The Conditionalist Faith of Our Fathers, vol. 1

CHAPTER SIXTY: Origen—Projector of Universal Restoration Theory

As with Tertullian, we will first take an over-all view of Origen’s basic positions, without pausing at this point for documentation. The specifics will be set forth in detail in the next chapter—with exact quotations and full references provided. CFF1 996.1

Like Tertullian of Carthage, ORIGEN (c. A.D. 185-254) was a son of Northern Africa. He was born into a Christian home, evidently in Alexandria. A youthful prodigy with a precocious thirst for knowledge, he seemed destined for a stellar role. Remarkable for sheer genius of learning, he came to be acknowledged as the most accomplished scholar of his generation. He was always restlessly seeking for the inner meaning, and became the revolutionary exponent of the Allegorical School of Interpretation that did such incalculable injury to the church by its introduction of Platonic mysticism. CFF1 996.2

Origen’s knowledge embraced all branches—especially philosophy, philology, and theology—and all this just as the ecclesiastical language of the church was being formulated, and before the great councils had defined the limits of “orthodoxy.” He was first a student in the Catechetical School in Alexandria under the noted Clement, covering the time of violent persecution under Septimius Severus in 202. Upon the martyrdom of his father Leonides, Origen had to be restrained from offering himself for martyrdom. CFF1 996.3

1. BECAME HEAD OF CATECHETICAL SCHOOL AT EIGHTEEN

Possessed of a vivid imagination, Origen carried on his philosophical speculations to the point where they resulted in audacious theories and devices. For example, Creation was to him a continuous process. Personally, he practiced a rigorous asceticism. He possessed but one coat and no shoes, devoted himself continuously to study, and slept on the bare floor. And when Clement had to flee from Alexandria to save his life, leaving his school without a head, Origen was appointed catechist in Clement’s place, in 203, when only eighteen. The school rose to new heights of fame under its youthful director. CFF1 996.4

To gain greater influence over his students, Origen resolved to master the various contemporary systems of religion. And in order successfully to combat them, he made an exhaustive study of the leading heresies of his age. In the process he became steeped in Greek philosophy. He attacked and refuted the enemies of the Christian faith. But in so doing he mixed with that faith allegorical mysticism and Platonic philosophy—tragically bringing Christian truth down to the level of pagan philosophy. And his admiring students sedulously spread his views all over the empire. It has been said that there is scarcely a later heresy that has blighted the church whose inception cannot be traced to Origen. CFF1 997.1

The Platonic philosophy had but recently come into prominence under the leadership of Ammonius Saccas, ¹ and Origen studied that system under its greatest representative, absorbing its principles. And now his own reputation had spread afar because of his advancing a new method of explaining Scripture that removed the disagreement between the Bible and philosophy. Large numbers attended his lectures. Then after thirteen years of oral teaching Origen began his written expositions, which treatises, large and small, reached the almost unbelievable total of six thousand items. ² A great librarywas provided for Origen by the wealthy Ambrosius, of Alexandria, who also facilitated the publication of his completed works. It was thus given wings. CFF1 997.2

2. FINALLY DEPOSED AND DEPRIVED OF OFFICE

In order to better understand the Old Testament, Origen also mastered Hebrew. And he traveled to Rome, where he met Hippolytus, as well as to Arabia, Palestine, and Greece. He was ordained a presbyter at Jerusalem, and was thus brought under the discipline of Bishop Demetrius of Alexandria, who summoned provincial councils in 230 and 231 that pronounced his ordination invalid, condemned him for false doctrine and self-mutilation, ³ deposed him from office, and deprived him of his Catechetical School. CFF1 998.1

Driven into exile, Origen took refuge in Caesarea, where he started a similar school, which also prospered. He spent the remainder of his life in Palestine, where he died about A.D. 254 as a result of imprisonment and torture, inflicted under Decius. Because of his deviations from the faith and the error of his Restorationist philosophy, he was again condemned, about 544, at a later synod, and anathematized as a heretic. ⁴ Origenism was thus suppressed throughout the empire and crushed as a distinct movement, though it was never without individual supporters. ⁵ CFF1 998.2