Read this when the issue is Origen's brilliance and danger.
On First Principles (De Principiis)
Origen of AlexandriaThe bold, influential, and later contested system that explains why Origen became impossible to ignore.
Origen of Alexandria
c. 185 – c. 254 · b. Alexandria
TheologianPresbyter
Quick facts
- Born
- c. 185, Alexandria
- Died
- c. 254, Tyre
- Region
- egypt
- Era
- ante nicene
- Significance
- Major Father(3/4)
- Also known as
- Origen · Origenes Adamantius
Highlights
- Main contribution
- Origen made Christian scholarship ambitious at a scale no one before him had attempted.
- Event connection
- Second Council of Constantinople (553)
- Best first read
- On First Principles (De Principiis)
- Primary source
- Eusebius, Hist. Eccl. 6.1-39
Towering Alexandrian biblical scholar and theologian; produced the Hexapla, On First Principles, Against Celsus, and vast commentaries. Tortured under Decius and died from injuries.
Why Origen matters
Origen made Christian scholarship ambitious at a scale no one before him had attempted. He produced the Hexapla, wrote vast biblical commentaries, answered pagan criticism in Contra Celsum, and gave the church its first serious attempt at systematic theology in On First Principles. Some of his views were later rejected, especially around souls and final restoration, but his method endured: scripture could be read historically, morally, spiritually, and intellectually without ceasing to be scripture. Almost every later tradition of Christian exegesis had to reckon with him.
Recommended reading near Origen
A cover-visible starting point chosen from the curated reading path, either by this figure or by their era.
Chain to Jesus
Loading…
Common questions
- Who was Origen of Alexandria?
- Origen of Alexandria (185–254) — Towering Alexandrian biblical scholar and theologian; produced the Hexapla, On First Principles, Against Celsus, and vast commentaries. Tortured under Decius and died from injuries.
- Who taught Origen of Alexandria?
- Clement of Alexandria.
- Who did Origen of Alexandria teach?
- Gregory Thaumaturgus, Dionysius of Alexandria, and Heraclas of Alexandria.
- Who did Origen of Alexandria meet?
- Hippolytus of Rome.
- Who did Origen of Alexandria oppose?
- Demetrius of Alexandria, Methodius of Olympus, and Epiphanius of Salamis.
Works
- On First Principles (De Principiis)c. 230
First systematic Christian theology — controversial but enduringly influential.
- Contra Celsumc. 248
Eight-book reply to the philosopher Celsus, the most important early Christian apologetic work.
- Hexaplac. 240
Six parallel columns of OT versions: Hebrew, transliteration, Aquila, Symmachus, LXX, Theodotion. Mostly lost.
- Commentary on Johnc. 235
Earliest substantial Christian gospel commentary; ten of original 32 books survive.
- Homilies on the Hexateuchc. 245
Allegorical homilies on Genesis through Joshua; model for medieval lectio divina.
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
Sources for biography
- Eusebius, Hist. Eccl. 6.1-39 primary
- Jerome, De Viris Illustribus 54 primary
- Gregory Thaumaturgus, Panegyric to Origen primary
documented connections(13)
- taught by (incoming) Gregory ThaumaturgusGregory studied under Origen at Caesarea for several years and wrote a famous panegyric upon leaving.Gregory Thaumaturgus, Panegyric to Origen · Eusebius, Hist. Eccl. 6.30
- taught by (incoming) Dionysius of AlexandriaDionysius was a pupil of Origen at Alexandria and later headed the Catechetical School.Eusebius, Hist. Eccl. 6.29
- taught by (incoming) Heraclas of AlexandriaHeraclas studied alongside, then under, Origen and shared in teaching the catechumens.Eusebius, Hist. Eccl. 6.3, 6.15
- succeeded in see (incoming) Heraclas of AlexandriaHeraclas succeeded Origen as head of the Catechetical School after Origen's departure to Caesarea.Eusebius, Hist. Eccl. 6.15, 6.26
- opposed (incoming) Demetrius of AlexandriaDemetrius initially appointed Origen but later condemned him in synods after his ordination at Caesarea, expelling him from Alexandria.Eusebius, Hist. Eccl. 6.8, 6.19, 6.26 · Jerome, De Viris Illustribus 54
- opposed (incoming) Methodius of OlympusMethodius wrote against Origen's doctrines of pre-existence of souls and the resurrection body in his Aglaophon (On the Resurrection).Methodius, On the Resurrection (in Photius, Bibl. cod. 234) · Jerome, De Viris Illustribus 83
- cited (incoming) Pamphilus of CaesareaPamphilus copied, collected and defended Origen's works; co-author of an Apology for Origen.Eusebius, Hist. Eccl. 6.32 · Jerome, De Viris Illustribus 75
- cited (incoming) Eusebius of CaesareaBook 6 of the Historia Ecclesiastica is largely devoted to Origen, drawing on his letters and works.Eusebius, Hist. Eccl. 6 passim
- cited (incoming) Basil of CaesareaBasil and Gregory of Nazianzus compiled the Philocalia, an anthology of Origen.Gregory of Nazianzus, Epistula 115
- cited (incoming) Gregory of NazianzusCo-compiler with Basil of the Philocalia of Origen.Gregory of Nazianzus, Epistula 115
- cited (incoming) Rufinus of AquileiaRufinus translated Origen's De Principiis and many homilies into Latin.Rufinus, Praefatio in De Principiis
- cited (incoming) Didymus the BlindDidymus's exegesis is heavily Origenist; he was condemned with Origen at Constantinople II (553).Jerome, De Viris Illustribus 109 · Rufinus, Hist. Eccl. 11.7
- opposed (incoming) Epiphanius of SalamisEpiphanius led the late-fourth-century campaign against Origenism.Epiphanius, Panarion 64
tradition connections(4)
- cited Pseudo-BarnabasOrigen quotes the Epistle of Barnabas as a 'catholic epistle' (Contra Celsum 1.63). Marked tradition because Pseudo-Barnabas is anonymous and Origen attributes the text to the apostolic Barnabas.Origen, Contra Celsum 1.63
- taught by Clement of AlexandriaEusebius implies Origen heard Clement at the Catechetical School; some scholars treat this as inferred rather than firmly attested.Eusebius, Hist. Eccl. 6.6 · ODCC s.v. Origen
- succeeded in see Clement of AlexandriaOrigen succeeded Clement as head of the Catechetical School c. 203 after Clement fled persecution. Source is Eusebius HE 6.3, 6.6; Origen himself does not narrate the succession.Eusebius, Hist. Eccl. 6.3, 6.6
- Jerome reports that Origen heard Hippolytus preach during a visit to Rome c. 212.Jerome, De Viris Illustribus 61
External resources
📖WikipediaFull encyclopedic biography with footnotes and further reading.📜Primary text on CCELChristian Classics Ethereal Library — full text in English, free.🔗WikidataStructured data hub linking to library catalogues, archives, and academic sources worldwide.🏛️WikisourcePublic-domain primary texts and translations (search).⛪Catholic Encyclopedia1913 reference — long entries, useful for less-known figures (search for Origen of Alexandria).