He is most famous for being the first to quote the supposed references to a historical Jesus Christ by the first century Jewish chronicler Josephus - and for his works "Against Celsus", which contain the only record of his pagan opponent's writings.
With his successor Tertullian, Origen is held up as being great protectors of the "orthodoxy" of Christian religion from the first century onwards.
The Catholic Encyclopedia of 1908 declared:
"Origen's name was so highly esteemed that when there was a question of putting an end to a schism or rooting out a heresy, appeal was made to it." [ce]
In fact, the vagueness of Origen's teaching and writings were fundamental to various heresies - most notably "Arianism" [ar], which "tainted" his doctrinal successor Eusebius.
This simple examination of his work shows that there was, in fact, no clear line of Christian teaching from its earliest days to the supposed "orthodoxy" which arose in the fourth century CE.
Even the editors of The Ante-Nicene Fathers introduce Origen with care:
"Upon the fervid spirit of a confessor in an age of cruelty, lust, and heathenism, what right have we to sit in judgment? Of one whose very errors were virtues at their source, how can a Christian of our self-indulgent times presume to speak in censure?" [oi]
Origen was a remarkable scholar; but also a man of his time. His truthfulness as a chronicler of Christian thought must, therefore, be accepted with caution.
Origen himself taught that Jesus "served" God the father - and was thus less than wholly God. Origen is therefore widely regarded as being partially "responsible" for Arianism (even if that heresy was not fully formed at his time) [ic].
Matthew C. Steenberg writes on Origen:
"it is often argued that Origen
himself was not entirely sure of his own theological system, as many are
the instances in which he presents multiple, contradictory views towards
an issue, then leaves the discussion without choosing from among them..."
"However much is to be admired in Origen’s attempt to defend the
Christian faith in the face of severe opposition, and however intriguing
his ‘solution’ to the problem of evil and injustice may have been, the
fact remains that much of his system of belief stands at odds with the
fundamental teachings of the Church... in the end, the condemnation of
certain of his teachings as heretical... seems more than appropriate." [st]
Since Origen himself seems to have been unsure about the doctrines of Christianity, it seems specious to suggest that he was a "defender" of what later came to be "orthodox" Christian thought.
"...it is very easy for any one who pleases to gather out of Holy
Scripture what is recorded indeed as having been done, but what
nevertheless cannot be believed as having reasonably and appropriately
occurred according to the historical account. The same style of
Scriptural narrative occurs abundantly in the Gospels, as when the devil
is said to have placed Jesus on a lofty mountain, that he might show Him
from thence all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them. How
could it literally come to pass, either that Jesus should be led up by
the devil into a high mountain, or that the latter should show him all
the kingdoms of the world, i.e. the kingdoms of the Persians, and
Scythians, and Indians? ... And many other instances similar to this will
be found in the Gospels by any one who will read with much attention, and
will observe that in those narratives which appear to be literally
recorded, there are inserted and interwoven things which cannot be
admitted historically, but which may be admitted in a spiritual
signification."
