488 Early Church History 8: Origen of Alexandria

This is part 8 of the Early Church History class.

Origen of Alexandria is the man behind the curtain. Although few Christians today would recognize his name, most denominations are still on a trajectory he initiated eighteen hundred years ago. His influences in theology, christology, eschatology, apologetics, textual criticism, asceticism, hermeneutics, and Christian philosophy are astonishing. Understanding Origen's life and ideas is a major key to comprehending the history of ideas within Christianity's most creative and speculative period. With the knowledge you've gained from our previous two episodes, you'll be able to see how Origen drew on Philo and Clement and also moved beyond them to synthesize a doctrinal package in response to pressures and criticisms from the Gnostics, Valentinians, pagans, philosophers, and Jews.

Listen to this episode on Spotify or Apple Podcasts

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pg_Hz1TDjg0&list=PLN9jFDsS3QV2lk3B0I7Pa77hfwKJm1SRI&index=8

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—— Notes ——

“Origen was the most important Christian thinker between Paul in the first century and Augustine in the fifth century.” –Joseph Lynch

Life (186 - 253)

• grew up in a Christian home
• a committed ascetic

Scripture

• strong commitment to the inspiration of Scripture
• an early textual critic: one who compares manuscripts to figure out the original reading
• Hexapla
  1. Hebrew (had learned from a Jew)
  2. Secunda (transliteration of Hebrew into Greek letters)
  3. Aquila of Sinope (2nd c., ad 130) very literal translation
  4. Symmachus the Ebionite (late 2nd c.)
  5. Septuagint with textual critical notes to mark where it differs from the Hebrew
  6. Theodotion (late 2nd c.) (Jewish Christian?)
• interpreted Scripture
  1. looking for hidden treasures
  2. preferred “spiritual” readings rather than reading according to “the letter” (2 Corinthians 3.6, 14-16)
  3. esoteric interpretation for elite, educated Christians (2 Corinthians 2.6-7)

Books

• Commentaries
  1. Commentary on Matthew, John, Song of Songs, etc.
• Sermons (Homilies)
  1. approximately 280 survive
• Treatises on Subjects
  1. On Prayer, Exhortation to Martyrdom, On Passover
• An Apology