not have been deified. And again, if the properties of the flesh had not been attributed to the Word, humanity would not have been thoroughly delivered from them. -St Athanasius, Contra Arianos 3:33
In a job interview I was asked to present the Gospel; I gave a very Athanasian response, so they followed up with if I believed in Penal Substitionary Atonement, to which I responded, "You mean like St Anselm?"
I didn't get the job, but that had more to do with St Thomas Aquinas
I didn't get the job, but that had more to do with St Thomas Aquinas
August 13, 2025 at 5:41 PM
In a job interview I was asked to present the Gospel; I gave a very Athanasian response, so they followed up with if I believed in Penal Substitionary Atonement, to which I responded, "You mean like St Anselm?"
I didn't get the job, but that had more to do with St Thomas Aquinas
I didn't get the job, but that had more to do with St Thomas Aquinas
On this feast of St Clare, her laudable exchange:
What a great laudable exchange:
to leave the things of time for those of eternity,
to choose the things of heaven for the goods of earth,
to receive the hundred-fold in place of one,
and to possess a blessed and eternal life.
What a great laudable exchange:
to leave the things of time for those of eternity,
to choose the things of heaven for the goods of earth,
to receive the hundred-fold in place of one,
and to possess a blessed and eternal life.
August 11, 2025 at 11:38 PM
On this feast of St Clare, her laudable exchange:
What a great laudable exchange:
to leave the things of time for those of eternity,
to choose the things of heaven for the goods of earth,
to receive the hundred-fold in place of one,
and to possess a blessed and eternal life.
What a great laudable exchange:
to leave the things of time for those of eternity,
to choose the things of heaven for the goods of earth,
to receive the hundred-fold in place of one,
and to possess a blessed and eternal life.
Chrysostom on St Paul, "He does not comprehend a few ideas in a multitude of words, but includes great and manifold thought in brevity of expressions." (Homily 27 on Hebrews)
August 11, 2025 at 8:42 PM
Chrysostom on St Paul, "He does not comprehend a few ideas in a multitude of words, but includes great and manifold thought in brevity of expressions." (Homily 27 on Hebrews)
And the Word is not separate from the Father, nor unlike and foreign to the Father’s essence. Therefore, whatever he works, those are the Father’s works, and his framing of all things is one with the Father’s; and what the Son gives, that is the Father’s gift. And he who has seen
August 11, 2025 at 5:40 PM
And the Word is not separate from the Father, nor unlike and foreign to the Father’s essence. Therefore, whatever he works, those are the Father’s works, and his framing of all things is one with the Father’s; and what the Son gives, that is the Father’s gift. And he who has seen
The monastic ideal: holy bands of men who sang psalms, loved reading, fasted, prayed, rejoiced in the hope of things to come, laboured in almsgiving, and preserved love and harmony one with another. (Ath VA 44)
August 6, 2025 at 11:38 PM
The monastic ideal: holy bands of men who sang psalms, loved reading, fasted, prayed, rejoiced in the hope of things to come, laboured in almsgiving, and preserved love and harmony one with another. (Ath VA 44)
If you, like Antony, face temptation, follow his example. He would "fortify his body with faith, prayers, and fasting." (Athanasius, Life of Antony 5)
August 6, 2025 at 8:42 PM
If you, like Antony, face temptation, follow his example. He would "fortify his body with faith, prayers, and fasting." (Athanasius, Life of Antony 5)
"for monks the life of Antony is a sufficient pattern of discipline." -Athanasius, Life of Antony, Prologue
August 6, 2025 at 5:41 PM
"for monks the life of Antony is a sufficient pattern of discipline." -Athanasius, Life of Antony, Prologue
O GOD, who on the holy mount didst reveal to chosen witnesses thy well-beloved Son wonderfully transfigured: Mercifully grant unto us such a vision of his divine majesty, that we, being purified and strengthened by thy grace, may be transformed into his likeness from glory to glory; through...
August 6, 2025 at 2:55 PM
O GOD, who on the holy mount didst reveal to chosen witnesses thy well-beloved Son wonderfully transfigured: Mercifully grant unto us such a vision of his divine majesty, that we, being purified and strengthened by thy grace, may be transformed into his likeness from glory to glory; through...
