Who did Origen of Alexandria teach?

Gregory Thaumaturgus, Dionysius of Alexandria, and Heraclas of Alexandria.

Who did Origen of Alexandria oppose?

Demetrius of Alexandria, Methodius of Olympus, and Epiphanius of Salamis.

Origen of Alexandria

c. 185 – c. 254 · b. Alexandria

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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 is the most brilliant and the most controversial. He produced the first systematic Christian theology, the first serious textual criticism of the Bible (the Hexapla, six versions in parallel columns), and a body of biblical commentary so vast that most of it was lost — which is mercy, since he held views the church later rejected (universalism, the pre-existence of souls). But the method survived: read scripture for its literal, moral, and spiritual meaning at once. Every monastic interpreter, every medieval mystic, every spiritual reading of the Bible owes him.

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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.
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Contra Celsumc. 248
Eight-book reply to the philosopher Celsus, the most important early Christian apologetic work.
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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 Thaumaturgus
Gregory 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 Alexandria
Dionysius was a pupil of Origen at Alexandria and later headed the Catechetical School.
Eusebius, Hist. Eccl. 6.29
taught by (incoming) Heraclas of Alexandria
Heraclas studied alongside, then under, Origen and shared in teaching the catechumens.
Eusebius, Hist. Eccl. 6.3, 6.15
succeeded in see (incoming) Heraclas of Alexandria
Heraclas 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 Alexandria
Demetrius 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 Olympus
Methodius 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 Caesarea
Pamphilus 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 Caesarea
Book 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 Caesarea
Basil and Gregory of Nazianzus compiled the Philocalia, an anthology of Origen.
Gregory of Nazianzus, Epistula 115
cited (incoming) Gregory of Nazianzus
Co-compiler with Basil of the Philocalia of Origen.
Gregory of Nazianzus, Epistula 115
cited (incoming) Rufinus of Aquileia
Rufinus translated Origen's De Principiis and many homilies into Latin.
Rufinus, Praefatio in De Principiis
cited (incoming) Didymus the Blind
Didymus'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 Salamis
Epiphanius led the late-fourth-century campaign against Origenism.
Epiphanius, Panarion 64

tradition connections(4)

cited Pseudo-Barnabas
Origen 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 Alexandria
Eusebius 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 Alexandria
Origen 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
met Hippolytus of Rome
Jerome reports that Origen heard Hippolytus preach during a visit to Rome c. 212.
Jerome, De Viris Illustribus 61