Table Of ContentTHE ORIGENIST
CONTROVERSY
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he Origenist Controversy
THE CULTURAL
CONSTRUCTION
OF AN EARLY
CHRISTIAN
DEBATE
Elizabeth A. Clark
PRINCETON UNIVERSITY PRESS
PRINCETON, NEW JERSEY
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Copyright © 1992
by Princeton University Press
Published by Princeton University Press,
41 William Street,
Princeton, New Jersey 08540
In the United Kingdom: Princeton
University Press, Oxford
All Rights Reserved
Library of Congress Cataloging-m-
Publication Data
Clark, Elizabeth A. (Elizabeth Ann), 1938—
The Origenist controversy : the cultural
construction of an early Christian
debate / Elizabeth A. Clark.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references
and index.
ISBN 0-691-03173-8 (alk.paper)
1. Christianity—Early church, ca. 30-600.
2. Anthropomorphism—History of
doctrines—Early church, ca. 30-600.
3. Theodicy—History of doctrines—
Early church, ca. 30-600.
4. Origen—Influence. 5. Fathers of
the church. 6. Church controversies.
I. Title.
BR203.C57 1992
273'.4—dc20 92-12733 CIP
This book has been composed Linotron
Galliard
Princeton University Press books are
printed on acid-free paper, and meet the
guidelines for permanence and durability of
the Committee on Production Guidelines
for Book Longevity of the Council on
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Printed in the United States of America
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C O N T E N T S
Acknowledgments ix
List of Abbreviations xi
INTRODUCTION 3
CHAPTER ONE Elite Networks and Heresy
Accusations: Towards a Social
Description of the Origenist
Controversy 11
CHAPTER TWO Image and Images: Evagrius
Ponticus and the Anthropomor-
phite Controversy 43
CHAPTER THREE The Charges against Origenism
85
Epiphaniuy Version of Origenism
tS
and His Anti-Origenist Charges 86
Theophilus's Version of Origenism and
HisAnti-Origenist Charges 105
Jerome's Version of Origenism and
HisAnti-OrigenistCharges 121
Shenute Version of Origenism and
3S
HisAnti-OrigenistCharges 151
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vili CONTENTS
CHAPTER FOUR Rufinus's Defense against
Charges of Origenism
CHAPTER FIVE From Origenism to Pelagianism
194
The Issues 194
"Pre -Pelagian" Concerns 198
The Pelagians 207
Jerome 221
Augustine 227
Theodky 244
CONCLUSION 245
AFTERWORD 248
Bibliography 251
Index 281
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C H A P T E R O N E
Elite Networks and Heresy
Accusations: Towards a
Social Description of the
Origenist Controversy
0. night in A.D. 397, the Ro
man nobleman Macarius had a dream. Macarius, who had been attempting
(without apparent success) to compose a refutation of astrological deter
minism through an appeal to God's benevolence, saw a ship approaching
across distant seas that would, God promised, solve his difficulties with the
mathematici. Macarius later realized that his dream had portended Rufinus
of Aquileia's arrival from Palestine and translation, at his request, of Ori-
gen's On First PHnciples.1 Jerome, Rufinus's chief antagonist in the Origen-
ist controversy, took a different and dimmer view: the trireme carrying that
vast treasure of Egyptian and Eastern teaching2 might better have sunk en
route, for although it had come to Rome to "solve the puzzle of the ma
thematici" it had in fact "unloosed the faith of Christians."3
As is well known, Origen's PeriArchon entertained a variety of theories
that fourth-century Christians found reprehensible. Jerome catalogues
them as follows: that within the Godhead, the Son was subordinated to
the Father and the Holy Spirit to both;4 that rational creatures fell from a
1 Rufinus, Apologia contra Hieronymum, I, For a detailed study of the controversy's
11 (CCL 20, 44-45). Macarius is identified chronology, see Karl Holl, "Die Zeitfolge
as a Roman by Jerome, in Apologia contra der ersten origenistischen Streits." Holl dates
Rufinum III, 32 (CCL 79, 102), and as no Rufinus's departure from Palestine for the
ble (vir nobilis) in III, 24 (CCL 79, 96). West to early 396, and his translations of On
(Book III of Jerome's Contra Rufinum is First Frindples to late spring and summer of
identified as Epistula adversus Rufinum in the 398 (317, 322, 324).
