ORIGEN
AND HIS CONTRIBUTIONS TO CHRISTIAN DEVELOPMENT AND ITS CHALLENGES TO THE
CONTEMPORARY CHRISTIANS
BY
OLUBAYO
AFOLABI AKANMU
Table
of Contents
1.0 Introduction ………………………………………………………………...
3
2.0 Origen and His Background
……………………………………………...... 3
3.0 Origen’s Contributions to Christian
Development ……………………..……7
4.0 Its Implications for the Contemporary Christians
………………………….14
5.0 Conclusion ………………………………………………………………….16
6.0 Reference...........................................……………………………………….17
1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.0 INTRODUCTION
God
in his infinite mercy blessed each generation of man with great human resources
with whom he fulfills his divine purposes. The Patriarchs were God’s chosen
vessels of their generation. God chose to make his will known the world of the
Old Testament through several prophets.
After the ascension of Jesus Christ, the apostles continued the work of
the Church, which Jesus had established on the Apostle Peter’s confession. The Church
continued in the hands of the early Church Fathers while persecution was
inevitable. Interpretation of the Holy Scripture was not sound and Platonism
was shaping the mind of the educated. Origen was one the major contributors to
the Christian philosophy in the early centuries. This paper examines the background
of Origen and his contributions to Christian development, and challenges to the
contemporary Christianity.
2.0 Origen of Alexandria and His Background
Origen,
surnamed Adamantinus, was born in all probability at Alexandria, about the year
185 A.D. (Phillip 405). Despite the fact that his
name was derived from the name of an Egyptian deity, his parents were believed
to be Christians especially at the period of his birth. The name of his father was
Leonides, who was one of the many teachers of rhetoric or grammar that abounded
in that city of Grecian
culture, and appears to have been a man of decided piety. (Phillip 405). As a
purposeful father, Leonides gave his son education in various branches of
Grecian learning and required Origen to commit himself to daily memorization
and repetition of portions of Scripture. Phillip further stressed that while Origen
was under this training, the spirit of inquiry into the meaning of Scripture,
which afterwards formed so striking a feature in the literary character of the
great Alexandrine, began to display itself. Origen was never satisfied with the
plain and obvious meaning of the text. He usually sought to penetrate into its
deeper signification and meaning. Although Leonide was happy in his inmost part
for having such a boy he recommended that Origen should be satisfied with the
simple and apparent meaning of the Scripture. Being a Christian, Leonide was
martyred during the persecution of Emperor Septimius Severus. Origen also would
have ended his destiny as a martyr but his mother prevented him from
persecution by hiding his clothes in the house.
During the persecution the
catechetical school in Alexandria
was disbanded.
In 202 A.D., although Origen was only eighteen years old, he was appointed by Demetrius, bishop of Alexandria, not only to reopen the disbanded school but to also head it. In addition to teaching subjects relating to Christian studies, Origen taught secular subjects and acknowledged pagan philosophy. Among his students was Heraclaus, later the successor to Demetrius as bishop of Alexandria. Origen eventually handed over the teaching of the catechumens to him. (www.dacb.org.) According to Bauer (59) Origen was widely recognized because of his extraordinary gifts.
In 202 A.D., although Origen was only eighteen years old, he was appointed by Demetrius, bishop of Alexandria, not only to reopen the disbanded school but to also head it. In addition to teaching subjects relating to Christian studies, Origen taught secular subjects and acknowledged pagan philosophy. Among his students was Heraclaus, later the successor to Demetrius as bishop of Alexandria. Origen eventually handed over the teaching of the catechumens to him. (www.dacb.org.) According to Bauer (59) Origen was widely recognized because of his extraordinary gifts.
“By
the death of his father, whose property was confiscated to the imperial
treasury, Origen was left, with his mother and six younger brothers dependent
upon him for support. At this juncture, a wealthy and benevolent lady of Alexandria opened to him
her house, of which he became an inmate for a short time.” (Phillip 405). As he
had been carefully instructed by his father in Grecian literature, and had
devoted himself to study after his death, he was enabled successfully to carry
out his intention. According to www.dacb.org
Origen was regarded as incomparably the greatest scholar and theologian of the
Eastern Church in the early centuries and his fame as a teacher spread far and
wide. The diligence and ability with which Origen prosecuted his profession
speedily attracted attention and brought him many pupils.
