Origen was a Christian scholar and Theology is literally rational discourse concerning God (Greek θεος, theos, God, + λογος, logos, rational discourse). By extension, it also refers to the study of other religious topics. Contents // 1 History of the term 2 Theology and religions other than Christianity 3 Theology and... theologian and one of the most distinguished of the The Church Fathers or Fathers of the Church are the early and influential theologians and writers in the Christian church, particularly those of the first five centuries of Christian history. The term means specifically writers and teachers of the Church, not saints in general; usually it is not meant to... Fathers of the early For other uses of the term Christian, see Christian (disambiguation). The Christian cross and its many variations are widely recognized as an ancient Christian symbol. Christianity is an Abrahamic religion based on the life and death by crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth as described in the New Testament... Christian Church. He was born about Years: 178 179 180 181 - 182 - 183 184 185 186 Decades: 150s 160s 170s - 180s - 190s 200s 210s Centuries: 1st century - 2nd century - 3rd century Events Commodus exiles his sister Lucilla to Capreae Births Origen, Christian theologian (approximate date) Sun Quan, founder of the Wu Kingdom in China Deaths Categories... 182, probably at Antiquity and modernity stand cheek-by-jowl in Egypts chief Mediterranean seaport For other uses, see Alexandria (disambiguation). Located on the The Mediterranean Sea is an intercontinental sea positioned between Europe to the north, Africa to the south and Asia to the east, covering an approximate area of 2... Alexandria, and died at Caesarea is the name of several Roman cities and towns, including: Caesarea Antiochia in Turkey Caesarea Mauretania (Cherchell) in Algeria Caesarea Mazaca (Kaisarieh) in Turkey Caesarea Palaestina (Qesarriya) in Israel Caesarea Philippi in the Golan Heights This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that... Caesarea not later than Years: 247 248 249 250 - 251 - 252 253 254 255 Decades: 220s 230s 240s - 250s - 260s 270s 280s Centuries: 2nd century - 3rd century - 4th century Events Pope Cornelius succeeds Pope Fabian. Battle of Abrittus between Romans and Goths. The persecution of Christians under Decius ends. Herennius Etruscus, Hostilian, and Trebonianus... 251.

Life

Early training

His full name was apparently Origenes Adamantius. He was educated by his father, Leonides, on the Bible and in elementary studies. But in Years: 198 199 200 201 - 202 - 203 204 205 206 Decades: 170s 180s 190s - 200s - 210s 220s 230s Centuries: 2nd century - 3rd century - 4th century Events Roman law bans female gladiators Deaths Irenaeus, Bishop of Lyon (martyred) Perpetua (martyred) Felicitas (martyred) Yuan Shao, Chinese warlord Categories: 202 ... 202 Origen's father was killed in the outbreak of the Christians have sometimes experienced persecution during the history of Christianity. Persecution may refer to unwarranted arrest, imprisonment, beating, torture, or execution. It also may refer to the confiscation or destruction of property, or incitement to hate Christians. Contents // 1 Persecutions in the New Testament 1.1 Persecutions by the Jews... persecution during the reign of Emperor Septimius Severus Lucius Septimius Severus, (April 11, 146 - February 4, 211) was Roman emperor from April 9, 193 to 211. Some scholars claim that he was a Berber, and others claim that he was Punic. He was born at Leptis Magna (62 miles south east of Carthage), on the... Septimius Severus. Origen wished to follow in martyrdom, but was prevented only by a ruse of his mother. The death of Leonides left the family of nine impoverished when their property was confiscated. Origen, however, was taken under the protection of a woman of wealth and standing; but as her household already included a heretic named Paul, the strictly orthodox Origen seems to have remained with her only a short time.

Since his father's teaching enabled him also to give elementary instruction, he revived, in 203, the catechetical school at Alexandria, whose last teacher, Clement of Alexandria (Titus Flavius Clemens), was the first member of the For other uses of the term Christian, see Christian (disambiguation). The Christian cross and its many variations are widely recognized as an ancient Christian symbol. Christianity is an Abrahamic religion based on the life and death by crucifixion... Clement of Alexandria, was apparently driven out by the persecution. But the persecution still raged, and the young teacher unceasingly visited the prisoners, attended the courts, and comforted the condemned, himself preserved from harm as if by a miracle. His fame and the number of his pupils increased rapidly, so that Demetrius, bishop of Alexandria, made him restrict himself to instruction in Christian doctrine alone.

Origen, to be entirely independent, sold his library for a sum which netted him a daily income of 4 obols (about twelve cents) on which he lived by exercising the utmost frugality. Teaching throughout the day, he devoted the greater part of the night to the study of the Bible and lived a life of rigid asceticism. This he carried to such an extent that, fearing that his position as a teacher of women as well as men might give ground for scandal to the heathen, he followed literally Matthew 19:12 and Castration, gelding, neutering, orchiectomy or orchidectomy is any action, surgical or otherwise, by which a biological male loses use of the testes. This causes sterilization, i.e. prevents them from reproducing; it also greatly reduces the production of certain hormones, such as testosterone. It should not be confused with penectomy... castrated himself, partly influenced, too, by his belief that the Christian must follow the words of his Master without reserve. Later in life, however, he saw reason to judge differently concerning his extreme act.

During the reign of emperor Caracalla Caracalla (April 4, 186–April 8, 217) was emperor of the Roman Empire from AD 211–217. Born in Lyons in the province of Gaul in 186, he was the son of the future emperor Septimius Severus and Julia Domna. His given name was Marcus Aurelius Antoninus... Caracalla, about 211-212, Origen paid a brief visit to For other uses, see Rome (disambiguation). The Roman Colosseum Rome (Italian and Latin Roma) is the capital city of Italy, and of its Lazio region. It is located on the lower Tiber river, near the Mediterranean Sea, at 41°50N, 12°15E. The Vatican City State, a sovereign... Rome, but the relative laxity during the pontificate of Saint Zephyrinus, was pope from about 198 to 217. He was born in Rome, was preceded by Victor and was succeeded, upon his death on December 20, 217, by his principal advisor, Callixtus. His feast is held on August 26. Preceded by: Saint Victor I Pope (list) Succeeded by: Saint... Zephyrinus seems to have disillusioned him, and on his return to Alexandria he resumed his teaching with zeal increased by the contrast. But the school had far outgrown the strength of a single man; the catechumens pressed eagerly for elementary instruction, and the baptized sought for interpretation of the Bible. Under these circumstances, Origen entrusted the teaching of the catechumens to Heraclas, the brother of the martyr Plutarch, his first pupil.

