Sign Up Now
Get instant access to over 1 million+ study documents
OR
Already registered? click here to login
By creating your account, you agree to our terms of service, privacy policy and student honor code.
This is most probably caused by his interest in teaching mainstream Christianity. He considered that it was easier for him to promote the religion this way, as the masses were presumably unable to understand mystical concepts if they did not know the difference between material Christianity and spiritual Christianity.
Origen feared that by employing a Gnostic approach at understanding religion, people would realize that it was not obligatory for them to consider Jesus Christ and His crucifixion. Origen believes that it is not that a Gnostic "denies or doubts the truth of the Gospel history, but he feels that events which only happened once can be of no importance, and regards the life, death, and resurrection of Christ as only one manifestation of an universal law, which was really enacted, not in this fleeting world of shadows, but in the eternal counsels of the Most High" (Inge 89-90).
From Origen's viewpoint, one needs to associate God with reason in order for the respective person to understand Him. To a certain degree, one might be inclined to consider that Origen believed God to be below reason when considering His power. The philosopher actually considered that God's actions were not necessarily based on morality, as He could also act on account of His laws. While man has the ability to change throughout life, God will always be the same immutable being. Given that many tend to believe that Origene's perspective regarding the relationship between God and humans is implausible, readers should take into account his background and the period of time that he lived in. Alexandria was a tumultuous place during the early second century and it was very difficult for a Christian to limit his or her horizons to simply believing in God. Knowing that he or she will one day connect with the divine and eventually overcome material boundaries is very important for someone wanting more from life.
Origen might have been considered a heretic by his contemporaries, but this did not stop him from continuing his work and from getting actively engaged in producing texts that assisted humanity as a whole when concerning spiritual teachings. There is much controversy regarding the relationship between him and his students, as even though he wanted to instruct...
Origen considered that only by finding truth on his or her own was one capable to actually attain a spiritual state. As a consequence, he preferred to leave many things wrapped in secrecy in order for his followers to be able to discover them personally.
Given that the Old Testament and Jewish tradition in general have had a strong influence on Early Christianity, one might be inclined to believe that Christian mysticism also originates in Jewish tradition. However, considering Clement of Alexandria, Origen, and Hellenistic cultural values in general, it appears that mysticism started off with the help of Greek philosophies. Christian spirituality is practically the product of Christian beliefs in combination with Hellenistic thinking. With many Jews that contributed to Early Christianity guiding themselves in accordance with Hellenistic principles, it is only safe to assume that Greek culture is responsible for providing Christians with spiritual conceptions. In spite of the fact that a series of cultures interacted and actually clashed in Alexandria in the first centuries A.D., they also made it possible for theorists to adopt multicultural principles in creating a more spiritual form of Christianity.
Works cited:
Chadwick, Henry Early Christian Thought and the Classical Tradition: Studies in Justin, Clement, and Origen (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1984)
Horton, Michael S. "Hellenistic or Hebrew? Open Theism and Reformed Theological Method," Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society 45.2 (2002)
Inge, William Ralph, Christian Mysticism: Considered in Eight Lectures Delivered before the University of Oxford (New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1899)
Lardner Carmody, Denise and Carmody, John Tully, Mysticism: Holiness East and West (New York: Oxford University Press, 1996)
Osborn, E.F. The Philosophy of Clement of Alexandria (Cambridge, England: University Press, 1957)
Sachs, John R. "Apocatastasis in Patristic Theology," Theological Studies 54.4 (1993)
Woods, Richard ed., Understanding Mysticism, 1st ed. (Garden City, NY: Image Books, 1980)
Works cited:
Chadwick, Henry Early Christian Thought and the Classical Tradition: Studies in Justin, Clement, and Origen (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1984)
Horton, Michael S. "Hellenistic or Hebrew? Open Theism and Reformed Theological Method," Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society 45.2 (2002)
Inge, William Ralph, Christian Mysticism: Considered in Eight Lectures Delivered before the University of Oxford (New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1899)
Lardner Carmody, Denise and Carmody, John Tully, Mysticism: Holiness East and West (New York: Oxford University Press, 1996)
In this way, I would show that Christianity is the one true faith. Conclusion: Christianity's Old Testament is founded in the Jewish faith. Yet, the major beliefs of this religion, without the acknowledgment that Jesus is the prophesied Messiah, has made it a religion completely separate. There are critical theological differences in the two faiths, including Judaism's belief that man is inherently good. The conversion processes to Judaism, no matter what
Jewish, Christian Islamic belief? How religions compare ? Talk discussion: Judaism: Creation Patriarchs Prophets Kings the Bible Literature Early Christianity, Islam, and Judaism are three of the most renowned religions in the world and this is reflected by the number of followers supporting each religious ideology and by their background. In spite of the fact that there have been many conflicts between individuals following these three religions, they have a
This did not seem to affect many that were truly committed however, to the Gnostic way of life. Osborn, E.F. The Philosophy of Clement of Alexandria (Cambridge, England: University Press, 1957) According to Osborn, the philosophy of Clement of Alexandria was that a person could not consider ration as a means to understanding God because God could only be understood through spirituality (p. 32). Clement wanted individuals to consider his work
Now, McDermott says, Americans are returning to their religious roots, and while there are atonements that must be made, America is refocusing on its spiritual mission, its evangelical mission (p. 16). This is in no small part due to the efforts of Abraham Lincoln and Martin Luther King, whose use of the Bible as a tool to awaken the American consciousness is well noted (p.16). So it is not just
Threats to Early Christians There were many assets and assisting of the early Christian movement. However, there were also a lot of threats and challenges that had to be faced by Christians. These threats came in the form of the Gnostics, the Montanists and the Marcion. The threats and challenges that were faced by Christians by each of these groups will be detailed and described. Beyond that, examples of each of
This made the religion even more appealing. For example, because Christianity was born from Jewish traditions, it could be accepted by Jews; because of it's mystical attributes, Greek and other Orientals found it attractive. As a philosophy, Christianity was appealing because it offered solutions to many of the problems that ailed the world. In addition, its monotheism gave not only God but also man a place in the universe.