4.6 The Heresies – The Enigma of Origen and Origenism
By Dr. James Papandrea ( bio - articles - email ) | Feb 14, 2024 | In Way of the Fathers (Podcast)
Listen to this podcast on: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | RSS feed | YouTube Channel
This is a listener-supported podcast! Thanks for your help!
Whether Origen is considered a father of the Church, or a heretic, depends on whom you ask. But everyone agrees he may have been just a bit too smart for his own good. At best, he tried in vain to out-gnostic the gnostics, at worst, he was too influenced by gnosticism. In the end, the Fifth Ecumenical Council declared him a heretic. In this this episode, Dr. Papandrea gives evidence why Origen should not be considered a father of the Church, but should be considered a heretic, but in the end, you decide!
Links
Make sure to listen to Mike Aquilina’s episodes on Origen, Episode 19: https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/life-origen-most-controversial-christian-ever/
and Episode 20: https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/origen-part-2-hero-heretic-or-hybrid/
For more information on Epiphanius of Salamis, listen to Mike Aquilina’s Episode 35: https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/35epiphanius-salamis-passion-for-pure-doctrine/
For more information on Jerome, listen to Mike Aquilina’s Episode 37: https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/37jerome-choleric-commentator/
To read Jerome’s Letter to Rufinus of Aquileia: https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/fathers/view.cfm?recnum=2887&repos=8&subrepos=0&searchid=2376957
To read the Canons of the Fifth Ecumenical Council (the Second Council of Constantinople) 553 AD: https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/3812.htm
Also check out this article by Thomas Mirus on Origen’s theology: https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/church-fathers-origens-theology/
and this one about Pope Benedict XVI on Origen’s thought: https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/view.cfm?recnum=7548
For more detail on the controversy over Origen in context, and related topics, see the book: Reading the Church Fathers: A History of the Early Church and the Development of Doctrine: https://sophiainstitute.com/product/reading-the-church-fathers/
To connect with Dr. James Papandrea, On YouTube—The Original Church: https://www.youtube.com/@TheOriginalChurch
Join the Original Church Community on Locals: https://theoriginalchurch.locals.com/
Dr. Papandrea’s Homepage: http://www.jimpapandrea.com
Theme Music: Gaudeamus (Introit for the Feast of All Saints), sung by Jeff Ostrowski. Courtesy of Corpus Christi Watershed: https://www.ccwatershed.org/
Dr. James Papandrea is a senior fellow of the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology and a Catholic member of the faculty at Garrett Evangelical Theological Seminary. A theological consultant for EWTN’s series The Heresies, he is also the writer and presenter for The Original Church series on YouTube. See full bio.
All comments are moderated. To lighten our editing burden, only current donors are allowed to Sound Off. If you are a current donor, log in to see the comment form; otherwise please support our work, and Sound Off!