His own interests became more and more centered in exegesis, and he accordingly studied Hebrew (עברית [‘Ivrit]) Spoken in: Israel Region: Israel and other countries Total speakers: Over 6 million (as all Israeli Jewish citizens as well as its Arabs speak it) Ranking: not in top 100 Genetic classification: Afro-Asiatic  Semitic   Central    ... Hebrew, though there is no certain knowledge concerning his instructor in that language. From about this period (212-213) dates Origen's acquaintance with Ambrose of Alexandria (died about 250 AD) was a friend of Origen. Attracted by Origens fame as a teacher, he visited his school about 212, and was converted by Origen from the Valentinian heresy to the orthodox faith (Eusebius, Church History, VI. xviii. 1). He was a sufferer during... Ambrose of Alexandria, whom he was instrumental in converting from Valentianism to orthodoxy. Later (about 218) Ambrose, a man of wealth, made a formal agreement with Origen to promulgate his writings, and all the subsequent works of Origen (except his sermons, which were not expressly prepared for publication) were dedicated to Ambrose.

In 213 or 214, Origen visited Arabia at the request of the prefect, who wished to have an interview with him; and Origen accordingly spent a brief time in This article is about the Jordanian site of Petra. For other meanings see Petra (disambiguation) The Treasury at Petra Petra (rock in Greek) is an archaeological site in Jordan, lying in a basin among the mountains which form the eastern flank of Wadi Araba, the great valley running from the... Petra, after which he returned to Alexandria. In the following year, a popular uprising at Alexandria caused Caracalla to let his soldiers plunder the city, shut the schools, and expel all foreigners. The latter measure caused Ambrose to take refuge in Caesarea, where he seems to have made his permanent home; and Origen, who felt that the turmoil hindered his activity as a teacher and imperilled his safety, left Egypt, apparently going with Ambrose to Caesarea, where he spent some time. Here, in conformity with local usage based on Jewish custom, Origen, though not ordained, preached and interpreted the Scriptures at the request of the bishops Alexander of Jerusalem and Theoctistus of Caesarea. When, however, the confusion in Alexandria subsided, Demetrius recalled Origen, probably in 216.

Of Origen's activity during the next decade little is known, but it was obviously devoted to teaching and writing. The latter was rendered the more easy for him by Ambrose, who provided him with more than seven stenographers to take dictation in relays, as many scribes to prepare long-hand copies, and a number of girls to multiply the copies. At the request of Ambrose, he now began a huge commentary on the The Bible (From Greek βιβλια—biblia, meaning books, which in turn is derived from βυβλος—byblos meaning papyrus, from the ancient Phoenician city of Byblos which exported papyrus) is the sacred scripture of Christianity. The Old Testament, or... Bible, beginning with John, and continuing with This article is about Genesis, the first book of the Hebrew Bible. See Genesis (disambiguation) for other usages of the word. Books of the Torah Genesis Exodus Leviticus Numbers Deuteronomy edit (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Template:Books_of_Torah&action=edit) Genesis (Greek: Γέν... Genesis, Books of Ketuvim Psalms Proverbs Job Song of Solomon Ruth Lamentations Ecclesiastes Esther Daniel Ezra Nehemiah Chronicles edit (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Template:Books_of_Ketuvim&action=edit) Psalms (Tehilim תהילים, in Hebrew) is a book of the Hebrew Bible or... Psalms 1-25, and Books of Ketuvim Psalms Proverbs Job Song of Solomon Ruth Lamentations Ecclesiastes Esther Daniel Ezra Nehemiah Chronicles edit (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Template:Books_of_Ketuvim&action=edit) The Book of Lamentations is a book of the Bible Old Testament and Jewish Tanakh. It is called... Lamentations, besides brief exegeses of selected texts (forming the ten books of his Stromateis), two books on the This article is about the religious meaning of the word Resurrection. For other meanings see Resurrection (disambiguation). Resurrection consists of the reuniting of the spirit and the body of an individual, or the raising of a person from death back to life. Deities, too, are reborn: see Life-death-rebirth... resurrection, and the work "On First Principles."

Conflict with Demetrius and removal to Caesarea

About 230, Origen entered on the fateful journey which was to compel him to give up his work at Alexandria and embittered the next years of his life. Sent to For other uses, see Greece (disambiguation). Greece, formally called the Hellenic Republic (Greek: Ελληνική Δημοκρατία), is a country in the southeast of Europe on the southern tip of the Balkan peninsula. It has land... Greece on some ecclesiastical mission, he paid a visit to Caesarea, where he was heartily welcomed and was ordained a priest, that no further cause for criticism might be given Demetrius was Patriarch of Alexandria (189 - 232). Sextus Julius Africanus, who visited Alexandria in the time of Demetrius, places his accession as eleventh bishop after Mark in the tenth year of Commodus; Eusebius statement that it tenth of Severus (Historia Ecclesiastica, VI, 2) is a mistake. The Catholic Encyclopedia states... Demetrius, who had strongly disapproved his preaching before ordination while at Caesarea. But Demetrius, taking this well-meant act as an infringement of his rights, was furious, for not only was Origen under his jurisdiction, but, if Eastern sources may be believed, Demetrius had been the first to introduce episcopal ordination in Egypt. The metropolitan accordingly convened a synod of bishops and presbyters which banished Origen from Alexandria, while a second synod declared his ordination invalid.

