THE NEW SCHAFF-HERZOG
ORIGENISTIC CONTROVERSIES.
Among the Church Fathers (§1). Among the Monastic Orders (§ 2). Points of Antagonism (§3).
The Origenistic controversies were a series of controversies in the Greek Church concerning the doctrines of Origen (q.v.), extending from the fourth to the si^th century. Though Origen
i. Among himself had been obliged to defend his the Church orthodoxy, he nevertheless controlled
Fathers, the theology of the third century. Peter of Alexandria and Methodius of Olympus (qq.v.) were decided opponents of his views, the latter attacking Origen's teaching of the eternity of the world, the preexistence of souls, and the resurrection of the " form " only. Eustathius of Antioch, in his De engastromytho, likewise sharply opposed Origen, who found defenders not only in Gregory Thaumaturgus, Dionysius of Alexandria (qq.v.), Theognostus, and Pierius, but also in Pamphilus and Eusebius (qq.v.). Next the controversy over Arianism superseded the questions on which the followers and opponents of Origen were divided. In his doctrine of the Trinity Alexander of Alexandria professes to be a pupil of Origen, and Athanasius is not willing to concede to the Arians Origen whose doctrine stood as a simple basis preceding the antagonistic views and afforded a powerful support to Athanasius' formula of the eternal generation. Even the appeal of the Arians to Origen, and even if the middle party represented by Eusebius of Cffisarea must be recognized as the closest followers of Origen, yet the decided advance of the three Cappadocians in the Nicene doctrine did not hinder them from maintaining their respect for Origen to whom they ascribed their learning, and from introducing Hellenistic science into orthodox circles. Such orthodox Latin ecclesiastics as Victorinus of Pettau, Hilary, Eusebius of Vercelli, Ambrose, and Jerome began to make the treasures of Origen's theology accessible to the West. In the rising power of monasticism passionate hatred of Origen and enthusiastic reverence for him stood side by side. Thus Epiphanius, who united zeal for orthodoxy with monastic interests, saw in Origen the father of all heresy, not only opposing his influence over the Church in the Ancyrotus and Panarion, but also occasioning, while at Jerusalem (392 or 393), the controversies in the monastic colony in Palestine. Here a band of learned and ascetic students attached to Bishop John of Jerusalem found in Origen the main treasury of their studies. This band was joined by Rufinus (378) and Jerome (386). In the Church of the Resurrection Epiphanius preached energetically, only to be answered by John of Jerusalem in a sermon directed against anthropomorphism. Epiphanius (who had become an opponent of Origen) fled to the monks of Jerome at Bethlehem and urged them to break with John. The latter appealed to Egypt and Rome, but the strife was ended through the mediation of Theophilus of Alexandria. In the mean time a bitter strife arose between Rufinus (q.v.), as a friend of Origen, and Jerome, which was much lamented by Augustine. Pope Anastasius, in approval of the condemnation of Origen at Alexandria, summoned Rufinus from his retirement at
Aquileia, to justify himself, but the latter, protected by John of Jerusalem, evaded the mandate and Anastasius left him to his own conscience.
The turn of events at Alexandria had contributed decisively to the hostilities against Rufinus. The Bishop Theophilus, in his Easter letter of 399 opposed the anthropomorphic views wide-spread
among the monks of Egypt, who at-
2. Among tributed body and human form to God
the since man was made in the image of
Monastic God, and Theophilus affirmed in Ori-
Orders. genistic fashion that God and God only
must be regarded as non-material. But the monks of the Scetic desert hurried to Alexandria and so intimidated Theophilus that he acquiesced in the condemnation of the works of Origen, and took occasion to proceed against the Origenistic monks of the Nitrian mountains named " the four long brothers " who had roused his anger by joining his opponent, the presbyter Isidore. A synod at Alexandria in 399 or 400 and a stormy assembly in the Nitrian mountains had to condemn Origen. The stern measures of Theophilus against the monks and his declaration against Origen even as far as Jerusalem won approval from Anastasius, Jerome, and Epiphanius; and in Constantinople, whither " the four long brothers," Isidore, and fifty monks had fled, began the repulsive proceedings that were to end with the banishment of Chrysostom (q.v.). Nevertheless, the partizans of Origen did not disappear. Conspicuous among them were Evagrius, Ponticus, Palladius, and Socrates. Even Theodoret, who differed from him in hermeneutics, did not rank him as a heretic. Origen likewise found supporters in southern France, as in Vincent of Lerins. On the other hand, Leo the Great approved the condemnation of Origen, and Antipater of Bostra wrote an answer to the apology for Origen by Eusebius. After the middle of the fifth century the Palestinian Abbot Euthimius expelled monks from the vicinity of Csesarea for Origenistic errors as to preexistence. In 514, however, four Origenistic monks led by Nonnus were received in the laura. They were driven out by the new abbot, but readmitted by his successor. They kept their views quiet until 531, when one of their number, Leontius of Byzantium, expressed Origenistic theories at a colloquy with the Monophysites. After the death of Sabas (q.v.), Nonnus (q.v.) is said to have won over all the more learned monks of the new laura, over which Nonnus and Leontis held sway, extending their influence to neighboring monasteries. On the other hand, their adherents, numbering forty, were driven from the old laura. An assault by the new party failed, as also further efforts for readmission. Both parties now sought support from without. Through Eusebius the Origenistic faction succeeded in having their most bitter opponents removed from the old laura about 542. The latter, in their turn, not only induced Ephraim, patriarch of Antioch, to condemn Origenism, but secured also the support of the papal apocrisary Pelagius and Mennas, patriarch of Constantinople. Under their influence Justinian wrote his famous letter to Mennas, calling for a synod for the condemnation of Origen's doctrines and for re-