Eastern Orthodox Ancient Authoritive Theologians (June 4, 2013)

As a protestant within the Reformed Church Tradition, I find that I and everyone around me are largely ignorant about Eastern Orthodoxy, and hardly know the differences between Eastern Orthodoxy and Roman Catholicism. If asked, most will reply the filioque, icon veneration, the Great Schism, episcopalian government without a pope, and lots […]

Related: Augustine, Augustine of Hippo, Basil the Great, Dumitru Staniloae, Eastern Orthodoxy, Experiences of God, Fr Georges Florovsky, Gregory of Nazianzen, Gregory of Nyssa, Origen of Alexandria, Orthodox Dogmatic Theology, Saint Maximos the Confessor, St John Chrysostom, St. Dionysius the Areopagite, The Blessed St. Augustine

Origen Apology for the Allegorical Method (Origenism) (June 13, 2012)

Origen of Alexandria (185-232) was famous for his Neo-Platonic allegorical method often referred to as "Origenism". Often this involves extreme typology that the meaning derived from the text often appears absurd. This type of Typology is common throughout the Patristics, with the one anchor being in the person of Christ. All […]

Related: Allegorical Method, Arius, Augustine, Augustine of Hippo, Biblicism, Dispensationalism, hermeneutics, Origen of Alexandria, Origenism, The Literal Meaning of Genesis

Origen’s The First Principles: De principiis vs Περὶ Ἀρχῶν (June 11, 2012)

A papyrus fragment of Origen's commentary on Genesis Schøyen Collection MS 2634/2 Origen's The First Principles is a proto-Systematic Theology, and in Book III, Origen discusses Election with more scrutiny than in previous chapters. The Latin translation by Rufinus is a paraphrase and often softens the text to favor the later and more widely […]

Related: De principiis, Frederick Crombie, Greek, Greek Text, Latin, Origen, Origen of Alexandria, Rufinus, The First Principles, Περὶ Ἀρχῶν

Origen on Election and Apokatastasis (June 8, 2012)

Origen of Alexandria and apokatastasis: Edward Moore Origen of Alexandria's writings on Election and Predestination must be read while keeping his teachings on Universalism and Resurrection in mind. Origen's doctrine of ἀποκατάστασις (apokatastasis or apocatastasis) is famous for supporting Universalism (or Universal Reconciliation), that is that all people will eventually saved and […]

Related: apocatastasis, Apokatastasis, Decretum Absolutum, Double Predestination, First Principles, Frederick Crombie, Gottschalk, Gottshalk of Orbais, Gregory of Nyssa, John Calvin, Origen of Alexandria, Resurrection, Universalism

Origen on Christology (June 6, 2012)

Origen of Alexandria (circa 184 – 254 A.D.) is an Ante-Nicene Church Father, and arguably the most scholarly man in the early Church between Paul and Augustine. However, Origen was on-and-off the Church's reading list for what became to be known as Origenisms or his allegorical methods that produced some possibly heterodox doctrines […]

Related: anhypostasis, Ante-Nicene Fathers, Antiochene Christology, christology, Church Father, Clement of Alexandria, Divine Nature, Enhypostatsis, Fire, Hellenized Jew, Human Nature, Hypostatic Union, Iron, Nicea, On First Principles, Origen, Origen of Alexandria, Philo of Alexandria, Son of Horus