Origen accordingly fled from Alexandria in 231, and made his permanent home in Caesarea is the name of several Roman cities and towns, including: Caesarea Antiochia in Turkey Caesarea Mauretania (Cherchell) in Algeria Caesarea Mazaca (Kaisarieh) in Turkey Caesarea Palaestina (Qesarriya) in Israel Caesarea Philippi in the Golan Heights This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that... Caesarea. A series of attacks on him seems to have emanated from Alexandria, whether for his Castration, gelding, neutering, orchiectomy or orchidectomy is any action, surgical or otherwise, by which a biological male loses use of the testes. This causes sterilization, i.e. prevents them from reproducing; it also greatly reduces the production of certain hormones, such as testosterone. It should not be confused with penectomy... self-castration (a capital crime in Roman law) or for alleged heterodoxy is unknown; but at all events these fulminations were heeded only at Rome, while Palestine, Phoenicia, Arabia, and Achaia paid no attention to them.

At Alexandria Heraclas became head of Origen's school, and shortly afterward, on the death of Demetrius, was consecrated bishop. At Caesarea Origen was joyfully received, and was also the guest of Firmilian, bishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia, and of the empress-dowager, Julia Mammaea, at This is about one of the cities called Antioch in Asia Minor, now Turkey. See Antioch (disambiguation) for other places called Antioch. The city of Antioch-on-the-Orontes (modern Antakya) is located in what is now Turkey. It was founded near the end of the 4th century BC by... Antioch. The former also visited him at Caesarea, where Origen, deeply loved by his pupils, preached and taught dialectics, physics, ethics, and metaphysics; thus laying his foundation for the crowning theme of theology.

He accordingly sought to set forth all the science of the time from the Christian point of view, and to elevate For other uses of the term Christian, see Christian (disambiguation). The Christian cross and its many variations are widely recognized as an ancient Christian symbol. Christianity is an Abrahamic religion based on the life and death by crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth as described in the New Testament... Christianity to a theory of the universe compatible with Hellenism. In 235, with the accession of Maximinus denarius Gaius Valerius Galerius Maximinus (20 November 270? - July/August, 313) Roman emperor from AD 308 to 313, was originally an Illyrian shepherd named Daia. He rose to high distinction after he had joined the army, and in 305 he was raised by his maternal uncle, Galerius, to the... Maximinus, a persecution raged; and for two years Origen is said, though on somewhat doubtful authority, to have remained concealed in the house of a certain Juliana in Casarea of Cappadocia.

Little is known of the last twenty years of Origen's life. He preached regularly on Wednesdays and Fridays, and later daily. He evidently, however, developed an extraordinary literary productivity, broken by occasional journeys; one of which, to Athens during some unknown year, was of sufficient length to allow him time for research.

After his return from Athens, he succeeded in converting Beryllus, bishop of Bostra, from his adoptianistic views to the Orthodox faith; yet in these very years (about 240) probably occurred the attacks on Origen's own orthodoxy which compelled him to defend himself in writing to Saint Fabian (died 250), pope and martyr, was chosen pope, or bishop of Rome, in January 236 in succession to Pope Anterus. Eusebius (Hist. Eccl. Vi. 29) relates how the Christians, having assembled in Rome to elect a new bishop, saw a dove alight upon the head of Fabian, a... Pope Fabian and many bishops. Neither the source nor the object of these attacks is known, though the latter may have been connected with The Novatianists following Novatius, or Novatian, held a strict view that refused readmission to communion of those baptized Christians who had denied their faith or performed the formalities of a ritual sacrifice to the pagan gods, under the pressures of the persecution sanctioned by Emperor Decius, in 250 A.D... Novatianism.

After his conversion of Beryllus, however, his aid was frequently invoked against heresies. Thus, when the doctrine was promulgated in Arabia that the soul died and decayed with the body, being restored to life only at the resurrection, appeal was made to Origen, who journeyed to Arabia, and by his preaching reclaimed the erring.

In 250 persecutions of the Church broke out anew, and this time Origen did not escape. He was tortured, pilloried, and bound hand and foot to the block for days without yielding. These tortures seem to have resulted in his death. A later legend, recounted by For other uses see: Jerome (disambiguation) Jerome (about 340 - September 30, 420), (full name Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus) is best known as the translator of the Bible from Greek and Hebrew into Latin. Jeromes edition, the Vulgate, is still the official biblical text of the Roman Catholic Church. He is... Jerome (De viris illustribus, chapter 54) and numerous itineraries place his death and burial at For other uses, see Tyre (disambiguation). Tyre (native Phoenician Ṣur, Latin Tyrus, Akkadian Ṣurru, Tiberian Hebrew צר Ṣōr, Greek Τύρος Týros, Arabic الصور aṣ-Ṣūr) is an ancient Phoenician city in Lebanon on... Tyre, but to this little value can be attached.

Works

Exegetical writings

Origen-Hexapla.

According to Epiphanius (Haer., lxiv.63) Origen wrote about 6,000 works (i.e., rolls or chapters). A list was given by Eusebius in his lost life of Pamphilus (Hist. eccl., VI., xxxii. 3; Eng. transl., The Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers is a set of books containing translations of early Christian writings into English. It was translated in 1885. The volumes include the following: Contents // 1 Saint Augustine Volumes 2 St. Chrysostom Volumes 3 Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Series II 1 External links: Saint... NPNF, 2 ser., i. 277), which was apparently known to Jerome (Epist. ad Paulam, NPNF, vi. 46). These fall into four classes: text criticism; exegesis; systematic, practical, and apologetic theology; and letters; besides certain spurious works.

By far the most important work of Origen on textual criticism was the Hexapla ( Greek (Ελληνικά) Spoken in: Greece, Cyprus, Albania and surrounding countries Region: The Balkans Total speakers: 12 million Ranking: 74 Genetic classification: Indo-European  Greek   Attic    Modern Greek Official status Official language of: Greece, Cyprus (and the... Hexapla, a comparison study of various translations of the Old Testament.

