Origen and Origenism, Into


If you really want to trace where this doctrine first took root, you really have to go back to some our great seminal Alexandrian theologians.


Origen especially, but even his mentor (Who still is considered in good standing with the Church), Clement of Alexandria.


And of course I will be reading, quoting, and commenting on these official Coptic essays about Origen.

http://www.copticchurch.net/topics/patrology/schoolofalex/IV-StClement/index.html


http://www.copticchurch.net/topics/patrology/schoolofalex2/


Here is a list of points/assertions that will be made down the road.

1) The way the Church santioned the use of Platonism/ neo Platonism, and other Greek philosophy. My contention is that this heresy is basically a "platonic take on the Gospel", rather than using Platonism or other philosophy in the service of Chrisitanity (as is seen with doctrines like the Trinity, hypostatic union etc.).


2) There exists various rebuttals to Origen from Ecclesiastical authorities, some of which take place even during his own life. And these constitute a proof, that his assertions "do not represent Apostolic tradition".


3) Apopoatic Theology. lol this is a term I often mis-spell, but I'm refereing to the negatic theology. Defining God in negative terms (i.e. God is without sin), rather than positive terms (i.e. God is holy). As anyone studying Orthododxy will find out shortly enough the Faith is rich with kind of thinking. And as I've explained in other threads, etc. there are very good psychological reasons for this (The biggest is a notion that humans get that if they can clearly name of define something then they understand it. When applied to God this gets particularly bad. it basically changes God into more of a god).

Anyway as we will explore later on, many respectable saints do lean to a soft ammount of Universal Reconcilliation. I say soft, because they don't state if dogmatically as many true Universalists do. And I will submit that that is "ok" when we consider the Apophoatic framework. And will hopefully show how this is much different than what Universalists do and say.


4)Theological Developement. Will also be another thing to be explored. There are many attempts to justify Universalism that do not take this into account at all. Or they assume it on their end, but ignore the possibility on the end of Traditional dogma.


Anyway we got lots more to talk about!


http://illustmaker.abi-station.com/index_en.shtml