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By Mark Stanley
O
rigen of Alexandria’s contribu-
tions to Christian theology and
his personal holiness place him
solidly in the saint category. After cen-
turies of Origen being called a heretic,
General Convention has a chance this
month, with Resolution C012, to add
him to the Episcopal Calendar. The
Fifth Ecumenical Council at Constan-
tinople (553) seems to have con-
demned him as a heretic. But scholars
like the Jesuit Henri Crouzel have con-
cluded that Origen was unjustly
branded a heretic, and the Catholic
Encyclopedia says that Origen “does
not deserve to be ranked among the Origen by André Thévet/Greek Wikipedia
M uch of the condemnation of Scripture on not just the literal level but also on the moral and allegorical levels.
Origen relates to three things: Origen’s teachings brought respectability to Christian theology and influenced gener-
misunderstandings of his writings, due ations of thinkers.
to their complexity and sheer volume; Many of Origen’s works did not survive due to his condemnation several centuries
false attributions of teachings to him after his death. Some of the later criticism marks a reaction to Origen’s wide-ranging
that were actually those of his later fol- philosophical speculation at a time when Christian orthodoxy was still forming. One
lowers; and even subsequent changes point of dispute is Origen’s concept of apokatastasis that all creatures, even the Devil,
in terminology for God and Christ. could ultimately be reconciled with God. While scholars today debate whether Origen
Origen’s condemnation associated with truly taught a version of universal salvation, Origen certainly proclaimed a good and
the Fifth Ecumenical Council was powerful deity whose love conquers all.
“clearly directed against contemporary
Origenists” (Crouzel, p. 504). Indeed St. Suggested Collect
Basil and St. Gregory of Nazianzus replied O God, who is the beginning of all things, you gave your servant Origen wisdom in
to heretics who claimed the support of learning and sacrificial devotion to Jesus Christ: Grant that our whole lives may be bent
Origen’s authority that they misunder- on progress in divine things after the pattern of your Son our Savior Jesus Christ, who
stood him (see Ferdinand Prat, intro- lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
duction to The Sacred Writings of
Origen). Sources for the Collect
Lyman has argued that Origen “God, who is the beginning of all things…” (First Principles I).
believed theology is an act of imagina-
tion and prayer within the apostolic “Now our whole activity is devoted to God, and our whole life, since we are bent on
tradition, which leads the faithful the- progress in divine things” (Commentary on John I.4).
ologian into greater intimacy with, and
deeper knowledge of, God. Origen Suggested Readings
spent his life trying to make the Bible Psalm 139:1-12
come alive to everyone, both the simple 1 Corinthians 15:51-58
and the sophisticated, as a place of John 3:1-17
encounter with the divine Word. This is
both why he speculates and why he Proposed Date: July 8
often encouraged further discussion.