Origen of Alexandria and St. Maximus the Confessor [Paperback]

Edward Moore (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 15, 2005

The revision of Origen's philosophical theology by St. Maximus the Confessor resulted in an eschatology involving the replacement of the human ego by the divine presence. In this study, I will examine the theological developments that led to this loss of a sense of human freedom and creativity in the face of the divine, tracing the influence of Origen's eschatology through the Cappadocian Fathers, Evagrius Ponticus and others, up to Maximus. This will allow me to show the manner in which Origen's humanistic theology was misunderstood and misinterpreted throughout the Patristic era, culminating in the anti-personalistic system of Maximus. Special attention will be paid to the development of Christian Neoplatonism, and how Christian contacts with the pagan philosophical schools came to have a profound effect on Eastern Patristic theology and philosophy. The final section of this study will suggest some ways in which the history of Patristic eschatology - especially Origen and Maximus - may serve as a fruitful source for contemporary theologians who are concerned with issues of personhood, creativity, and existential authenticity.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Edward Moore studied philosophy at New York University and theology at Columbia University. He received an S.T.L. and Ph.D. from St. Elias School of Orthodox Theology (Nebraska), where he is presently serving as Dean of Faculty of the Department of Philosophy. In addition, he is Executive Editor of Theandros: An Online Journal of Orthodox Christian Theology and Philosophy, and Area Editor (Late Hellenistic Philosophy) for The Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy. He has written articles and reviews in Quodlibet, Symposium, Philosophy in Review, and Bryn Mawr Classical Review.

Product Details

• Paperback: 232 pages
• Publisher: Dissertation.Com. (February 15, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1581122616
• ISBN-13: 978-1581122619
• Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 7.3 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,671,125 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Genuinely Original Appreciation of Early Christianity -Four and a Half Stars, August 6, 2005

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Joseph Martin "pomonomo2003" (NJ, USA) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Origen of Alexandria and St. Maximus the Confessor (Paperback)

Throw out everything you think you know about early Christianity. For most of us moderns & postmoderns (especially if our understanding of Christianity derives from the Latin West, the Orthodox East is another matter) it is a dour, unimaginative and inhumane thing. In this fascinating work Edward Moore shows us an early Christian thinker -Origen- whose speculations can be said to rank up there with Plotinus or Hegel, whose emphasis on human freedom reminds one of existentialism, and whose enthusiasm for Existence is contagious.

How does Origen remind one of the existentialists? In his respect for the freedom of each individual soul. Moore effectively demonstrates that the eschatology of Origen insists not only on the absolute freedom of each human soul to choose (or not) to engage God in the midst of His History, but also that, given the Absolute nature of this human Freedom, a 'saved' soul could choose to fall again!

But this should not be understood as his last word. Origen is, philosophically, a neo-Platonist. (Both Origen and Plotinus, according to Moore, are students of Ammonius Saccus, although it seems that there is some room for scholarly doubt about this.) And like all Greek philosophers he could not believe that anyone could knowingly choose evil. Thus, he thought all of us would one day be saved. But, or so Origen (and Moore) insist, not in the 'same' way. Each individual soul is saved in its own personal way. For Origen, it would seem that there is no script, no apocalyptic/eschatological line, which trumps the precise specificity of the Love that God has for Each of his Creatures.

In order to situate (and demonstrate) the originality, the Christian Originality, of Origen's position, Moore gives us, as an Introduction, a first-rate (but all-too brief) history lesson of the understanding of the early Church on Eschatology, including an informative discussion of the Gnostics in relation to this topic. Then he discusses (Ch. 1) the intellectual background of Origen, (Ch. 2) His theology, (Ch. 3, 4) His influence and lastly (Ch. 5, 6) his influence on and differences with (the far more 'Orthodox') Maximus.

All of this is important but it is the speculations of Origen (and perhaps Moore too) that steal the show. For instance, Moore insists that (for Origen) God placed Himself at Risk in the Act of Creation. "The culmination of history, dependent upon humanity's response to God, is potentially both the deification of humanity and the justification of God. His decision to create absolutely free, self-determined beings will be judged at the end-time, along with the humans who defied the conditions of this creation." In other words, the History He Judges also sits in judgment of Him!

