[Note: The following is a book review I just submitted to the Stone-Campbell Journal. They previously published another review of mine (on Kevin Giles' The Trinity and Subordinationism, the list is here, but the link takes you to another review. I talk about Giles' book on my blog here). This review may get further edits, but here's the submitted draft.]
John Anthony McGuckin, ed. The Westminster Handbook to Origen Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2004. 228 pp
McGuckin’s edited work, The Westminster Handbook to Origen, is a very consistent and concise tool introducing the reader to the life and thought of Origen. In fact, it is rather remarkable the depth of the information available in just over two hundred pages. There are two introductory chapters detailing the life of Origen and a brief survey of contemporary scholarly work on Origen. This is then followed by nearly eighty separate articles—arranged like encyclopedia articles—on various aspects of Origen’s thought, most notably on the pre-existence of souls, on the recapitulation of all things and universal salvation, and on his cosmology of various degrees of fallenness of created beings (from angels to humans to Satan), as well as his identification with the practice of allegorical interpretive practice. (An alphabetized list of articles follows the two introductory chapters and precedes the articles themselves.)
The strengths of this work are clearly evident in the foregoing summary. If one has very little knowledge of Origen, this work will give one a breadth of awareness of Origen’s life and thought, and issues related to them, as well as some depth in particular aspects of Origen’s thought (such as the ones noted above). More importantly, this work will serve to correct certain misunderstandings (or caricatures) of Origen and his thought. For example, it appears that Origen did not castrate himself such as legend seems to indicate. I recall certain of my former instructors referring to Origen as, in the catchphrase, the “origin of all heresies.” An obvious hyperbole, to be sure, and based upon posthumous anathemas against doctrines that derived from his thought or implications of it. But while Origen’s thought does, in fact contain extremely problematic tenets (such as the pre-existence of souls), McGuckin and the other authors do a fine job of demonstrating his fidelity to the apostolic faith.
If there are any weaknesses to the text, they are minor. One could have wished for a bit more discussion on the later conciliar anathematizations of doctrines arising from Origen’s thought and to what degree Origen's thought fell under such condemnations. One would have like to have seen explored a greater description of Origen’s influence on later thinkers such as Gregory of Nyssa and Maximos the Confessor (though these influences are briefly noted). But this would have added to the length of the book, and may well have compromised its conciseness. Further, these are admittedly concerns which do not address the primary interest of the book.
Since McGuckin and the other authors do such a fine job of situating Origen in his historical and doctrinal context, Stone-Campbell readers of the book will find much to satisfy their interest concerning early Christianity, particularly as Origen’s uniqueness provides counterpoints to the developing clarification of apostolic, or New Testament, Christian thought. Of special interest may well be the articles dealing with Origen’s use of allegorical interpretive practice (among his other interpretive practices), and how such allegorical interpretation did not result in bizarre flights of fancy, but actually helped Origen remain faithful to authorial intent and biblical coherence.
Given the above, this handbook is eminently suited to educated readers who have an interest in the thought of early Christianity, or in Origen in particular, especially as such figures as Origen played fundamental roles in the clarification of the apostolic deposit of faith. It could be quite useful in an introductory theology class, or, suitably facilitated, could provide helpful education in a selective adult Sunday School class.
Clifton D. Healy
Loyola University Chicago
Such an unusual name, I wonder if this is the same John McGuckin
http://www.saintmarymagdalen.com/john.htm
Now you make me want to go out and read a book about Origen.
Good review.