Origen's Understanding of Genesis 1:1-5

This essay addresses two key questions that Origen raised about the creation story: the nature of the heaven and earth referred to in Gen 1:1, and the identity of the abyss and the darkness mentioned in Gen 1:2. It argues that he understood the heaven and earth of Gen 1:1 to refer to an immaterial p...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Heine, Ronald ca. 20./21. Jh. (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
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Published: De Gruyter 2022
In: Zeitschrift für antikes Christentum
Year: 2022, Volume: 26, Issue: 1, Pages: 57-69
Standardized Subjects / Keyword chains:B Bible. Genesis 1,1-5 / Origenes 185-254 / Creation / Wisdom / Pre-existence / Demon / Abyss
IxTheo Classification:HB Old Testament
KAB Church history 30-500; early Christianity
NBD Doctrine of Creation
NBF Christology
NBH Angelology; demonology
Further subjects:B Demonic
B Darkness
B Wisdom
B incorporeal
B Creation
B Beginning
B preexistent
B World
B abyss
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Summary:This essay addresses two key questions that Origen raised about the creation story: the nature of the heaven and earth referred to in Gen 1:1, and the identity of the abyss and the darkness mentioned in Gen 1:2. It argues that he understood the heaven and earth of Gen 1:1 to refer to an immaterial plan for creation conceived and held in God’s Wisdom, and that the abyss and darkness refer to the realm of Satan and the demonic elements. It suggests that Origen's understanding, at least about the second set of questions, had shifted in his later thinking from what it was earlier.
ISSN:1612-961X
Contains:Enthalten in: Zeitschrift für antikes Christentum
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.1515/zac-2022-0013