Another example of the commitment to the individual freedom of each soul, and the Speculative nature of Origen's thought is his belief in the pre-existence (and reincarnation) of Souls. Each Soul chose, at some specific point, before any incarnation, to Fall. One finds oneself wondering (or Speculating) that since each Soul's Fall was unique so too (for Origen/Moore) each path to Salvation must also be utterly unique. Moore insists that all these Speculative Acts on the part of Origen -reincarnation, pre-existence of souls, the ability of a 'saved' soul to fall again- derive from Origen's overwhelming commitment to a place, an Eternal Place, for Human Freedom in a World no human made.

Exercise your freedom and explore a Christianity that no one (at least in Western Christendom) knows. Then pick up something by Origen. I give 4.5 stars to Moore and 5 stars to Origen himself. Bravo!

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Interesting, but not credible, January 27, 2009

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Stephen Long (Seattle) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Origen of Alexandria and St. Maximus the Confessor (Paperback)

The author argues for the eschatology of Origen over and against St. Maximus' on the basis of Origen's doctrine of free will.

On a positive note I found this book very informative and I learned a great deal about Neoplatonism and Christian Platonism in the early church. The book flows well and is quite accessible considering the depth of treatment the author give to several philosophers as he engages specific aspects of their thought with a high degree of nuance.

Unfortunately the main thesis of the book does not hold together at all. The author feels free to pick and choose from Platonism and biblical revelation at will, forcing them through a modern individualistic existentialism that holds no regards for Orthodox theology and is totally foreign to Patristic thought. The argument comes across as unfamiliar with some of the basic themes of Patristic theology and Christian mysticism such as the nature of deification, the beatific vision, mystical eros, asceticism, free will and theological anthropology.

Ultimately the paradigms used in the argument are arbitrary and it does no justice to either Origen or Maximus who were both first and foremost holy martyrs, men of prayer and the church who exhibit a specifically Christocentric piety. The author use of Origen's attempt to Christianize Plato's myth of souls as being definitive of Origen's thought is unacceptable considering that 'First Principles' is one of Origen's most immature and speculative works.

The self-serving use of first person in the book is unprofessional, especially went attacking the theology of a Saint. The author never sufficiently treats Origen's realism or Maximus' doctrine of free will in trying to show the discontinuity between the two. The negative assessment of Balthasar and Louth only serve to further discredit the main thesis.

Recommended only to avid Patristic readers.

3 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Shaking My Head, March 31, 2009

By 

Mike Shaw (London, Ontario Canada) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Origen of Alexandria and St. Maximus the Confessor (Paperback)

Throughout this book, Moore compares the teachings of Origen and Maximus, praising Origen and slamming Maximus. Oddly, I could not find any logic to Moore's ideas. In my opinion, Moore does not seem to understand the teachings of Maximus and for the life of me, I can not understand why he is so impressed with Origen. Throughout the book, Moore quoted Maximus, and writers who like Maximus, in an attempt to make Maximus look bad. However, every quote, from Maximus, was solid logic and solid Biblically. Each quote made me wonder why Moore did not like Maximus...

Moore, is under the false impression that Maximus' teachings negate any value to our human experience and I just do not see this in the slightest. Moore is also under the false impression that Maximus teachings lead to some sort of annihilation of the self, which just can not been found in the writings of Maximus. We are not annihilated in the sense of losing ourselves, according to Maximus, but we become in total harmony with God.. we become divinized.

Likewise, Moore praises Origen, yet, admits that Origen's teaching can never really show any secure salvation. Again, I am at a loss as to understand what Moore sees in Origen's teachings. Many other scholars have seen clearly that Origen's teachings are flawed from the beginning. If Origen was correct than we have many problems, such as: Why are we ignorant in the first place? If we fell once, in the way Origen taught, then we could fall again and again.. Further, if one takes Origen's teachings to the extreme, then even God could turn on us and become evil.

A correct understanding of Maximus will show that we are individuals with God as our source and goal... whom we all live and have our being. Yes, we are all being guided by God, which for some reason, troubles Moore.... and, yes, we will all be divinized, which again, seems to bother Moore.

As a minister who is deeply fond of Neo-Platonic ideas, I was already very familiar with Origen and Maximus before reading this book... however, I must say, that I came away from the book, liking Maximus even more than I did before and disliking Origen more than I did before. It was fun to see them placed side by side.

If you like this type theology, then I highly recommend the book. Not because I agree with Moore, but because the book is well written and easy to read... The only two problems for me were; the lack of logical connections and, in my opinion, a misunderstanding, by Moore, on the teachings of Maximus.