Seasonal reading for tomorrow
August 5, 2025 at 11:11 PM
Seasonal reading for tomorrow
For he became man that we might become divine; and he revealed himself through a body that we might receive an idea of the invisible Father; and he endured insults from men that we might inherit incorruption. -Athanasius, On the Incarnation 54
August 5, 2025 at 2:18 PM
For he became man that we might become divine; and he revealed himself through a body that we might receive an idea of the invisible Father; and he endured insults from men that we might inherit incorruption. -Athanasius, On the Incarnation 54
For man is by nature mortal in that he was created from nothing. But because of his likeness to him who exists, if he had kept this through contemplating God, he would have blunted his natural corruption and would have remained incorruptible -Athanasius, On the Incarnation 4 (trans. Thomson)
July 31, 2025 at 5:41 PM
For man is by nature mortal in that he was created from nothing. But because of his likeness to him who exists, if he had kept this through contemplating God, he would have blunted his natural corruption and would have remained incorruptible -Athanasius, On the Incarnation 4 (trans. Thomson)
since there is not disorder but order in the universe, and not chaos but symmetry, and not confusion but system and a har- monious ordering of the world, we must consider and form an idea of the master who unites and binds the elements together, bringing them into harmony.-Athanasius, CG 38
July 30, 2025 at 8:42 PM
since there is not disorder but order in the universe, and not chaos but symmetry, and not confusion but system and a har- monious ordering of the world, we must consider and form an idea of the master who unites and binds the elements together, bringing them into harmony.-Athanasius, CG 38
I've hit that stage in Athanasius' Contra Gentes that when I want to tweet out a quote, I have trouble choosing. Why not a whole paragraph? Why not the whole thing? Friends, read it for yourselves -- especially if you like its sequel, On the Incarnation.
July 30, 2025 at 5:41 PM
I've hit that stage in Athanasius' Contra Gentes that when I want to tweet out a quote, I have trouble choosing. Why not a whole paragraph? Why not the whole thing? Friends, read it for yourselves -- especially if you like its sequel, On the Incarnation.
Now reality is the good, unreality what is evil. I call reality what is good because it has its exemplar in God who is real; and I call unreality what is evil because what has no real existence has been invented by the conceits of men. -Athanasius, Contra Gentes 4 (trans Thomson)
July 29, 2025 at 11:38 PM
Now reality is the good, unreality what is evil. I call reality what is good because it has its exemplar in God who is real; and I call unreality what is evil because what has no real existence has been invented by the conceits of men. -Athanasius, Contra Gentes 4 (trans Thomson)
God, the creator of the universe and king of all, who is beyond all being and human thought, since he is good and bountiful, has made mankind in his own image through his own Word, our Saviour Jesus Christ -Athanasius, Contra Gentes 2
July 29, 2025 at 8:42 PM
God, the creator of the universe and king of all, who is beyond all being and human thought, since he is good and bountiful, has made mankind in his own image through his own Word, our Saviour Jesus Christ -Athanasius, Contra Gentes 2
"that which He has not assumed He has not healed; but that which is united to His Godhead is also saved." -St Gregory of Nazianzus, Ep. 101 to Cledonius, one of the most famous lines in patristic Christology
July 25, 2025 at 2:01 PM
"that which He has not assumed He has not healed; but that which is united to His Godhead is also saved." -St Gregory of Nazianzus, Ep. 101 to Cledonius, one of the most famous lines in patristic Christology
St Gregory of Nazianzus calls Apollinarianism "piratical and fallacious teachings", and I love it. (Ep. 101 to Cledonius)
July 24, 2025 at 11:38 PM
St Gregory of Nazianzus calls Apollinarianism "piratical and fallacious teachings", and I love it. (Ep. 101 to Cledonius)
The Council of Nicaea "was a monument of victory over all heresy, but especially the Arian, which was the main reason of the synod assembling when it did." -Athanasius, Letter to Epictetus (Ep. 59)
July 24, 2025 at 5:41 PM
The Council of Nicaea "was a monument of victory over all heresy, but especially the Arian, which was the main reason of the synod assembling when it did." -Athanasius, Letter to Epictetus (Ep. 59)
Reading Nestorius' response to Cyril's second letter, I feel that he is having trouble coming to grips with the scandal of the incarnation (to borrow the title of Balthasar's volume of excerpts from Irenaeus).
July 23, 2025 at 8:42 PM
Reading Nestorius' response to Cyril's second letter, I feel that he is having trouble coming to grips with the scandal of the incarnation (to borrow the title of Balthasar's volume of excerpts from Irenaeus).