Bishop Demetrius appointed him to the office
of master in the Catechetical
School, which was at that
time vacant due to the departure of Clement, who had quitted the city on the
outbreak of the persecution. Phillip (407) reiterates that Origen discontinued
his instructions in literature, in order to devote himself exclusively to the
work of teaching in the Catechetical
School. Falk (31) states
that men like Origen who were ascetics had a profound influence on many
prominent members of the church in Egypt. This was because after a day
of labour in the school, he used to devote the greater part of the night to the
investigation of Scripture, sleeping on the bare ground, and keeping frequent
fasts. He carried out literally the command of the Saviour, not to possess two
coats, nor wear shoes. He consummated his work of mortification of the flesh by
an act of self mutilation, springing from a perverted interpretation of our
Lord’s words in Matthew 19:12 and the desire to place himself beyond the reach
of temptation in the intercourse which he necessarily had to hold with youthful
female catechumens. Phillip
(407).
During the episcopate of
Zephyrinus (201–218) Origen visited Rome, and on his return again resumed his duties in the
Catechetical School, transferring the care of the younger catechumens to his
friend and former pupil Heraclas, that he might devote himself with less
distraction to the instruction of the more advanced, and to the more thorough
investigation and exposition of Scripture. He also set himself to acquire the
knowledge of Hebrew language and make himself more extensively acquainted with
the doctrines of the Grecian schools, that he might meet his opponents upon
their own ground.
In 216 AD Emperor Caracalla
visited Alexandria,
and directed a bloody persecution against its inhabitants, especially the
literary members of the community, in revenge for the sarcastic verses which
had been composed against him for the murder of his brother Geta. Origen
occupied too prominent a position in the literary Society of the city to be
able to remain with safety, and therefore withdrew to Palestine
to his friend Bishop Alexander of Jerusalem, and
afterwards to Caesarea, where he received an
honourable welcome from Bishop Theoctistus.
In 229 A.D. Origen was invited
to Athens to
help the church there to deal with a Valentinian Gnostic heretic and went
without Demetrius' permission. In 230 A.D. some Palestinian bishops, his
Episcopal friends, ordained Origen to the presbyterate. Demetrius was incensed,
maintaining that this was flouting his authority. At a synod of Egyptian
bishops he secured Origen's condemnation and banishment on the grounds that he
had been ordained without reference to the proper authority. After completing
his journey through Greece,
Origen returned to Alexandria
about 230 A.D. He there found his bishop greatly incensed against him for what
had taken place at Caesarea. In the year 231A.D.
a synod was summoned by Demetrius, composed of Egyptian bishops and Alexandrian
presbyters, who declared Origen unworthy to hold the office of teacher, and
excommunicated him from the fellowship of the Church of Alexandria. Even this did
not satisfy the vindictive feeling of Demetrius. He summoned a second synod, in
which the bishops alone were permitted to vote, and by their suffrages Origen
was degraded from the office of presbyter, and intimation of this sentence was
ordered to be made by encyclical letter to the various Churches. The validity
of the sentence was recognized by all of them, with the exception of those in Palestine, Phoenicia,
Arabia, and Achaia.
The character of Origen is
singularly pure and noble; for his moral qualities are as remarkable as his
intellectual gifts. The history of the Church records the names of few whose
patience and meekness under unmerited suffering were more conspicuous than his.
(Phillip 411).
4.0 Origen’s Contributions to Christian
Development
Many people have passed on the
surface of this part of eternity without making any cogent memorable
unforgettable positive impact on their generation. This kind of people lives to
consume all resources available to them without producing any useful result out
of it for the benefit of humanity. Methuselah, as the Bible recorded him, lived
a sum of six hundred and sixty-nine years. His memory was not remembered for
any other things than for the fact that he has been the only man in history, who
lived the longest number of years. His name was only mentioned in passing. He
made no contribution to humanity in any aspect. Origen lived between A D
185-254. All within sixty-nine years Origen lived and contributed immensely to
the development of Christianity. Some of his contributions to the Church are
highlighted hereunder.
