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Article: Origen of Alexandria.(Columns)
- Article from:
- National Catholic Reporter
- Article date:
- March 25, 2005
- Author:
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Of all the great theologians that Christianity has produced, few rival the brilliant exegete and scholar Origen of Alexandria (c. 184-c. 254). His life alone was amazing. As a young man, he tried to join his father as a martyr and was only prevented from doing so because his mother hid his clothes and he was ashamed to turn himself in nude. According to some sources, he later castrated himself, following literally the words of Matthew 19:12. He died after prolonged torture during the persecution of Decius, denying the emperor the satisfaction of breaking Christianity's most renowned scholar.
Origen excelled at scripture and, for instance, created the wonderful ...