X-Ftn-To: Franjo Hornung

franjo.hornung@vt.tel.hr (Franjo Hornung) wrote:
>>    Nek nadje Origena i nek cita;)
>
>Tko/sto je Origen?

Origen,

Latin in full OREGENES ADAMANTIUS (b. c. 185, probably Alexandria--d.
c. 254, Tyre, Phoenicia), the most important theologian and biblical
scholar of the early Greek church. His greatest work is the Hexapla,
which is a synopsis of six versions of the Old Testament.

Life

Origen was born of pagan parents, according to the Neoplatonist
philosopher Porphyry, but of Christian parents, according to
the ecclesiastical historian Eusebius of Caesarea, whose account is
probably more accurate. Eusebius stated that Origen's father,
Leonides, was martyred in the persecution of 202, so that Origen had
to provide for his mother and six younger brothers. At first he lived
in the house of a wealthy lady. He then earned money by teaching
grammar and lived a life of strenuous asceticism. Eusebius added that
he was a pupil of Clement of Alexandria, whom he succeeded as head of
the Catechetical school under the authority of the bishop Demetrius.
Eusebius also alleged that Origen, as a young man, castrated
himself so as to work freely in instructing female catechumens; but
this was not the only story told by the malicious about his
extraordinary chastity, and thus it may merely have been hostile
gossip. Eusebius' account of Origen's life, moreover, bears the
embellishments of legends of saints and needs to be treated with this
in mind.

According to Porphyry, Origen attended lectures given by Ammonius
Saccas, the founder of Neoplatonism. A letter of Origen mentions his
"teacher of philosophy," at whose lectures he met Heraclas, who was to
become his junior colleague, then his rival, and who was to end as
bishop of Alexandria refusing to hold communion with him. Origen
invited Heraclas to assist him with the elementary teaching at the
Catechetical school, leaving himself free for advanced teaching and
study. During this period (from c. 212), Origen learned Hebrew and
began to compile his Hexapla.

A wealthy Christian named Ambrose, whom Origen converted from the
teachings of the heretical Valentinus and to whom he dedicated many of
his works, provided him with shorthand writers. A stream of treatises
and commentaries began to pour from Origen's pen. At Alexandria he
wrote Miscellanies (Stromateis), On the Resurrection (Peri
anastaseos), and On First Principles (De principiis). He also began
his immense commentary on St. John, written to refute the commentary
of the Gnostic follower of Valentinus, Heracleon. His studies were
interrupted by visits to Rome (where he met the theologian
Hippolytus), Arabia, Antioch, and Palestine.

Because of his reputation, Origen was much in demand as a preacher, a
circumstance that provoked the disapproval of Demetrius, bishop of
Alexandria, who was anxious to control this free lay teacher and
especially angry when Origen was allowed to preach at Caesarea
Palestinae. In about 229-230 Origen went to Greece to dispute with
another follower of Valentinus, Candidus. On the way he was ordained
presbyter at Caesarea. The Valentinian doctrine that salvation and
damnation are predestinate, independent of volition, was defended by
Candidus on the ground that Satan is beyond repentance; Origen replied
that if Satan fell by will, even he can repent. Demetrius, incensed at
Origen's ordination, was appalled by such a doctrinal view and
instigated a synodical condemnation, which, however, was not accepted
in Greece and Palestine. Thenceforth, Origen lived at Caesarea, where
he attracted many pupils. One of his most notable students was
Gregory Thaumaturgus, later bishop of Neocaesarea.