4.1
Doctrine Of Trinity
Origen
begins his treatise On First Principles by establishing, in typical
Platonic fashion, a divine hierarchical triad; but instead of calling these
principles by typical Platonic terms like monad, dyad, and world-soul, he calls
them “Father,” “Christ,” and “Holy Spirit,” though he does describe these
principles using Platonic language. The first of these principles, the Father,
is a perfect unity, complete unto Himself, and without body – a purely
spiritual mind. Since God the Father is, for Origen, “personal and active,” it
follows that there existed with Him, always, an entity upon which to exercise
His intellectual activity. This entity is Christ the Son, the Logos, or Wisdom
(Sophia), of God, the first emanation of the Father, corresponding to
Numenius’ “second god.” The third and last principle of the divine triad is the
Holy Spirit, who proceeds from the Son and is related to Him as the Son is
related to the Father. Here Origen is explaining the status of the Holy Spirit,
in a passage preserved in the original Greek: The God and Father, who holds the
universe together, is superior to every being that exists, for he imparts to
each one from his own existence that which each one is; the Son, being less
than the Father, is superior to rational creatures alone; the Holy Spirit is
still less, and dwells within the saints alone. So that in this way the power
of the Father is greater than that of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and that
of the Son is more than that of the Holy Spirit, and in turn the power of the
Holy Spirit exceeds that of every other holy being. This graded hierarchy
reveals an allotment of power to the second and third members of the Trinity:
the Father’s power is universal, but the Son’s corresponds only to rational
creatures, while the Spirit’s power corresponds strictly to the “saints” or
those who have achieved salvation. Such a structure of divine influence on the
created realm is found much later in the system of the Neoplatonic philosopher
Proclus. (www.iep.utm.edu)
4.2.0 Origen’s Writings
The works of Origen of Alexandria may be classed
under the following divisions:
4.2.1 Exegetical
Works.
Phillip (412) explains that
Origen’s exegetical writings included Commentaries, lengthened expositions on
Matthew, John, and Epistle to the Romans; and about 200 Homilies, upon the
principal books of the Old and New Testaments, a full list of which may be seen
in Migne’s edition. In these works his peculiar system of interpretation found
ample scope for exercise; and although he carried out his principle of
allegorizing many things, which in their historical and literal signification
offended his exegetical sense, he nevertheless maintains that the passages
which hold good in their historical acceptation are much more numerous than
those which contain a purely spiritual meaning.
4.2.2 Scripture
Allegorism
“At one time
Origen, starting from the Platonic
trichotomy, distinguishes the body, the soul, and the spirit
of Holy Scripture; at another,
following a more rational terminology, he distinguishes only between the letter
and the spirit.” (www.newadvent.org). Origen was
essentially a biblical scholar whose thought was nourished on scripture, the
inspiration and integrity of which he affirmed especially against the
Marcionites. He recognized a triple sense, literal, moral and allegorical, of
which he preferred the last. (Cross 1009). According to Hall (136) Origen was
referred to as the greatest advocate of allegorical interpretation. He explains
the manifest and hidden aspects of Scriptures.
4.2.3 Critical
Works.
