Intrinsicism

Athanasius opposed to extrinicism in every form. Most obviously, he opposes the Arian effort to make the Son external to the Father and to the being of God. But that intrinsicism unfolds in an intrinsicist, christologically grounded soteriology. Why couldn’t God have sent a creature to save us? he presents the Arians asking. Because, Athanasius says, then “humanity would nevertheless have remained as Adam was before the transgression, receiving grace externally and not having it mingled with the body.” Grace can be made intrinsic only if the Son enters humanity and then joins humanity to God.

Which suggests two consequences: First, that the incarnation was necessary if humanity was going to achieve its final end, even apart from sin; second, that the questions concerning extrinsic/intrinsic grace are perhaps at bottom Christological.