The full text of the Hexapla is no longer extant. Some portions were discovered in This is about the Italian city of Milan. For other uses, see Milan (disambiguation). Piazza della Scala Milan (Milano in the Italian language, and Milán in Milanese dialect, from Latin, Mediolanum with the meaning of in the middle of the plain) is the main city in northern Italy, and... Milan indicating that at least some individual parts existed much longer than was previously thought. The Hexapla has been referred to by later manuscripts and authors.

The Tetrapla was an abbreviation of the Hexapla in which Origen placed only the translations (Aquila, Symmachus, Theodotion, and the Septuagint) in parallels.

He was likewise keenly conscious of the textual difficulties in the manuscripts of the New Testament, although he never wrote definitely on this subject. In his exegetical writings he frequently alludes to the variant readings, but his habit of making rough citations in his dictation, the verification being left to the scribes, renders it impossible to deduce his text from his commentaries.

The exegetical writings of Origen fall into three classes:

• scholia, or brief summaries of the meaning of difficult passages
• homilies
• "books," or commentaries in the strict sense of the term.

Jerome states that there were scholia on Leviticus, Psalms i.-xv., Ecclesiastes, Isaiah, and part of John. The Stromateis were of a similar character, and the margin of Codex Athous, Laura, 184, contains citations from this work on Rom. 9:23; I Cor. 6:14, 7:31, 34, 9:20-21, 10:9, besides a few other fragments.

Homilies on almost the entire Bible were prepared by Origen, these being taken down after his sixtieth year as he preached. It is not improbable that Origen gave no attention to supervising the publication of his homilies, for only by such a hypothesis can the numerous evidences of carelessness in diction be explained. The exegesis of the homilies was simpler than that of the scientific commentaries, but nevertheless demanded no mean degree of intelligence from the auditor. Origen's chief aim was the practical exposition of the text, verse by verse; and while in such barren books as Leviticus and Numbers he sought to allegorize, the wealth of material in the prophets seldom rendered it necessary for him to seek meanings deeper than the surface afforded. Whether the sermons were delivered in series, or the homilies on a single book were collected from various series, is unknown. The homilies preserved are on Genesis (17), Exodus (13), Leviticus (18), Numbers (28), Joshua (16), Judges (9), I Sam. (2), Psalms xxxvi.- xxviii. (9), Canticles (2), Isaiah (9), Jeremiah (7 Greek, 2 Latin, 12 Greek and Latin), Ezekiel (14), and Luke (39).

Extant commentaries of Origen

The object of Origen's commentaries was to give an exegesis that discriminated strictly against the incidental, unimportant historical significance, in favor of the deeper, hidden, spiritual truth. At the same time, he neglected neither philological nor geographical, historical nor antiquarian material, to all of which he devoted numerous excursuses.

In his commentary on John he constantly considered the exegesis of the Valentinian Heracleon (probably at the instance of Ambrose), and in many other places he implied or expressly cited Gnostic views and refuted them.

Unfortunately, only meager fragments of the commentaries have survived. Besides the citations in the Philocalia, which include fragments of the third book of the commentary on Genesis, Ps. i., iv. 1, the small commentary on Canticles, and the second book of the large commentary on the same, the twentieth book of the commentary on Ezekiel, and the commentary on Hosea, and of the commentary on John, only books i., ii., x., xiii., xx., xxviii., xxxii., and a fragment of xix. have been preserved. The commentary on Romans is extant only in the abbreviated version of Rufinus, and the eight books preserved of the commentary on Matthew likewise seem to be either a brief reworking or a rough outline.

A section of the Codex Vaticanus, containing 1 Esdras 2:1-8 The Codex Vaticanus (Vatican City, Bibl. Vat., Vat. gr. 1209; Gregory-Aland no. B or 03) is one of the oldest extant manuscripts of the Bible. It is slightly older than Codex Sinaiticus, both of which were probably... Codex Vaticanus, 1215, gives the division of the twenty-five books of the commentary on Ezekiel, and part of the arrangement of the commentary on Isaiah (beginnings of books VI., VIII., XVI.; book X. extends from Isa. viii. 1 to ix. 7; XI. from ix. 8, to x. 11; XII., from x. 12 to x. 23; XIII. from x. 24 to xi. 9; XIV. from xi. 10 to xii. 6; XV. from xiii. 1 to xiii. 16; XXI. from xix. 1 to xix. 17; XXII. from xix. 18 to xx. 6; XXIII. from xxi. 1 to xxi. 17; XXIV. from xxii. 1 to xxii. 25; XXV. from xxiii. 1 to xxiii. 18; XXVI. from xxiv. 1 to xxv. 12; XXVII. from xxvi. 1 to xxvi. 15; XXVIII. from xxvi. 16 to xxvii. 11a; XXIX. from xxvii. 11b to xxviii. 29; and XXX. treats of xxix. 1 sqq.).

The Codex Athous Laura, 184, in like manner, gives the division of the fifteen books of the commentary on Romans (except XI. and XII.) and of the five books on Galatians, as well as the extent of the commentaries on Philippians and Corinthians (Romans: I from 1:1 to 1:7; II from 1:8 to 1:25; III. from 1:26 to 2:11; IV. from 2:12 to 3:15; V. from 3:16 to 3:31; VI. from 4:1 to 5:7; VII. from 5:8 to 5:16; VIII. from 5:17 to 6:15; IX. from 6:16 to 8:8; X. from 8:9 to 8:39; XIII. from 11:13 to 12:15; XIV. from 12:16 to 14:10; XV. from 14:11 to the end; Galatians: I. from 1:1 to 2:2; II. from 2:3 to 3:4; III. from 3:5 to 4:5; IV. from 4:6 to 5:5; and V. from 5:6 to 6:18; the commentary on Philippians extended to 4:1; and on Ephesians to 4:13).

Dogmatic, practical, and apologetic writings

Among the systematic, practical, and apologetic writings of Origen, mention should first be made of his work "On First Principles," perhaps written for his more advanced pupils at Alexandria and probably composed between 212 and 215. It is extant only in the free translation of Rufinus, except for fragments of the third and fourth books preserved in the Philocalia, and smaller citations in Justinian's letter to Mennas.