“The great critical work of
Origen was the Hexapla or Six-columned Bible; an attempt to provide a
revised text of the Septuagint translation of Old Testament Scripture. On this
undertaking he is said to have spent eight-and-twenty years of his life, and to
have acquired knowledge of Hebrew in order to qualify himself for the task.” (Phillip 413). He further emphasized that Origen
placed the current Hebrew text in the first column; in the second, the same
represented in Greek letters; in the third, the version of Aquila; in the fourth, that of Symmachus; in the fifth,
the text of the LXX, as it existed at the time; and in the sixth, the version of
Theodotion. Having come into possession also of certain other Greek
translations of some of the books of Scripture, he added these in their
appropriate place, so that the work presented in some parts the appearance of
seven, eight, or nine columns, and was termed Heptapla, Octopla, or Enneapla,
in consequence. He inserted critical marks in the text of the LXX, an asterisk
to denote what ought to be added, and an obelisk to denote what ought to be
omitted; taking the additions chiefly from the version of Theodotion. The work,
with the omission of the Hebrew column, and that representing the Hebrew in
Greek letters, was termed Tetrapla; and with regard to it, it is uncertain
whether it is to be considered a preliminary work on the part of Origen,
undertaken by way of preparation for the larger, or merely as an excerpt from
the latter. The whole extended, it is said, to nearly fifty volumes, and was,
of course, far too bulky for common use, and too costly for transcription. It
was placed in some repository in the city of Tyre,
from which it was removed after Origen’s death to the library at Caesarea, founded by Pamphilus, the friend of Eusebius.
4.4.4 Apologetical
Works.
According to Phillip (414) Origen’s great apologetical
work was the treatise undertaken at the special request of his friend Ambrosius,
in answer to the attack of the heathen philosopher Celsus on the Christian
religion, in a work which he entitled A True Discourse. This treatise was
written between 245 and 250 A.D. “Celsus had written in the second century a
devastating criticism of Christianity. Although contemporary Christian
apologists did much to defend Christianity against Celsus, it was not until
Origen’s that there was a reasoned or sustained reply to his attack.” (www.dacb.org).
Kuiper (51) gave a better clarification that Celsus was a heathen who was well
acquainted with the teachings of Christianity, but he never became a Christian.
On the contrary, in the year 177 he wrote a book, A true Discourse against Christianity. Celsus was a man with a very
keen mind. He was the ablest critic of Christianity produced by heathenism. It
was not until seventy years later that Celsus was answered. But when at last
the answer did come, it was overwhelming and crushing. This brilliant apology
of Christianity was written by Origen in his book Against Celsus.
4.4.5 Practical
Works.
In
his book On Prayer Origen discussed
prayer in general and the Lord’s Prayer specifically. He argued that prayer is
not a petition but a participation in God’s life. (Douglas
733). Phillip (415) emphasized that this book was written
at the instance of his friend Ambrose. On
Prayer, Its contents, the work of the holy trinity in prayers, prayer and
renewal, how great is prayer?, the blessings of prayer, answers to prayer,
kinds of prayer, prayer and tears, prayer and piety, praying through silence,
preparation for prayer, thanksgiving, angels pray with us, the contemplative
life and the active life, prayer and reading the Bible, prayer and preaching (www.copticchurch.net).
4.4.6 His Teachings
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 Arianism. Basil
the Great and Gregory Nazianzen, e.g., compiled in their first
monastery the Philokalia, a collection of Origen's work, though both of them
neither adopted Origenism nor used the Alexandrian allegoric exegesis.
Origen
supported the early Church Fathers majority position on Universal Salvation, a
position held by the most respected of the Church Fathers and four of the six
schools of thought. The doctrines of the Apostles were now under attack and
were overturned by a state-influenced Church under Constantine. In its place, the church began
to teach the tradition of eternal torment. The position on Universal Salvation
was the majority position of the Early Church Fathers until the 5th Century. It
was at this time Origen was declared a heretic. The anathema against him in his
person, declaring him (among others) a heretic, reads as follows: If anyone
does not anathematize Arius, Eunomius, Macedonius, Apollinaris, Nestorius,
Eutyches and Origen, as well as their impious writings, as also all other
heretics already condemned and anathematized by the Holy Catholic and Apostolic
Church, and by the aforesaid four Holy Synods and all those who have held and
hold or who in their impiety persist in holding to the end the same opinion as
those heretics just mentioned: let him be anathema. As a result of this
condemnation, the writings of Origen supporting his teachings in these areas
were destroyed. They were either outright destroyed, or they were translated
with the appropriate adjustments to eliminate conflict with orthodox Christian
doctrine. Therefore, little direct evidence remains to fully confirm or
disprove Origen’s support of the nine points of anathema against him. Reluctantly
he remains a Father of the Church, and this can be seen best in the
commentaries of Tyrannius Rufinus, who visibly struggled with his
task of transcribing Origen’s works into Latin and the new Roman dogma and made
extensive changes to the original text. His thought on the Old Testament was an
important link in the development of the medieval system of Typology.
