St. Hilary of Poitiers was a fourth-century philosopher. His work made him a champion of Orthodox Trinitarian theology during one of the most difficult periods of Church history.
Hilary protected the Church by defending the sacred humanity of Jesus, defeating the Arian heresy, which denied Christ’s placement within the Trinity.
Hilary was a gentle, courteous man, but he was labeled a “disturber of the peace,” just like Jesus. He devoted himself to writing some of the greatest theology on the Trinity.
Not much is known about Hilary’s life before he became a bishop. What historians do know about him derives mostly from personal details contained in his own writings. He indicated that he was born to a pagan family in present-day France, most likely around 310. He apparently grew up without any significant Christian influence, but he received a thorough education in Latin and Greek classics.
Like many other early Church Fathers, he came to realize the truth of the Bible by recognizing its compatibility with philosophy and the sciences.