In the first book the author considers This article focuses on the concept of singular, monotheistic God. See deity, gods, or goddesses for details on divine entities in specific religions and mythologies. God is a term referring to the concept of a supreme being, generally believed to be ruler or creator of, and/or immanent within, the... God, the This page is only about the meaning of the word Logos in (ancient Greek) philosophy (prefiguring the meaning of this word in more recent psychological schools) and its meaning in (early) Christianity - for other uses of the word Logos (as proper name, etc...) see: Logos (disambiguation) The Greek λό... Logos, the Holy Ghost, reason, and the angels; in the second the world and man (including the incarnation of the Logos, the soul, free will, and eschatology); in the third, the doctrine of sin and redemption; and in the fourth, the Scriptures; the whole being concluded with a resume of the entire system. The work is noteworthy as the first endeavor to present Christianity as a complete theory of the universe, and was designed to remove the difficulties felt by many Christians concerning the essential bases of their faith.

Earlier in date than this treatise were the two books on the This article is about the religious meaning of the word Resurrection. For other meanings see Resurrection (disambiguation). Resurrection consists of the reuniting of the spirit and the body of an individual, or the raising of a person from death back to life. Deities, too, are reborn: see Life-death-rebirth... resurrection (now lost, a fate which has also befallen two dialogues on the same theme) dedicated to Ambrose. After his removal to Caesarea, Origen wrote the works, still extant, "On Prayer," "On Martyrdom," and "Against Celsus." The first of these was written shortly before 235 (or possibly before 230), and, after an introduction on the object, necessity, and advantage of Prayer is an effort to communicate with a God, or to some deity or deities, either to offer praise to the deity, to make a request of the deity, or simply to express ones thoughts and emotions to the deity. There are a variety approaches to understanding prayer: The... prayer, ends with an exegesis of the Lord's Prayer, concluding with remarks on the position, place, and attitude to be assumed during prayer, as well as on the classes of prayer.

The persecution of Maximinus was the occasion of the composition of the "On Martyrdom," which is preserved in the "Exhortation to Martyrdom." In it, Origen warns against any trifling with idolatry and emphasizes the duty of suffering martyrdom manfully; while in the second part he explains the meaning of martyrdom. The eight books against For other persons named Celsus, see Celsus (disambiguation). Celsus was a 2nd century opponent of Christianity, known to us mainly through the reputation of his literary work, The True Word (or Account), almost entirely excerpted by Origen in his Contra Celsum of 248, seventy years after Celsus wrote. In that... Celsus were written in Years: 244 245 246 247 - 248 - 249 250 251 252 Decades: 210s 220s 230s - 240s - 250s 260s 270s Centuries: 2nd century - 3rd century - 4th century Events Cyprian becomes bishop of Carthage. Origen writes an eight-volume work against the pagan writer Celsus. The Roman empire celebrates the 1000th anniversary of... 248 in reply to the polemic of that pagan philosopher against For other uses of the term Christian, see Christian (disambiguation). The Christian cross and its many variations are widely recognized as an ancient Christian symbol. Christianity is an Abrahamic religion based on the life and death by crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth as described in the New Testament... Christianity.

Eusebius is the name of several significant historical people: Pope Eusebius - Pope in AD 309 - 310. Eusebius of Alexandria - 6th century author of the Eastern Christian Church Eusebius of Angers - 11th century bishop Eusebius of Caesarea - The Eusebius: the famous historian of the Christian Church who lived in the 4th... Eusebius had a collection of more than one hundred letters of Origen (Hist. eccl., VI., xxxvi. 3; Eng. transl. NPNF, 2 ser. i. 278-279), and the list of For other uses see: Jerome (disambiguation) Jerome (about 340 - September 30, 420), (full name Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus) is best known as the translator of the Bible from Greek and Hebrew into Latin. Jeromes edition, the Vulgate, is still the official biblical text of the Roman Catholic Church. He is... Jerome speaks of several books of his epistles. Except for a few fragments, only a short letter to Gregory Thaumaturgus (c. 205 - 265 AD) was a native of Neo-Casearea (the capitol of Pontus). He was a pupil of Origen and studied (with his brother Athenodorus) grammar and rhetoric and then went to Alexandria in c. 218 to study Neo-Platonism. Later, he travelled to Athens. He is... Gregory Thaumaturgus and the epistle to Sextus Julius Africanus, a Christian traveller and historian of the 3rd century, was probably born in Libya, and may have served under Septimius Severus against the Osrhoenians in AD 195. Little is known of his personal history, except that he lived at Emmaus, and that he went on an embassy... Sextus Julius Africanus (defending the authenticity of the Greek additions to the book of Daniel) have been preserved.

For forgeries of the writings of Origen made in his lifetime cf. Rufinus, De adulteratione librorum Origenis. The Dialogus de recta in Deum fide, the Philosophumena of In Greek mythology, Hippolytus was a son of Theseus and either Antiope or Hippolyte. Hippolytus is the title of a tragedy by Euripides based on the myth. Hippolytus was a writer of the early Christian Church. This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that... Hippolytus, and the Commentary on Job by Julian of Halicarnassus have also been ascribed to him.

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Philosophical and religious

Origen, trained in the school of Clement and by his father, was essentially a Platonic idealism is the theory that the substantive reality around us is only a reflection of a higher truth. That truth, Plato argues, is the abstraction. A particular tree, with a branch or two missing, possibly alive, possibly dead, and initials of two lovers carved into its bark, is distinct... Platonist with occasional traces of Stoicism is a school of philosophy commonly associated with such Greek philosophers as Zeno of Citium, Cleanthes, or Chrysippus and with such later Romans as Cicero, Seneca, Marcus Aurelius, and Epictetus. Organized at Athens in 310 BC by Zeno of Citium and Chrysippus, the Stoics provided a unified account of... Stoic philosophy. He was thus a pronounced idealist, regarding all things temporal and material as insignificant and indifferent, the only real and eternal things being comprised in the idea. He therefore regards as the purely ideal center of this spiritual and eternal world, This article focuses on the concept of singular, monotheistic God. See deity, gods, or goddesses for details on divine entities in specific religions and mythologies. God is a term referring to the concept of a supreme being, generally believed to be ruler or creator of, and/or immanent within, the... God, the pure reason, whose creative powers call into being the world with matter as the necessary substratum.

