The Philocalia of Origen

by George Lewis; Origen

Publisher:

T&T Clark

, 1911

Overview

The present volume contains a selection of scriptural problems and their solutions from various treatises of Origen. It is generally thought that the book, and also the division and titles of its chapters, were the work of the Church fathers Basil the Great and Gregory Nazianzen, and mailed by Gregory to Theodore, Bishop of Tyana.

As most of Origen's works have been lost, The Philocalia of Origen is an important text for the history of biblical interpretation. This English translation by George Lewis includes the translation of the Greek Preface and a detailed index.

With the Logos Bible Software edition all Scripture passages in The Philocalia of Origen are tagged and appear on mouse-over. This makes this resource more powerful and easier to access than ever before for scholarly work or personal Bible study. With the advanced search features of Logos Bible Software, you can perform powerful searches by topic or scripture reference—finding, for example, every mention of “free will,” or “predestination.”

Key Features

• Key works from an Early Church Father
• Includes introduction and index
• Completely interactive with all of your Logos resources

Contents

• Translator's Preface
• Explanatory Note in the Greek
• Preface to the Greek Edition
• I. Of the Inspiration of the Divine Scripture
• II. That the Divine Scripture is Closed Up and Sealed
• III. Why the Inspired Books are Twenty-two in Number
• IV. Of the Solecisms and Poor Style of Scripture
• V. What is "much speaking," and what are the "many books "? The whole Inspired Scripture is One Book
• VI. The whole Divine Scripture is One Instrument of God, Perfect and Fitted for its Work
• VII. Of the Special "Character" of the Persons of Divine Scripture
• VIII. That We Need Not Attempt to Correct the Solecisms of Scripture, etc.
• IX. Scripture Uses the Same Terms in Different Significations
• X. Stumbling-blocks in Holy Scripture
• XI. On Heretical Interpretation of Holy Scripture
• XII. We Ought Not to Despair in Reading the Scriptures if We Find Difficulties in Them
• XIII. Philosophy in Relation to Holy Scripture .
• XIV. The Use of Logic in the Study of Scripture
• XV. A Reply to the Objection that the Truths of Christianity Have Been Better Expressed by the Greeks. Our Lord's Body, etc.
• XVI. On the Divisions among Christians
• XVII. May We Give Heathen Titles to the Supreme God?
• XVIII. The "Simplicity" of Christian Faith, etc.
• XIX. Faith in Christ Commendable and Accordant with the Original Moral Notions of Mankind. How Jesus Being God Could Have a Mortal Body
• XX. Man and the Irrational Creatures
• XXI. Free Will
• XXII. The Dispersion of Mankind, and the Confusion of Tongues
• XXIII. Fate, Astrology, etc.
• XXIV. Matter is Not Uncreated, or the Cause of Evil
• XXV. God's Foreknowledge, Predestination, etc.
• XXVI. Scripture Blessings. What Things Are Really "Good" and "Evil"
• XXVII. The Hardening of Pharaoh s Heart

Top Highlights

“Though countless doctors, priests, and confessors proceeded from his school, he was himself arraigned as a heretic and convicted; though he was the friend and teacher of Saints, his salvation was questioned and denied. For many centuries he was condemned almost universally by the Western Church, in consequence of the adverse judgment of Jerome.” (Page vi)

“Now the only reason why all these of whom I have spoken entertain false and impious opinions, or ignorant views respecting God, appears to be that the Scripture on the spiritual side is not understood, but is taken in the bare literal sense.” (Page 10)

“Baronius expresses his surprise that any doubt of his condemnation could be raised after the sentence of Anastasius. If we find in Origen’s own words about Holy Scripture a deep and solid foundation of truth constructed with earnestness and wisdom,—unaptly crowned, it may be, with the fantastic structures of a warm and hasty imagination,—it is possible that we may be led to regard his other labours with charity, if not with gratitude, and to remember that his errors refer to questions which had not in his time been decided by the authority of the Church.’” (Page vi)

“A man ought then in three ways to record in his own soul the purposes of the Holy Scriptures; that the simple may be edified by, as it were, the flesh of Scripture (for thus we designate the primary sense), the more advanced by its soul, and the perfect by the spiritual law, which has a shadow of the good things to come.” (Page 12)

“As man consists of body, soul, and spirit, so too does Scripture which has been granted by God for the salvation of men” (Page 12)

Praise for the Print Edition

This volume forms an excellent introduction to the study of Origen.

—Bibliotheca Sacra

The English translation of the Philocalia of Origen by Rev. George Lewis will be widely welcomed by all students of early Christian literature.

—The Hartford Seminary Record

Product Details

• Title: The Philocalia of Origen
• Author: Origen
• Translator: George Lewis
• Publisher: T and T Clark
• Publication Date: 1911
• Pages: 242

About the Author

George Lewis graduated from the University of London in 1869 and from Balliol College, Oxford in 1884. He was ordained in 1872 and became vicar of Dodderhill in 1888. He is the author of numerous works, including A Life of Joseph Hall and An Oxford Parish Priest. He is also the noted translator of St. Basil's De Spiritu Sancto and St. Jerome's Dogmatic Treatises.