American Society of Church History

Review
Reviewed Work(s): Origen: The Life and Thought of the First Great Theologian by Henri
Crouszel and A. S. Worrall
Review by: Antona Tripolitis
Source: Church History, Vol. 62, No. 1 (Mar., 1993), pp. 102-103
Published by: Cambridge University Press on behalf of the American Society of Church
History
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/3168419
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102 CHURCH HISTORY

buildings an investigation of the sacred space which hearths provided in

private houses might provide more data for assessing White's case. Only
further studies of more evidence will allow us to determine how much
White's view will need to be adjusted for local conditions and tighter time
frames. As it stands now it is interesting and persuasive.
Emmanuel School of Religion FREDERICK W. NORRIS
Johnson City, Tennessee

Origen: The Life and Thought of the First Great Theologian. By H

Translated by A.S. Worrall. San Francisco: Harper and Row, 1989. xvii +
278 pp. $39.95.
Henri Crouszel is considered one of the leading Origen scholars living
today. He has spent a lifetime researching and studying Origen, the man and
his thought, and has written ten books and numerous articles on the subject.
In this book, Crouszel presents a detailed, comprehensive account of the
significant aspects of Origen's life and personality, thought, and achieve-
ments. The book is divided into four main sections dealing with Origen's life
and character, his biblical scholarship, his doctrine of spirituality, and last, his
speculative theology. In each part, the author presents the significant as-
pects, the problems that continue to plague Origen scholars, and critically
analyzes the hypotheses and suppositions put forth by others.
Crouszel derives his information on Origen's life and personality from
three principle sources: St. Gregory Thaumaturgus's speech of thanks which
he delivered upon his departure from Origen's school at Caesarea, book 6 of
Eusebius's Ecclesiastical History, and the preface and book 1 of Pamphilius's
Apology for Origen. From these sources, the author determines that Origen
was born circa 185-186 and died circa 254-255. His parents in all probability
were Christians, and he received, especially from his father Leonides, a dual
education, Hellenic and biblical. Origen lived during a time of great anxiety.
Emperors followed in quick succession, the pressure of the barbarians was
felt on all the frontiers of the empire, and Christian persecutions continued
from one imperial reign to another. Origen's family also suffered the effects
of persecution. When only eighteen, his father was martyred, and Origen as
the eldest assumed responsibility for the family. He supported the family by
teaching grammar and catechesis.
As a teacher Origen led a life of extreme austerity, totally devoted to his
intellectual and apostolic task. This earned him the nickname Adamantios,
man of steel. His ascetic practices motivated many of his students to follow his
example, and they also had an influence on primitive monasticism. Although
a man of steel, he possessed a compassionate and irenic personality. Some-
time between 215 and 220, Origen, in addition to teaching, began to write his
voluminous works, the scope of which was made possible by the facilities

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BOOK REVIEWS 103

provided
provided to him
to him
by hisbypatron
his Ambrose.
patron Ambrose.
All of Origen's
All writings
of Origen's
have three
writings
essential
essential characteristics,
characteristics,
that arethat
inseparable
are inseparable
and found in varying
and founddegrees:
in varyin
exegesis,
exegesis, spirituality,
spirituality,
and speculative
and speculative
theology. Even
theology.
in the works
Eventhat
inarethe
notworks
directly
directly exegetical,
exegetical,
Scripture
Scripture
plays an important
plays an part.
important
Scripture part.
forms Scripture
the f
basis of all of Origen's doctrines as well as his spiritual and theological
teachings. Although Origen is best known for his allegorical exegesis in which
he sought to reveal the spiritual sense of Scripture, he is also considered to be
a great literal exegete. Crouszel discusses Origen's method of exegesis,
specifically his threefold meaning of Scripture, literal, moral, and spiritual.
He concludes that Origen's spiritual exegesis has not only greatly helped the
Church to become aware of its own tradition, particularly Christ's message
and all that it implies, but has also provided the foundation for much of its
theological thought.
In part three, Crouszel explains Origen's doctrine of man as a spiritual
being capable of contact and dialogue with God. For Origen, man is a
tripartite being of spirit, soul, and body. His spirit is created in the image of
God and thus akin to the divine. As such, man is capable of perceiving and
understanding God and attaining likeness to him by living the Christian life.
Origen's doctrine of man as a trichotomy forms the basis of his ascetic and
moral teaching and his theology of the image of God is fundamental to his
mysticism.
The last section is devoted to the development of Origen's speculative
theology, his doctrine of the Trinity and Incarnation, the pre-existence and
fall of the soul, and the "apokatastasis" or final restoration. Crouszel also
examines the accusations against these teachings and concludes that these
doctrines carefully studied as presented by Origen could not be considered
heretical at the time when they were written. Most of the accusations are
based on misconceptions of his interpreters.
This is an excellent analysis of the life and work of Origen, carefully
researched and documented. It should prove invaluable to anyone inter-
ested in this great and often misunderstood theologian.
Rutgers University ANTONIA TRIPOLITIS
New Brunswick, New Jersey

Christianity Among the Slavs: The Heritage of Sain

EDWARD G. FARRUGIA, S.J., ROBERT F. TAFT,
Orientalia Christiana Analecta 231. Roma: Pont. Institutum Studiorum
Orientalium, 1988. ix + 409 pp.
This is a multilingual collection of twenty-eight papers and communica-
tions which were presented at the International Congress held on the
eleventh centenary of the death of Saint Methodius (Rome, 8-11 October
1985). Out of these, six "Plenary Session Papers" together with three "Open-

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