Likewise For the computing technology, see PLATO System. Plato (Greek: Πλάτων Plátōn) (c. 427 BC – c. 347 BC) was an immensely influential classical Greek philosopher, student of Socrates, teacher of Aristotle, writer, and founder of the Academy in Athens. Plato, a philodorian... Platonic is the doctrine that those spirits capable of knowing supreme reason, but imprisoned in the body in this world, will rise after death to divinity, being purified by fire. In his attempt to amalgamate the system evolved by Greek thought with Christianity, Origen found his predecessors in the Platonizing Philo of Antiquity and modernity stand cheek-by-jowl in Egypts chief Mediterranean seaport For other uses, see Alexandria (disambiguation). Located on the The Mediterranean Sea is an intercontinental sea positioned between Europe to the north, Africa to the south and Asia to the east, covering an approximate area of 2... Alexandria and even in the Gnostics. His exegesis does not differ generally from that of Heracleon, but in the canon of the New Testament Matthew Mark Luke John Acts Romans 1 Corinthians 2 Corinthians Galatians Ephesians Philippians Colossians 1 Thessalonians 2 Thessalonians 1 Timothy 2 Timothy Titus Philemon Hebrews James 1 Peter 2 Peter 1 John 2 John 3 John Jude Revelation edit (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title... New Testament and in the tradition of the Church, Origen possessed a check which kept him from the excesses of Gnostic exegesis.

He was, indeed, a rigid adherent of the The Bible (From Greek βιβλια—biblia, meaning books, which in turn is derived from βυβλος—byblos meaning papyrus, from the ancient Phoenician city of Byblos which exported papyrus) is the sacred scripture of Christianity. The Old Testament, or... Bible, making no statement without adducing some Scriptural basis. To him the Bible was divinely inspired, as was proved both by the fulfilment of This article refers to the topic of prophecy as the purported telling of future events or supernatural revelations. For other uses of the term, see prophecy (disambiguation). Prophecy, in a broad sense, is the prediction of future events. The words etymology signify simply speaking before or foretelling, but prophecy... prophecy and by the immediate impression which the Scriptures made on him who read them. Since the divine Logos spoke in the Scriptures, they were an organic whole and on every occasion he combatted the Gnostic tenet of the inferiority of the Old Testament. He was aware of the discrepancies between the Old and New Testaments and the contradictory accounts, of the Gospels; but he considered these only as inconsistencies that lend themselves to an unspiritual historical exegesis according to the letter.

In his exegesis, Origen sought to discover the deeper meaning implied in the Scriptures. One of his chief methods was the translation of proper names, which enabled him, like Philo, to find a deep meaning even in every event of history (see Hermeneutics (Hermeneutic means interpretive), is a branch of philosophy concerned with human understanding and the interpretation of texts. Texts need not be written documents; for example, speech, performances, works of art, and even events can be considered texts. The word hermeneutics has two derivations. One is from the Greek god... hermeneutics); but at the same time he insisted on an exact grammatical interpretation of the text as the basis of all exegesis.

A strict adherent of the Church, Origen yet distinguished sharply between the ideal and the empirical Church, representing "a double church of men and angels," or, in Platonic phraseology, the lower church and its celestial ideal. The ideal Church alone was the Church of Christ, scattered over all the earth; the other provided also a shelter for sinners. Holding that the Church, as being in possession of the mysteries, affords the only means of salvation, he was indifferent to her external organization, although he spoke sometimes of the office-bearers as the pillars of the Church, and of their heavy duties and responsibilities.

More important to him was the idea borrowed from Plato of the grand division between the great human multitude, capable of sensual vision only, and those who know how to comprehend the hidden meaning of Scripture and the diverse mysteries; church organization being for the former only.

It is doubtful whether Origen possessed an obligatory creed; at any rate, such a confession of faith was not a norm like the inspired word of Scripture. The reason, illumined by the divine Logos, which is able to search the secret depths of the divine nature, remains as the only source of knowledge.

Theological and dogmatic

Origen's conception of God is entirely abstract -- God is a perfect unity, invisible and incorporeal, transcending all things material, and therefore inconceivable and incomprehensible. He is likewise unchangeable, and transcends space and time. But his power is limited by his goodness, justice, and wisdom; and, though entirely free from necessity, his goodness and omnipotence constrained him to reveal himself.

This revelation, the external self-emanation of God, is expressed by Origen in various ways, the Logos being only one of many. Revelation was the first creation of God (cf. Prov. viii. 22), in order to afford creative mediation between God and the world, such mediation being necessary, because God, as changeless unity, could not be the source of a multitudinous creation.

The Logos is the rational creative principle that permeates the universe. Since God eternally manifests himself, the Logos is likewise eternal. He forms a bridge between the created and uncreated, and only through him, as the visible representative of divine wisdom, can the inconceivable and incorporeal God be known. Creation came into existence only through the Logos, and God's nearest approach to the world is the command to create. While the Logos is substantially a unity, he comprehends a multiplicity of concepts, so that Origen terms him, in Platonic fashion, "essence of essences" and "idea of ideas."

The defense of the unity of God against the Gnostics led Origen to maintain the subordination of the Logos to God, and the doctrine of the eternal generation is later. Origen distinctly emphasised the independence of the Logos as well as the distinction from the being and substance of God. The term "of the same substance with the Father" was not employed. He is merely an image, a reflex not to be compared with God; as one among other "gods," of course first in rank.

