Chapter 1: Precursors of Origen
Christianity had introduced a new idea of God, which superseded not only the deities of classical mythology, but also the Hebraic Deism which regarded God merely as the God of the Jews, and as virtually separate from the world. The Greek patristic theology was the result of the application of the specific methods of Greek philosophy to the new material supplied by the Christian history, with the view of constructing a reasoned theory of God and the universe. As such it was ” the last characteristic creation of the Greek genius.” In the New Testament God is represented from a religious point of view; but for the Greek mind, which conceived God metaphysically as abstract Being, a scientific theology was indispensable. The facts of Christianity had to be so interpreted as to yield a conception of God which would at once conserve His unity, and yet admit of His organic connection with man as Lord and Saviour….
Today's free book is a recently out-of-copyright translation of the letters of Augustine of Hippo.…
Today's free book is a series of seven studies by Henry Gwatkin on Arianism. This…
Today's free book is Henry Gwatkin's History of the Church up to the time of…
Ireneaus was a Second Century Bishop of Lugdunum in what is today southern France. He…
Today's free book is Richard Bertram Tollinton's substantial work on the life of Origen's predecessor…
Today's free book is F J Foakes Jackson's collection of five essays on Eusebius Pamphili,…