The Westminster Handbook to Origen (Westminster Handbooks) [Paperback]

John Anthony McGuckin (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 2004 | Series: Westminster Handbooks

Origen of Alexandria (c. 185-c. 254) was one of the towering figures of early Christianity. His contributions to biblical exegesis and interpretation, emerging Christian doctrines, and the apologetic defense of Christianity has placed him among the most important and prominent of early Christian thinkers. This Handbook provides easy access to those interested in his thought. Written by leading scholars of Patristic theology and edited and introduced by prominent early Christianity scholar John McGuckin, this unique book will be a ready reference tool for scholars and a welcomed introduction for students.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

John Anthony McGuckin is Professor of Early Church History at Union Theological Seminary, New York, and Professor of Byzantine Christian Studies at Columbia University. A priest of the Orthodox Church, he was formerly a Reader in Patristic and Byzantine Theology at the University of Leeds, England. He is the author of numerous books of historical theology and is an elected Fellow of the Royal Historical Society of Great Britain.

Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Westminster John Knox Press (January 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0664224725
• ISBN-13: 978-0664224721
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,106,574 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very handy handbook, February 11, 2004

By 

FrKurt Messick "FrKurt Messick" (Bloomington, IN USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: The Westminster Handbook to Origen (Westminster Handbooks) (Paperback)

This series, the Westminster Handbooks to Christian Theology, provides a good resource for students, clergy, academics and other interested readings on key movements as well as key individuals in the history of Christianity. These books are mini-encyclopedic in nature - much more than a dictionary with short definitions, these focused books concentrate on a particular theme and develop it in worthwhile articles akin to those found in encyclopedic texts.

This book on Origen, edited by John Anthony McGuckin, is an excellent text for reference and study. Together with an international team of 35 scholars, McGukin has produced a very readable and useful volume for one of the early controversial figures in Christian history. Origen lived in the second and third centuries, well before the formulation of the Nicene Creed (the most common and most ecumenical of the creedal statements from the early church). He was noted in his own lifetime as brilliant and occasionally troublesome. He grew up in Alexandria, one of the major urban and intellectual centres of the world at that time, and developed both in terms of theology and philosophy into a first-class thinker. Origen traveled widely, becoming increasingly alienated from the Alexandrian church, forcing him to relocated to nearby Palestine, where he remained a controversial and embattled figure. Eventually imprisoned and tortured, Origen's thought, while crucial to the early church, remained unorthodox and problematic for the church of that time and the future. As a result, during various times in the church's history, his works were purged. Much was lost.

Origen was a neo-Platonic thinker, and perhaps the first great systematic theologian of the church. Origen took on the Gnostic frameworks when they were powerful, resisting the dualistic structure; Origen was also very humanistic, believing in some ways toward universal salvation as a possibility, even for the devil himself. Origen is also the father of the allegorical interpretation of scripture in the Christian church. Origen's unorthodox thinking (which is difficult to describe as such, given the lack of consistent orthodoxy throughout the church at the period of Origen's life) was seed for later Origenist Crises, which are covered in the Westminster Handbook, in addition to troubles in his own life. Origen seemed to believe in the possibility of reincarnation and the pre-existence of souls (neither of which fit with the mainstream Christian theologies, then or now). There is an extent to which we don't know all of the causes of the official disapproval of Origen - that he was a controversial figure in many respects is evident from his self-castration to avoid temptations of the flesh (he was disappointed to find that the desires were still there, after the act).

The two articles, one on the life and one on the work of Origen, at the opening of the book are interesting and worthwhile scholarship, particularly for the person new to Origen, Church Fathers, or Orthodox history. There is a good list of critical editions of Origen's works (with annotation), then general lists of works in translations and anthologies. The handbook articles refer directly to Origen's work (referenced via abbreviations found in the front of the book). Articles look primarily at his theological, philosophical and exegetical work, but there are some more general pieces as well.

Overall, this is a good reference and a handy volume for any student or reader interested in early church history or Orthodoxy.