VATICAN CITY - 26 April 2007 - 750 words
Origen - one of the great Christian masters
In yesterday's general audience Benedict
XVI dedicated his catechesis to Origen of Alexandria, the great
third century Christian writer and historian. More than 25,000
people attended the audience in St Peter's Square.
The Pope said: "Origen took the legacy of Clement and carried
it towards the future in such an innovative way as to effect an
irreversible turn in the development of Christian thought. He
was a true master ... and an exemplary witness of the doctrine
he transmitted."
The "irreversible turn" said the Pope, s involved "grounding
theology in the explanation of Scripture, in other words, the
perfect symbiosis between theology and exegesis. Indeed, the characteristic
of Origen's doctrine seems to lie in the constant invitation to
pass from the reading to the spirit of Scripture in order to progress
in knowledge of God.
"This 'allegorism' - to use the words of Von Balthasar -
coincided with the development of Christian dogma through the
teaching the Doctors of the Church who, in one way or another,
learned the lesson of Origen. Thus tradition and Magisterium,
the foundation and guarantee of theological research, come together
as 'Scripture enacted'."
The Pope recalled how Origen's interests ranged from "exegesis
to dogma, to philosophy, to apologetics, asceticism and mysticism"
and represented "a fundamental and overall vision of Christian
life."
However, the "inspirational core" of Origen's work is
"his three-level reading of the Bible." The first reading
had "the aim of better identifying the text and presenting
the most trustworthy edition. ... This is always the first step,"
said the Holy Father, "knowing what is written and knowing
what historical scripture initially and intentionally meant."
"In the second place, Origen systematically read the Bible
... minutely, broadly and profoundly," adding "philological
and doctrinal notes. Finally, ... he dedicated himself to preaching
the Bible, adapting himself to a truly assorted public."
Also in his homilies, Origen "took advantage of every opportunity
to recall the various dimensions of meaning of Sacred Scripture;"
meanings that "assist or express a journey of growth in the
faith. There is a literal meaning, but the literal meaning hides
profundities that do not appear at first view."
"This second dimension is the moral meaning: what we must
do to live the Word." Finally, there is also a "spiritual
meaning, in other words the unity of Scripture which, throughout,
speaks of Christ. It is the Holy Spirit which helps us understand
the Christological content, and so the unity of Scripture in its
diversity."
Benedict XVI explained how in his recently-published book "Jesus
of Nazareth" he had "sought to show ... this multidimensional
aspect of the Word of Holy Scripture, which must first of all
be respected in a historical sense." Although "this
sense is transcended by Christ in the light of the Holy Spirit."
"Origen, effectively came to promote the 'Christian reading'
of the Old Testament, responding brilliantly to the challenge
of heretics, above all Gnostics and Marcionites who set the two
Testaments against one another and even went so far as to reject
the Old Testament."
The Pope concluded: "I invite you to welcome in your hearts
the teaching of this great master of the faith. He reminds us
... that the Church is renewed and rejuvenated in a prayerful
reading of Scripture. We pray to the Lord to give us today thinkers,
theologians and exegetes who may discover this multidimensionality,
this permanent relevance of Sacred Scripture."
Source: VIS
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