Origen of Alexandria: Difference between revisions

Origen of Alexandria (c.185–c.254), writer, teacher and Church Father, drew forth from the Bible the very fire of the teachings of Christ and made these teachings understandable to his contemporaries. He exerted enormous influence on the early Church. Dictating to a staff of stenographers, copyists and calligraphers provided by a wealthy patron, Origen wrote almost two thousand books. He ranks as the greatest Christian thinker of his age.  

The conflict between Origen and his bishop, Demetrius, represents in miniature the later conflicts between the Church and “heretics.” Origen, studying Greek philosophy as well as Jewish and Christian scriptures, came in the tradition of Greek and Jewish sages—solitary, inspired teachers who took truth where they found it. The Church, as it attempted to establish a structure and consolidate its authority, could not allow such teachers to remain autonomous. Over the next centuries, the Church severely curtailed their freedom as it codified doctrine and defined scripture, substituting order for illumination.

== Final years ==

Origen dreamed of martyrdom, but he was not to receive it. Although Decius fed other Christians to the lions, he only tortured Origen. The torture must have been intense, however, for Origen died soon after his release—a martyr in spirit if not by strict definition. Little did he know that his writings would cause centuries of controversy in the Church he had given his life for—and that the Church would ultimately declare his writings heretical, curse and burn them.

== Origen’s teachings ==

In contrast, Saints Irenaeus and Epiphanius tell us that paradise was a real place on earth with real trees and rivers.<ref>See Irenaeus, ''Against Heresies'' 3.23, 5.23, in ''The Ante-Nicene Fathers: Translations of the Writings of the Fathers down to <small>A</small>.<small>D</small>. 325'', 10 vols., ed. Alexander Roberts and James Donaldson (reprint, Grand Rapids, Mich.:Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 1978–81), 1:455–58, 551–52; and Jon F. Dechow, ''Dogma and Mysticism in Early Christianity: Epiphanius of Cyprus and the Legacy of Origen'', Patristic Monograph Series, 13 (Macon, Ga.: Mercer University Press, 1988), pp. 334–47.</ref> And Augustine argues that the world has existed for only six thousand years.<ref>Augustine, ''City of God'' 12.10, in Schaff, Philip, ed., ''A Select Library of Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers  of the Christian Church'', 1st ser. (Reprint. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 1979–80), 2:232.</ref> Their ideas monopolized religion for more than fifteen hundred years.   

=== Secret teaching ===

Origen believed that God had created earth as a place for human beings to exercise free will. For Origen, there wasn’t much point to a religion in which God predestined everyone, even for salvation. He wrote:  

Origen’s worldview tells us that we can fall down the ladder of soul evolution, but it also tells us that we can climb back up again. As scholar G. W. Butterworth puts it, Origen placed no limit on “the power of God’s love, when once the human soul had responded to its healing and uplifting influence.”<ref>Butterworth, introduction to ''Origen: On First Principles'', p. lvi.</ref>

Origen may have been the first person to articulate the belief enshrined in the Declaration of Independence that “all men are created equal.” He wrote that God “created all those whom he did create equal and alike.”<ref>Origen, ''On First Principles'', quoted in Danielou, ''Gospel Message and Hellenistic Culture'', p. 416.</ref> In other words, God gave all of us the same opportunities and potential. But our own actions have caused our differences.

== Origen’s teachings anathamatized ==