On May 2, 373, early Christian church leader Athanasius died. Athanasius is known as "The Father of Orthodoxy" and is most well known for his work in defending Biblical truth against the heresy of Arianism. While Athanasius also was influential in his help in clarifying which books should make up the New Testament Canon, it is his work in refuting the heresy of Arianism that is most prominent. Arianism is the heresy that denies the deity of Jesus Christ - making Christ out to be a lesser created being. The Jehovah's Witness movement propagates this same heresy today.
For more about Asthanasius, consider this book
For more about Arianism and the Deity of Jesus Christ consider this systematic theology or this book on the deity of Christ.
Births
1729 Catharine II (aka Catharine the Great) - Empress of Russia
1903 Bing Cosby - Singer of "White Christmas" fame
1975 David Beckham - English Soccer player
Deaths
1519 Leonardo DaVinci - Painter, inventor, Renascence man
1972 J. Edgar Hoover - Former director of the Federal Bureau of Investigators (FBI)
Events
1863 Stonewall Jackson is wounded by friendly fire and dies 8-days later
1885 Good Housekeeping magazine goes on sale for the first time
1997 Tony Blair becomes Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
Sports
1920 The first game of the Negro National League baseball is played
Indianapolis, Indiana served as the home for the first game
1939 Lou Gehrig's streak of 2130 consecutive games comes to an end
