On the Beginning ( lat. De principiis ) - a theological treatise in four books of the III century Alexandrian theologian Origen (c. 185 - c. 254), created between 220 and 230 years. It is considered the first systematic exposition of Christian theology [1] . In addition to texts recognized as canonical, Origen refers to apocrypha : Acts of Paul , Shepherd Hermas , Ascension of Moses and the Epistle of Barnabas .
| About the beginnings | |
|---|---|
| De principiis | |
| Author | Origen |
| Date of writing | between 220 and 230 years |
Content
Creation History
The appearance of this work caused a conflict between Origen and Bishop Demetrius of Alexandria , the result of which was the expulsion of the theologian from the city and the relocation to Caesarea of Palestine - although this cannot be confirmed with certainty [2] . From the original Greek text of the work, only small fragments are preserved in another work of Origen, , as well as in the edicts of the emperor Justinian [3] . The Latin translation of the treatise was made in 398 by Rufin of Aquileia . This translation appeared at the height of the first Origenist dispute , in which Rufin sided with the “Origenists” and, accordingly, had an apologetic tendency, which consisted of a desire to give Origen ideas a more orthodox sound. Around the same time, the Latin translation was performed by Rufin's opponent, Jerome Stridon . This, according to Jerome himself, is more literal, the translation has been preserved only in a few citations [4] .
Modern critical editions of the On Principles cite the preserved Greek text in parallel columns.
Contents
In the introduction, Origen formulates the task of his theological studies. Since the apostles only reported that they considered necessary and kept silent about many things, “of course, in order to have the most zealous and loving wisdom from among their successors for exercise and to show the fruit of their mind” [5] , they remained important issues to be resolved. Origen includes the problem of the place of the Holy Spirit in the Trinity , the resurrection of the dead , free will , the origin of the soul, and many others. Then four parts of the work follow, presented by the author as separate treatises devoted to theology, cosmology , and teleology .
The first book is dedicated to God (Ch. 1), where Origen insists on his incorporeal nature. He also writes about Christ (Chap. 2), which he identifies with the Wisdom of God . The third chapter of the first book is dedicated to the Holy Spirit. Together, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit form the Trinity (Chap. 4). Then he goes on to discuss the causes of the fall of the angels , which Origen classifies as intelligent beings (Chap. 5). He connects the mystery of the appearance of the devil with the plot of the prince of Tire from the book of Ezekiel ( Ezek. 28:12 ). At the end of the book, Origen sets forth the doctrine of apocatastasis, when all are purified and acquire etheric bodies (Chap. 6). He further suggests that the celestial bodies themselves can be classified as sentient beings (Ch. 7). In the last chapter of the book, Origen returns to the theme of angels and emphasizes that there are no sentient beings without freedom of choice, whose nature would be either exceptionally good or extremely evil.
The second book explores the material universe, the creation of mankind. Considering the possibility of multiple worlds, Origen insists that Christ destroyed sin only in our world (Chap. 3). He further refutes the opinion of the Gnostics that the God of the New Testament is hostile to the God of the Old Testament (Chap. 4). Further, criticizing docetism , Origen affirms the true incarnation of Jesus Christ in the human body (Chap. 6). Particular attention is paid to the doctrine of the soul (Ch. 8), which is a sensitive and moving substance. Origen notes that the presence of a soul in angels is not obvious, just as in resurrected righteous souls will be translated into spirit according to the word of the apostle ( 1 Cor. 15:44 ). He goes on to say that the world is limited, since God created everything in number and in sufficient quantity (Ch. 9). At the same time, God, obeying his own goodness, created everything similar and identical, but the freedom given to rational beings made a difference in creation. Speaking about the infernal flame, Origen comes to the conclusion that our sins are its substance. Therefore, hellfire heals the soul, delivering it from sins and turning it into spirit (Ch. 10).
The third book begins with a presentation of the doctrine of free will, which is the approval or disapproval of natural drives. To prove his point of view, Origen examines in detail the phrase according to which God “hardened the heart” of Pharaoh ( Exodus 7: 3 ). Demons are trying to make human fall eternal and impede human communication with God. Angels, on the other hand, help people in their quest to see the Divine. The idea of free will is fundamental in the moral teleology of Origen.
The fourth book is dedicated to proving the divine inspiration of Scripture. The argument for Origen is the fact that the prophecies of the Scriptures have been fulfilled. Misinterpretations arise from the fact that some (for example, Jews ) take the Scriptures literally (Chap. 2). In the same way, the Gnostics fell into heresy, literally ("historically") interpreting the Old Testament. An alternative to the literal is "spiritual interpretation", and the relevance of such an interpretation follows from the "stumbling and gaps" that we find in Scripture. Origen relates a fragment from the Book of Genesis to such stumbling blocks, which describes the first three days before the creation of the sun.
Notes
- ↑ McGuckin, 2004 , p. 36.
- ↑ Crousel, Simonetti, 1978a , p. 9.
- ↑ Seregin, 2015 , p. 45.
- ↑ Seregin, 2015 , p. 46.
- ↑ Origen, On the Beginnings, I, 3
Links
Literature
Editions
- Origène. Traité des principes / Intr., Trad. par H. Crousel et M. Simonetti. - 1978a. - T. I livres I et II - introduction, texte critique et traduction, Prince 252. - 413 p. - (Sources chretiennes).
- Origène. Traité des principes / Intr., Trad. par H. Crousel et M. Simonetti. - 1978b. - T. II Commentaire et Fragments, Prince 252. - 272 p. - (Sources chretiennes).
- Origen. About the beginnings. - St. Petersburg: Amphora, 2007 .-- 464 p. - (Alexandria Library). - ISBN 978-5-367-00519-6 .
- Origen. About the beginnings. Against Celsus. - St. Petersburg: Bibliopolis, 2008 .-- 792 p. - (Religious and Philosophical Library). - 3000 copies. - ISBN 978-5-74-35-0275-0 .
Research
- McGuckin JA The Westminster Handbook to Origen . - Westminster John Knox Press, 2004 .-- 228 p. - ISBN 0-664-22472-5 .
- Seregin A. V. The hypothesis of the multiplicity of worlds in Origen's treatise "On the Beginning". - M. , 2005 .-- 200 s. - ISBN 5-9540-0035-2 .
- Seregin A. V. Origen's treatise "On the Beginnings" // Philosophical Journal. - 2015. - T. 8, No. 2. - S. 44-55.