Origen : Philosophy of History & Eschatology (Supplements to Vigiliae Christianae)

516 Pages·2007·4.86 MB·English

by  Tzamalikos

Origen:
Philosophy of History
&
Eschatology
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Supplements
to
Vigiliae Christianae
Formerly Philosophia Patrum
Editors
J. den Boeft – J. van Oort – W.L. Petersen – D.T. Runia
J.C.M. van Winden – C. Scholten
VOLUME 85
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Origen:
Philosophy of History
&
Eschatology
by
P. Tzamalikos
LEIDEN • BOSTON
2007
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This book is printed on acid-free paper.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Tzamalikos, P. (Panayiotis), 1951–
Origen: Philosophy of History and Eschatology / by P. Tzamalikos.
p. cm. — (Supplements to Vigiliae Christianae, ISSN 0920–623X)
Includes bibliographical references and indices.
ISBN-13: 978-90-04-15648-7
ISBN-10: 90-04-15648-8 (alk. paper)
1. Origen. 2. History—Religious aspects—Christianity—History of doctrines—Early
Church, ca. 30–600. 3. Eschatology—History of doctrines. I. Title. II. Series.
BR115.H5T93 2007
230'.13092—dc22
2006052169
ISSN 0920-623x
ISBN-13: 978 90 04 15648 7
ISBN-10: 90 04 15648 8
© Copyright 2007 by Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, The Netherlands.
Koninklijke Brill NV incorporates the imprints Brill, Hotei Publishers,
IDC Publishers, Martinus Nijhoff Publishers and VSP.
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Fees are subject to change.
printed in the netherlands
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(cid:2)O (cid:3)(cid:4)(cid:5), (cid:6)(cid:7)(cid:8) (cid:9)(cid:10)(cid:11)(cid:5)(cid:12)(cid:13)(cid:14)(cid:5) (cid:5)(cid:11)(cid:6)(cid:15)(cid:16)(cid:17),
(cid:6)(cid:7)(cid:8) (cid:18)(cid:19)(cid:20)(cid:21) (cid:3)(cid:4)(cid:5) (cid:11)(cid:18)(cid:13)(cid:22)
Rev. 1, 18
(commJohn, 1, XXII)
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CONTENTS
Preface ...................................................................................................... xi
Abbreviations ........................................................................................... xv
Introduction ............................................................................................. 1
Homonyms .......................................................................................... 2
The Origenistic controversy in scholarship ........................................ 6
Latin translations ................................................................................. 9
Origen and Platonism ......................................................................... 17
Tentative Theological Conjectures ..................................................... 18
On the method of Biblical interpretation .......................................... 25
Final notes ........................................................................................... 37
PART I
TIME AND HISTORY
Chapter One HUMAN BEING THROUGHOUT AN AEON .... 43
Origen and the doctrine of transmigration ........................................ 48
The Distinction between soul and spirit ............................................. 53
Human being throughout an aeon ..................................................... 56
Conclusion ........................................................................................... 64
Chapter Two HISTORY AND THE INCARNATION OF
CHRIST ...................................................................... 65
The perpetual advent of the Logos .................................................... 65
The consummation of aeons .............................................................. 70
The uniquness of the incarnation of Christ ...................................... 71
Incarnation and History ...................................................................... 81
The eternal gospel ............................................................................... 96
The ‘intelligible cruci(cid:2)xion’ of Christ ................................................ 109
Conclusion ........................................................................................... 115
Chapter Three PROPHECY AND HISTORY .................................. 117
Chapter Four THE CONCEPT OF KAIROS ................................... 130
The kairoi in God’s action ................................................................... 130
The notion of kairos in human action .............................................. 134
The nation of kairos and the character of History ........................... 135
Conclusion of Part I ........................................................................... 141
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viii contents
PART II
THE NOTION OF ETERNAL
Chapter Five ETERNAL LIFE ........................................................ 147
Eternal life as an end ............................................................................. 156
Eternal life as contemplation .............................................................. 159
Eternal life and Greek thought ........................................................... 164
Chapter Six ETERNAL LIFE AND THE NOTION OF
INFINITE .................................................................... 174
The term (cid:7)(cid:18)(cid:23)(cid:5)(cid:22)(cid:20)(cid:17) as a homonym ...................................................... 185
Chapter Seven ETERNAL LIFE AND FREEDOM ......................... 207
Eternal life as a mutable state of action ............................................. 210
Chapter Eight ETERNAL DEATH ................................................... 223
Conclusion ........................................................................................... 232
PART III
ESCHATOLOGY
Chapter Nine THE END OF HISTORY ......................................... 237
The eventual extinction of evil ............................................................ 237
Universal Perfection ............................................................................. 250
History as acting and waiting ‘until’ . . . .............................................. 261
The notion of ‘after’ the eternal life .................................................. 264
The delayed Judgement ....................................................................... 275
The Sabbath of the Lord ................................................................... 283
Apokatastasis ....................................................................................... 287
The ‘perfection of resurrection’ .......................................................... 291
The Day of God ................................................................................. 294
Consummation of nature .................................................................... 309
A creation with a beginning, but with no end ................................... 329
Being ‘in’ and ‘out’ of God ................................................................ 333
Names and personal identity of creatures .......................................... 339
The raison d’etre and character of History ........................................... 343
The question of a ‘next’ creation and Fall ......................................... 348
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contents ix
PART IV
PHILOSOPHY OF HISTORY RESOLVED
Another myth reconsidered
Chapter Ten HISTORY WITHOUT A ‘BODY’? ........................ 358
Chapter Eleven IS HISTORY A ‘PARABLE’? ................................... 381
CONCLUSION
Appendix: Origen introducing the expression ‘my Jesus’ ......................... 435
Bibliography ................................................................................................ 439
Index of Names, Terms and Notions ................................................................. 461
Index of Greek Names, Terms and Expressions ................................................ 471
Index of Biblical Citations ............................................................................ 489
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