The Logos doctrine and cosmology

The activity of the This page is only about the meaning of the word Logos in (ancient Greek) philosophy (prefiguring the meaning of this word in more recent psychological schools) and its meaning in (early) Christianity - for other uses of the word Logos (as proper name, etc...) see: Logos (disambiguation) The Greek λό... Logos was conceived by Origen in Platonic fashion, as the world soul, wherein God manifested his omnipotence. His first creative act was the divine spirit, as an independent existence; and partial reflexes of the Logos were the created rational beings, who, as they had to revert to the perfect God as their background, must likewise be perfect; yet their perfection, unlike in kind with that of God, the Logos, and the divine spirit, had to be attained. The freedom of the will is an essential fact of the reason, notwithstanding the foreknowledge of God. The Logos, eternally creative, forms an endless series of finite, comprehensible worlds, which are mutually alternative. Combining the Stoicism is a school of philosophy commonly associated with such Greek philosophers as Zeno of Citium, Cleanthes, or Chrysippus and with such later Romans as Cicero, Seneca, Marcus Aurelius, and Epictetus. Organized at Athens in 310 BC by Zeno of Citium and Chrysippus, the Stoics provided a unified account of... Stoic doctrine of a universe without beginning with the Biblical doctrine of the beginning and the end of the world, he conceived of the visible world as the stages of an eternal cosmic process, affording also an explanation of the diversity of human fortunes, rewards, and punishments. The material world, which at first had no place in this eternal spiritual progression, was due to the fall of the spirits from God, the first being the serpent, who was imprisoned in matter and body. The ultimate aim of God in the creation of matter out of nothing was not punishment, but the upraising of the fallen spirits. Man's accidental being is rooted in transitory matter, but his higher nature is formed in the image of the Creator. The soul is divided into the rational and the irrational, the latter being material and transitory, while the former, incorporeal and immaterial, possesses freedom of the will and the power to reascend to purer life. The strong ethical import of this cosmic process can not remain unnoticed. The return to original being through divine reason is the object of the entire cosmic process. Through the worlds which follow each other in eternal succession, the spirits are able to return to Paradise. God so ordered the universe that all individual acts work together toward one cosmic end which culminates in himself. Likewise as to Origen's anthropology, man conceived in the image of God is able by imitating God in good works to become like God, if he first recognizes his own weakness and trusts all to the divine goodness. He is aided by guardian For other uses, see Angel (disambiguation). The Annunciation - the Angel Gabriel announces to Mary that she will bear Jesus (El Greco, 1575) An angel is a spiritual being which assists and serves God or the gods in many religious traditions. The word originated from the Latin angelus, itself derived from... angels, but more especially by the Logos who operates through saints and prophets in proportion to the constitution of these and man's capacity.

Christology

The culmination of this gradual revelation is the universal revelation of Christ. In Christ, God, hitherto manifest only as the Lord, appeared as the Father. The incarnation of the This page is only about the meaning of the word Logos in (ancient Greek) philosophy (prefiguring the meaning of this word in more recent psychological schools) and its meaning in (early) Christianity - for other uses of the word Logos (as proper name, etc...) see: Logos (disambiguation) The Greek λό... Logos, moreover, was necessary since otherwise he would not be intelligible to sensual man; but the indwelling of the Logos remained a mystery, which could be represented only by the analogy of his indwelling in the saints; nor could Origen fully explain it. He speaks of a "remarkable body," and in his opinion that the mortal body of Jesus was transformed by God into an ethereal and divine body, Origen approximated the In Christianity, Docetism is the belief that Jesus did not have a physical body; rather, that his body was an illusion, as was his crucifixion. This belief is most commonly attributed to the Gnostics, who believed that matter was evil, and hence that God would not take on a material... Docetism that he otherwise abhorred. His concept of the soul of Jesus is likewise uncertain and wavering. He proposes the question whether it was not originally perfect with God but, emanating from him, at his command assumed a material body. As he conceived matter as merely the universal limit of created spirits, so would it be impossible to state in what form the two were combined. He dismissed the solution by referring it to the mystery of the divine governance of the universe. More logically did he declare the material nature of the world to be merely an episode in the spiritual process of development, whose end should be the annihilation of all matter and return to God, who should again be all in all. The doctrine of the resurrection of the body he upholds by the explanation that the Logos maintains the unity of man's existence by ever changing his body into new forms, thus preserving the unity and identity of personality in harmony with the tenet of an endless cosmic process. Origen's concept of the Logos allowed him to make no definite statement on the redemptive work of Jesus. Since sin was ultimately only negative as a lack of pure knowledge, the activity of Jesus was essentially example and instruction, and his human life was only incidental as contrasted with the immanent cosmic activity of the Logos. Origen regarded the death of Jesus as a sacrifice, paralleling it with other cases of self-sacrifice for the general good. On this, Origen's accord with the teachings of the Church was merely superficial.

Eschatology

His idealizing tendency to consider the spiritual alone as real, fundamental to his entire system, led him to combat the rude Chiliasm (see The Last Judgement - Tympanum sculpture at the Abbey Church of Ste-Foy, Conques-en-Rouergue, France Christian Eschatology is the study of Christian beliefs concerning final events and ultimate purposes (from Gr. eskhatos, last). In Christian theology, eschatology studies the conclusion of Gods purposes, and therefore the concluding destiny... Christian eschatology) of a sensual beyond; yet he constrained himself from breaking entirely with the distinct celestial hopes and representations of Paradise prevalent in the Church. He represents a progressive purification of souls, until, cleansed of all clouds of evil, they should know the truth and God as the Son knew him, see God face to face, and attain a full possession of the Holy Spirit and union with God. The means of attainment of this end were described by Origen in different ways, the most important of which was his Platonic concept of a purifying fire which should cleanse the world of evil and thus lead to cosmic renovation. By a further spiritualization Origen could call God himself this consuming fire. In proportion as the souls were freed from sin and ignorance, the material world was to pass away, until, after endless eons, at the final end, God should be all in all, and the worlds and spirits should return to a knowledge of God.

