Origen Spirit and Fire: A Thematic Anthology of His Writings

Rating:
Summary: Spirit & Fire
Review: As usual, Von Balthasar did a wonderful job in the compilation of this collection. The thematic organization is very helpful, as is the entirety of the book, in allowing the reader to get quickly to the meat so to speak. This book is a very good prompt for further study and research into Origen and other early Christian thinkers. Robert Daly should also be commended for a very smooth translation that reads extremely well. In addition, the introduction does a good job in highlighting Origen's thought and importance. One of the most powerful comments I've ever read regarding Origen is included therein:

"The voice of the Alexandrian [Origen] is more like that glowing, rainless desert wind that sometimes sweeps over the Nile delta, with a thoroughly unromantic passion: pure, fiery gusts. Two names come to mind in comparison: Heraclitus and Nietzsche. For their work too is, externally, ashes and contradiction, and makes sense only because of the fire of their souls which forces their unmanageable material into a unity and, with a massive consumption of fuel, leaves behind a fiery track straight across the earth. Their passion, however, stems only from the Dionysian mystery of the world. But here, in Origen, the flame shoots out and darts upward to the mystery of the super-worldly Logos-WORD [. . .]"

But the best comments are reserved for Origen himself, as in the Epigraph where he says:

"I want to be a man of the Church. I do not want to be called by the name of some founder of a heresy, but by the name of Christ, and to bear that name which is blessed on the earth. It is my desire, in deed as in spirit, both to be and to be called a Christian.

If I, who seem to be your right hand and am called Presbyter and seem to preach the Word of God, If I do something against the discipline of the Church and the Rule of the Gospel so that I become a scandal to you, The Church, then may the whole Church, in unanimous resolve, cut me, its right hand, off, and throw me away."

Truly a man of steel, too many have thrown Origen away and he needs to be reclaimed by many, many more. This book is a step in the right direction. TBTG.

Rating:
Summary: Spirit & Fire
Review: As usual, Von Balthasar did a wonderful job in the compilation of this collection. The thematic organization is very helpful, as is the entirety of the book, in allowing the reader to get quickly to the meat so to speak. This book is a very good prompt for further study and research into Origen and other early Christian thinkers. Robert Daly should also be commended for a very smooth translation that reads extremely well. In addition, the introduction does a good job in highlighting Origen's thought and importance. One of the most powerful comments I've ever read regarding Origen is included therein:

"The voice of the Alexandrian [Origen] is more like that glowing, rainless desert wind that sometimes sweeps over the Nile delta, with a thoroughly unromantic passion: pure, fiery gusts. Two names come to mind in comparison: Heraclitus and Nietzsche. For their work too is, externally, ashes and contradiction, and makes sense only because of the fire of their souls which forces their unmanageable material into a unity and, with a massive consumption of fuel, leaves behind a fiery track straight across the earth. Their passion, however, stems only from the Dionysian mystery of the world. But here, in Origen, the flame shoots out and darts upward to the mystery of the super-worldly Logos-WORD [. . .]"

But the best comments are reserved for Origen himself, as in the Epigraph where he says:

"I want to be a man of the Church. I do not want to be called by the name of some founder of a heresy, but by the name of Christ, and to bear that name which is blessed on the earth. It is my desire, in deed as in spirit, both to be and to be called a Christian.

If I, who seem to be your right hand and am called Presbyter and seem to preach the Word of God, If I do something against the discipline of the Church and the Rule of the Gospel so that I become a scandal to you, The Church, then may the whole Church, in unanimous resolve, cut me, its right hand, off, and throw me away."

Truly a man of steel, too many have thrown Origen away and he needs to be reclaimed by many, many more. This book is a step in the right direction. TBTG.