CCL edition; Jerome's and Rufinus's de 2 Jerome, Apologia III, 29 (CCL 79, 101).
fenses against each other will hereafter be 3 Jerome, Apologia III, 32 (CCL 79, 102).
cited simply as Apologia.) Is Macarius to be 4 Jerome, Ep. 124, 2; 13 (CSEL 56, 97-
identified with a man of the same name who 98, 115-116); Contra Ioannem Hierosolymi-
is described by Palladius as an "ex-vicar" tanum 7 (PL 23, 376).
(.Historia Laustaca 62 [Butler ed., 2: 157])?
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12 CHAPTER ONE
heavenly, incorporeal preexistence to acquire bodies, identified with the
"coats of skins" of Genesis 3:21;5 that the devil could resume his angelic
status and be saved;6 that demons could be transformed into humans, and
vice versa;7 that since bodily substance was destined to pass away, there
would be no physical resurrection;8 that a succession of worlds may have
already existed and may exist in the future;9 that hellfire is not external to
us, but the pangs of guilty conscience;10 that Christ may come again to
suffer for the demons;11 and that allegorical exegesis is preferable to literal
for those of advanced spirituality.12 These theories and others—most no
tably, an approach to the material body that implied a denigration of
reproduction13—constituted the main grounds for the attack on Origen-
ism by Jerome, Epiphanius, and Theophilus, as is detailed in Chapter
Three.
When charged with Origenism Rufinus's first response was to affirm Ni-
cene doctrine,14 which Jerome scathingly rejected as a totally irrelevant af
firmation.15 Rufinus next confessed his belief in a bodily resurrection.16 He
refused to pronounce on the origin of souls, however, asserting (correctly)
that since the Church had not declared anyo ne opinion as orthodox to the
exclusion of others, Christians were entided to continue debate.17 As a fur
ther defense, Rufinus claimed that dubious theological motifs in Origen's
books had been inserted there by heretics and did not reflect Origen's con
sidered opinion.18 Moreover, he charged, Jerome himself had earlier en-
5 Jerome, Ep. 124, 3; 9 (CSEL 56, 98-99, though Rufinus had changed what Origen
108—109); ContraIoannem 7 (PL 23, 376). had written on the Trinity to make it more
6 Jerome, Ep. 124, 3 (CSEL 56, 98); Con- orthodox, this was hardly the only part that
traloannem 7 (PL 23, 376). needed "emendation" (Jerome, Apologia I, 6
7 Jerome, Ep. 124, 3; 10 (CSEL 56, 99, [CCL 79, 6]).
111-112). 16 Albeit a spiritual and incorporeal body,
8 Jerome, Ep. 124, 4; 5; 9; 10 (CSEL 56, following I Corinthians 15:35—54: Rufinus,
99-100, 101-102,109-110, 111-112). Prologus in Apologeticum Pamphili Martyris
9 Jerome, Ep. 124, 5; 9 (CSEL 56, 101- pro Origene (CCL 20, 234); Apologia ad An-
103, 107-108). astasium 3; 4 (CCL 20, 26); Apologia I, 4—9
10 Jerome, Ep. 124, 7 (CSEL 56, 104- (CCL 20, 39—43). Rufinus holds Jerome
105). guilty of dispensing with the resurrection
11Jerome, Ep. 124, 12 (CSEL 56, 114- body in his Commentary on Ephesians: Apolo
115). gia 1,24-25; 41 (CCL 20, 58-60, 75-77).
12 Jerome, Contra Ioannem 7 (PL 23, 17 Rufinus, Apologia ad Anastasium 6
376). (CCL 20, 27). Jerome tried tom ake it sound
13 See the criticisms made by Epiphanius, as if the Church had ruled in favor of crea-
Theophilus, and Jerome, detailed in Chap. 3. tionism: Contra Ioannem 22 (PL 23, 389);
14 Rufinus, Apologia ad Anastasium 2 Apologia III, 28; 30 (CCL 79,99-100,101-
(CCL 20, 25); Apologia I, 4 (CCL 20, 39). 102). Jerome is more cautious after the heat
The same charge is raised against John of Je of the controversy died; see Ep. 126, 1
rusalem by Jerome in ContraIoannem 8 (PL (CSEL 56, 143), dated to A.D. 412.
23, 377). 18 Rufinus, De adulteratione librorum Ori-
15 Jerome, Apologia II, 4 (CCL 79, 36): genis 1-2, 6-9, 14-16 (CCL 20, 7-8, 10-
Rufinus may cite his faith in the Trinity all he 14, 16-17); De principiis, pratfatio, 3 (CCL
likes, but the issue is Origen, not Arius. Al 20, 246); Apologia ad Anastasium 7 (CCL
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