Character

In Origen the Christian Church had its first theologian in the highest sense of the term. Attaining the pinnacle of human speculation, his teaching was not merely theoretical, like that of his antagonists, the Gnosticism is a blanket term for various religions and sects most prominent in the first few centuries A.D. Contents // 1 General characteristics 2 Valentinians 3 Matter 4 Theology 5 Lifestyle 6 Gnostic sects 7 Sources 8 Origins of Gnosticism 9 Gnostic texts 10 Notable Gnostics 11 Gnosticism in modern... Gnostics, but was also imbued with an intense ethical power. To the multitude to whom his instruction was beyond grasp, he left mediating images and symbols, as well as the final goal of attainment. In Origen Christianity blended with the paganism in which lived the desire for truth and the longing after God. When he died, however, he left no pupil who could succeed him, nor was the church of his period able to become his heir, and thus, his knowledge was buried. Three centuries later his very name was stricken from the books of the Church; yet in the monasteries of the Greeks his influence still lived on, and the spiritual father of Greek monasticism was that same Origen at whose name the monks had shuddered.

Origen's Influence on the later Church

For quite some time, Origen was counted as one of the most important church fathers and his works were widely used in the Church. His exegetical method was standard of the School of Alexandria and the Origenists were an important party in the 4th century debates on This article is about the theological doctrine of Arius. See Aryan, Aryan race for the ethnic concept. Arianism was a Christological view held by followers of Arius in the early Christian Church, claiming that Jesus Christ and God the Father were not of the same fundamental essence, seeing the Son... Arianism.

Basil (ca. 330 - January 1, 379), also called Basil the Great, was bishop of Caesarea, a leading churchman in the 4th century. The Eastern Orthodox Church considers him a saint and one of the Three Holy Hierarchs, together with Gregory Nazianzus and John Chrysostom. Basil, Gregory Nazianzus, and Basils... Basil the Great and Saint Gregory Nazianzus (AD 329 - January 25, 389), also known as Saint Gregory the Theologian, was a 4th century Christian bishop of Constantinople. He was the son of Gregory and Nonna. He is honored as a saint by the Roman Catholic Church and as a Doctor of the Church. He... Gregory Nazianzen, e.g., compiled in their first monastery the Philokalia, a collection of Origen's work, though both of them did neither adopt origenism nor use the Alexandrian allegoric exegesis.

What got Origen theologically into trouble much later with the church were some extreme views adopted by his followers, the Origenists, whose views were then attributed to Origen. In the course of this controversy, some other teachings of his came up, which were not accepted by the general church consensus: among these were the preexistence of souls, In comparative religion, a universalist religion is one that holds itself true for all people; it thus allows all to join, regardless of ethnicity. In contrast, ethnic religions, like ethnicity itself, can be determined not just by genealogy, but by geography, language, and other social boundaries. In that sense, Islam... universal salvation and a hierarchical concept of the This article concerns the holy Trinity of Christianity. For other uses of trinity, see disambiguation. The Blessed Trinity is God according to the doctrine of most branches of Christianity. The doctrine says that though God is one God, He exists in three distinct persons, usually referred to as God the... trinity. These teachings and some extremer ones of his followers were declared This article is about the Biblical term anathema. For the British doom/death metal band, see Anathema (band) An anathema is anything laid up or suspended; hence anything laid up in a temple or set apart as sacred. In this sense the form of the word is once (in plural... anathema by a local council in Constantinople 545 and then, in an aside, by the Second Council of Constantinople Date 553 Accepted by Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy Previous Council Council of Chalcedon Next Council Third Council of Constantinople Convoked by Emperor Justinian I Presided by Eutychius of Constantinople, Pope Vigilius in attendance Attendance 150 (some 18 from Italy and 6 from Africa) Topics of discussion Monophysitism... Second Council of Constantinople 553.

Origen himself was never declared an heretic by the church, but he was not declared a Saint either. The Catholic church does not number him in her list of The Church Fathers or Fathers of the Church are the early and influential theologians and writers in the Christian church, particularly those of the first five centuries of Christian history. The term means specifically writers and teachers of the Church, not saints in general; usually it is not meant to... Church Fathers because some of his teachings were declared heretical, the Orthodox church numbers him among the Church Fathers.

Starting in the seventies of the twentieth century, it is often alleged that Origen also believed in Reincarnation, also called metempsychosis or transmigration of souls, is the rebirth in another body (after physical death), of some critical part of a persons personality or spirit. Its occurrence is a central tenet of Hinduism, Jainism, some African religions, as well as various other religions and philosophies. Most modern... reincarnation. The source of this is probably the book Reincarnation in Christianity, by the theosophist Geddes MacGregor (1978). MacGregor is convinced that Origen believed in and taught about reincarnation and that his texts written about the subject have been destroyed. He admits that he has no evidence about that, though. The allegation was also repeated by Shirley MacLaine, born Shirley MacLean Beaty (born April 24, 1934 in Richmond, Virginia), is an American actress, well-known not only for her acting but for her devotion to her belief in reincarnation. She is also the writer of a large number of autobiographical works, many dealing with her new... Shirley MacLaine in her book "Out on a limb".

This cannot be confirmed from the existent writings of Origen. It is correct, that he did know the concept of reincarnation (transmigration in his words) from Greek philosophy, but he repeatedly states that this concept is no part of the Christian teaching or scripture. So he writes in his Comment on the Gospel of Matthew: "In this place [when Jesus said Elijah was come and referred to John the Baptist] it does not appear to me that by Elijah the soul is spoken of, lest I fall into the doctrine of transmigration, which is foreign to the Church of God, and not handed down by the apostles, nor anywhere set forth in the scriptures" (ibid., 13:1).

External links

• Translations of Origen's writing can be found in The Ante-Nicene Fathers, subtitled The Writings of the Fathers Down to A.D. 325, is a selected set of books containing English translations of the major early Christian writings. The period covers the beginning of Christianity until before the promulgation of the Nicene Creed at the First Council of... Ante-Nicene Fathers.
• Coptic Church on Origen (http://www.copticchurch.net/topics/patrology/schoolofalex2/)
• Catholic Encyclopedia: Origen and Origenism (http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/11306b.htm)
• The Anathemas Against Origen (http://www.comparativereligion.com/anathemas.html)
• Dogma Bites Man — Reincarnation and the Early Christian Church (http://www.childpastlives.org/dogma.htm)