The writings of Origen, Vol. 2 (of 2)

"The Writings of Origen, Vol. 2 (of 2)" by Origen is a philosophical and theological text written in the early Christian period. This volume is part of a series edited by the Rev. Alexander Roberts and James Donaldson, translating the works of early Church Fathers, specifically focusing on Origen's defense against the criticisms of the philosopher Celsus. The text delves into the arguments regarding Christianity's roots in Judaism and seeks to clarify and defend the beliefs and practices of early Christians. The opening of the volume begins with Origen setting the stage for his critique of Celsus, who launches various attacks on Christian converts from Judaism. Origen addresses Celsus's claim that these converts have deserted their ancestral laws for Christianity, arguing instead that they have not abandoned their heritage but are living according to its principles through the lens of their new faith. He references biblical passages and the practices of key figures like Peter to emphasize the continuity between Judaism and Christianity, positioning this discourse within the broader context of early Christian apologetics. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Origen of Alexandria, also known as Origen Adamantius, was an early Christian scholar, ascetic, and theologian who was born and spent the first half of his career in Alexandria. He was a prolific writer who wrote roughly 2,000 treatises in multiple branches of theology, including textual criticism, biblical exegesis and hermeneutics, homiletics, and spirituality. He was one of the most influential and controversial figures in early Christian theology, apologetics, and asceticism. He has been described as "the greatest genius the early church ever produced".