Many
people think private school is a thing of recent trend but that is not true. In
the third century Origen established a private school where he preached and
taught. Douglas (733) explained that while in
charge of the school in Alexandria Origen became famous, and according to
Eusibius, thousands came to hear him, including many prominent pagans such as the
mother of the Emperor Alexander Severus. A wealthy convert allegedly hired
secretaries to copy down his lectures and then published them. Origen then
established a school in Caesarea which became
famous. There Origen continued to preach and write.
5.0 Its Challenges to the Contemporary
Christians
Various
ideas about life and the world had been passed on from one generation to
another in the form of oral tradition and written ones. It is worth mentioned
that written traditions are most reliable and authentic than its oral counterpart.
Books are written to enlighten both the present generation and up-coming ones. Origen
was a very fertile author according to Cross (1008), whose writings are sources
of blessing to the Christian Church. As contemporary Christians are reading about
the works of Origen of Alexandria, it is wisdom on their part to develop the
giant in them by writing books that can enrich knowledge.
The
third century people were more of philosophy than theology. Platonism shaped
the mind of every body. Although it had its way in the life and thought of Origen,
this man devoted his time to studying of the Scripture. Based on his knowledge
of the Holy Scripture, he was able to develop a refined Christian theology. So
Origen was recognized as a theologian of his time. The contemporary African
Christians are in the era wherein heretic teachings are everywhere. Church
leaders have to devote themselves to constant studying of the Holy Scripture
and develop a sound theology for their generation and next generations to come.
Church members should not fold their alms. Origen was a layman when he began to
develop his theology which later became a foundation for other theologians to
refine their thought.
It
has been established that Origen wrote numerous commentaries on various Books
of the Bible. These commentaries are media of rightful interpretation of the
Scripture. Many Christian scholars have consulted these commentaries to gain
insight into interpreting the Scripture. The Lord of the Church through the
instrumentality of the Holy Spirit is inspiring his children till today. Contemporary
Christians should depend on the enabling grace of the Holy Spirit to illumine
their heart to be able to interpret the Holy Scripture correctly for the
benefit of humanity.
Origen
established a theological school in Caesarea. As
a matter of fact the Church cannot thrive in the hand of half baked bread
leaders or untrained leaders. Every leader in the church should be adequately
trained especially pastors, apostles, prophets, evangelist, and teachers.
Theological institutions are best places for these Christian leaders to acquire
training. Therefore Christian denominations should see it as a point of duty to
establish theological institutions wherein Christian leaders would be
adequately trained in order to effectively and efficiently lead the body of
Christ.
More
so, Origen was an apologist. He wrote against devastating criticism which was put
against Christianity of his time. Contemporary Christian theologians should
wake up from their slumber and fight the criticisms of their age. Muslims and
pagans are always criticizing Christianity in our contemporary time. Christian
theologians will do well to defend the fate of their religion by responding to
these critics of their time.
Origen
lived an ascetic live. The secret of the Word of God is not easily come by. One
has to devote him or herself to it in the place of prayer, fasting, and
studying of the Holy Scripture. Contemporary Christians have to be committed to
prayer, fasting and studying the Word of God if they will make meaningful
impacts in their generations. Holiness is also very important. Without holiness
no man shall see God (Heb. 12:14).
6.0 Conclusion
From
the foregoing, life and work of Origen has been considered vis-à-vis its challenges
to the contemporary Christianity. Origen used to devote the greater part of the
night to the investigation of Scripture, sleeping on the bare ground, and
keeping frequent fasts. The church has been known to be the called out. No
member of the church will please his master while entangling him or herself
with the things of the world. Christians should learn to separate themselves
from the crowd and stay in the cloud for them to have the knowledge of the secret
of the Holy Scripture. Also they should always seek knowledge of other
languages apart from their mother tongue. This will enhance them the
opportunity to reach out to other peoples of the world.
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