Origen: Cosmology and Ontology of Time (Supplements to Vigiliae Christianae) (Supplements to Vigiliae Christianae)

An exposition challenging inveterate verdicts ingrained in the historical / theological mindset about Origen, who is shown to have produced a sheerly new theory of Time, the Christian one. Claims attributing the tenet of a ‘beginningless world’ to him are disproved. The author challenges the widespread impression about this theology being bowled head over heels by its encounter with Platonism or Neoplatonism, casting new light on Origen’s grasp of the relation between Hellenism, Hebrew thought and Christianity.

Origen's Cosmology and Ontology of Time constitute a major catalyst and a massive transformation in the development of Christian doctrine. The author challenges the widespread impression about this theology being bowled head over heels by its encounter with Platonism, Gnosticism, or Neoplatonism, and casts new light on Origen's grasp of the relation between Hellenism, Hebrew thought and Christianity. Against all ancient and modern accounts, the ingrained claim that Origen sustained the theory of a beginningless world is disconfirmed. He is argued to be the anticipator and forerunner of critical notions, with his innovations never having been superseded. While some of the accounts afforded by subsequent Christian writers were more extended, they were not fuller. Of them, Augustine just fell short of even accurately echoing this Theory of Time, since he introduced affinity with Platonism at points where Origen had instituted a radical dissimilarity. With his background fruitfully brought into the study of these questions, Origen's propositions are genuine innovations, not mere advances, however massive.

Presents an enterprise to eliminate the miscomprehension of Origen's thought. This book shows that the Alexandrian produced a theory of Time, the Christian one. This theory of Time contributes to elucidating crucial facets of this highly contentious theology, especially with respect to Cosmology.