Hounded and harassed by his opponents, on numerous occasions fleeing for his life, Athanasius stood fast in his belief that the Lord Jesus and the Holy Spirit were ‘of the same essence' as The Father, and therefore equally Divine.
Leading theologians of almost every age hold Athanasius in very high regard. Dr. Needham, quoting James White says, “Arguing from Scripture, fearlessly reproaching error, writing from refuge in the desert along the Nile, or in the crowded suburbs around Alexandria, Athanasius continued the fight. His willingness to give place even when banished by the Emperor, dis-fellowshipped by the established church gave rise to the phrase “Athanasius contra mundum” – “Athanasius against the world.”
Dr. Needham closes the second part to his lecture by encouraging his hearer to remember the example of Athanasius.