“I Was Not Built Up in the Womb, I Was Not Knit Together in the Egg, I Was Not Conceived”: The Christian Doctrine of the Eternal Generation of the Son in Its Egyptian Context

Abstract

This article outlines the doctrine of the eternal generation of the Son, which can be found in Origen and was expanded on by Athanasius of Alexandria in his writings against Arius. The idea of the eternal generation of the Son will be seen in the context of the relationship between the Egyptian primordial creator god Atum and his offspring, the twin gods Shu and Tefnut. The various ways in which Shu is born are examined, as well as his relationship to the sun. The Egyptian understanding of duality and complementarity will also be examined in order to shed light on Athanasius’ arguments.