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Philocalia
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This edition of Philocalia comes complete with a Touch-or-Click Table of Contents, divided by each section.
Origen was an early Christian Alexandrian scholar and theologian, and one of the most distinguished writers of the early Church. As early as the fourth century, his orthodoxy was suspect, in part because he believed in the pre-existence of souls. Today he is regarded as one of the Church Fathers.
Origen excelled in multiple branches of theological scholarship, including textual criticism, biblical interpretation, philosophical theology, preaching, and spirituality. Some of his teachings, however, quickly became controversial. Notably, he frequently referred to his hypothesis of the pre-existence of souls. As in the beginning all intelligent beings were united to God, Origen also held out the possibility, though he did not assert so definitively, that in the end all beings, perhaps even the arch-fiend Satan, would be reconciled to God in what is called the apokatastasis ("restitution").
Origen's views on the Trinity, in which he saw the Son of God as subordinate to God the Father, became controversial during the Arian controversy of the fourth century, though a subordinationist view was common among the ante-Nicene Fathers. A group who came to be known as Origenists, and who firmly believed in the preexistence of souls and the apokatastasis, were declared anathema in the 6th century. This condemnation is attributed to the Second Ecumenical Council of Constantinople, though it does not appear in the council's official minutes. Few scholars today believe that Origen should be blamed, as he commonly was in the past, for tentatively putting forward hypotheses, later judged heretical, on certain philosophical problems during a time when Christian doctrine was somewhat unclear on said problems.
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This edition of Philocalia comes complete with a Touch-or-Click Table of Contents, divided by each section.
Origen was an early Christian Alexandrian scholar and theologian, and one of the most distinguished writers of the early Church. As early as the fourth century, his orthodoxy was suspect, in part because he believed in the pre-existence of souls. Today he is regarded as one of the Church Fathers.
Origen excelled in multiple branches of theological scholarship, including textual criticism, biblical interpretation, philosophical theology, preaching, and spirituality. Some of his teachings, however, quickly became controversial. Notably, he frequently referred to his hypothesis of the pre-existence of souls. As in the beginning all intelligent beings were united to God, Origen also held out the possibility, though he did not assert so definitively, that in the end all beings, perhaps even the arch-fiend Satan, would be reconciled to God in what is called the apokatastasis ("restitution").
Origen's views on the Trinity, in which he saw the Son of God as subordinate to God the Father, became controversial during the Arian controversy of the fourth century, though a subordinationist view was common among the ante-Nicene Fathers. A group who came to be known as Origenists, and who firmly believed in the preexistence of souls and the apokatastasis, were declared anathema in the 6th century. This condemnation is attributed to the Second Ecumenical Council of Constantinople, though it does not appear in the council's official minutes. Few scholars today believe that Origen should be blamed, as he commonly was in the past, for tentatively putting forward hypotheses, later judged heretical, on certain philosophical problems during a time when Christian doctrine was somewhat unclear on said problems.
You can buy other wonderful religious books from Wyatt North Publishing!
Enjoy.
229 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 360
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About the author
Origen
518 books114 followersOrigen of Alexandria (c. 184 – c. 253), also known as Origen Adamantius, was an early Christian scholar, ascetic, and theologian who was born and spent the first half of his career in Alexandria. He was a prolific writer who wrote roughly 2,000 treatises in multiple branches of theology, including textual criticism, biblical exegesis and biblical hermeneutics, homiletics, and spirituality. He was one of the most influential figures in early Christian theology, apologetics, and asceticism. He has been described as "the greatest genius the early church ever produced".
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November 25, 2017
I've liked Origen for some time. I don't agree with all of his theories, but he was, without question in my mind, the greatest of the Ante-Nicene Fathers. I always get a little perturbed when he is treated with contempt by other Christians--usually by people who have spent very little time actually studying him. His profound influence cannot be denied by anyone who is well acquainted with church history and theology. The man was prolific and inspired.
The Philocalia is a somewhat thematic compendium of Origen's thought. It was compiled by the Cappadocians Gregory Nazianzen and Basil the Great. I am probably going to be seen as biased since my greatest theological influences are primarily Alexandrian and Cappadocian, but this book would serve as a great introduction to Origen.
Some of the issues that Origen addresses here are hermeneutics, fatalistic determinism, the use of biblical allegory, the unity of the Bible, theodicy; also various gnostic and philosophical beliefs regarding the Bible, God and evil.
I have to say that I was quite impressed with Origen's refutation of the Gnostic and Platonist demonizing of matter. I had not read this before and it is very similar to my issues with Plotinus that I raised in my review to the Enneads. I highly recommend reading it. This portion is actually found in Eusebius and attributed to a certain Maximus, but it is claimed to be simply a word for word reiteration of Origen's points found in his work against Marcion.
I also was impressed with his refutation of fatalistic determinism. I have often thought, and said, that there are very few false theologies that are altogether new in the church. The Valentinian Gnostics held a form of Predestinationism that is quite similar to Calvinism. Indeed, they used the same proof texts from the New Testament to support it; and Origen's refutations hold good against Calvinism as well. Origen repeats some of the same criticisms I have had towards Calvinism, e.g. it makes God responsible for evil and compromises His Goodness, makes human beings guiltless, etc.
I have to say that Origen's appeal to allegory does attempt to gloss over the more difficult theological problems of the Old Testament, but overall I agree with his positions.
A good portion of this book comes from Origen's work Against Celsus, but there are enough novel textual sources to make this worth getting, even if someone already owns the Ante-Nicene ten volume set.
The Philocalia is a somewhat thematic compendium of Origen's thought. It was compiled by the Cappadocians Gregory Nazianzen and Basil the Great. I am probably going to be seen as biased since my greatest theological influences are primarily Alexandrian and Cappadocian, but this book would serve as a great introduction to Origen.
Some of the issues that Origen addresses here are hermeneutics, fatalistic determinism, the use of biblical allegory, the unity of the Bible, theodicy; also various gnostic and philosophical beliefs regarding the Bible, God and evil.
I have to say that I was quite impressed with Origen's refutation of the Gnostic and Platonist demonizing of matter. I had not read this before and it is very similar to my issues with Plotinus that I raised in my review to the Enneads. I highly recommend reading it. This portion is actually found in Eusebius and attributed to a certain Maximus, but it is claimed to be simply a word for word reiteration of Origen's points found in his work against Marcion.
I also was impressed with his refutation of fatalistic determinism. I have often thought, and said, that there are very few false theologies that are altogether new in the church. The Valentinian Gnostics held a form of Predestinationism that is quite similar to Calvinism. Indeed, they used the same proof texts from the New Testament to support it; and Origen's refutations hold good against Calvinism as well. Origen repeats some of the same criticisms I have had towards Calvinism, e.g. it makes God responsible for evil and compromises His Goodness, makes human beings guiltless, etc.
I have to say that Origen's appeal to allegory does attempt to gloss over the more difficult theological problems of the Old Testament, but overall I agree with his positions.
A good portion of this book comes from Origen's work Against Celsus, but there are enough novel textual sources to make this worth getting, even if someone already owns the Ante-Nicene ten volume set.
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