origen

Origen of Alexandria (c. 185 – c. 254 CE) was an early Christian theologian, scholar, and teacher who worked at the Catechetical School of Alexandria. A student of Clement of Alexandria, he helped shape early Christian thought by integrating Greek philosophical concepts with Christian doctrine. He is remembered as one of the most prolific writers of early Christianity and for pioneering techniques of biblical interpretation.

His surviving and attributed works cover biblical exegesis, systematic theology, and apologetics. Major writings include On First Principles (De Principiis), a foundational attempt at a systematic Christian theology; the Hexapla, a complex critical edition of the Hebrew Bible with multiple renderings; and Contra Celsum, a defense of Christianity against the pagan philosopher Celsus. He also produced extensive commentaries and numerous homilies on Scripture, many of which influenced later patristic thought.

Origen is notable for his method of interpretation, which combined literal and spiritual senses and often employed allegory to reveal deeper meanings in Scripture. He argued for the primacy of the Logos in creation and expounded ideas about the nature of the soul, free will, and the development of salvation history. Some of his positions—such as the pre-existence of souls and the ultimate restoration of all beings (apocatastasis)—were controversial and later drew formal censure from church authorities.

He spent most of his career in Alexandria and is believed to have died in Tyre around 254 CE, after years of teaching and writing. Origen’s influence on later Christian theology and biblical interpretation was substantial, shaping both the development of allegorical exegesis and the early church’s engagement with philosophy. In the centuries after his death, some of his views were condemned or restricted, though his methodological contributions remained influential in Eastern and Western Christian thought.