Thesis advisor: David G. Hunter / Thesis advisor: Samuel Fernández / Origen of Alexandria (ca. 185–253) produced a comprehensive theological narrative of salvation history, from protology to eschatology, based on his interpretation of Scripture. More than one “plotline” is being developed throughout Origen’s unique rendition or performance of the Christian drama of salvation history. The primary goal of this dissertation is to bring the political dimension of Origen’s theological narrative into focus. To this end, it examines the constitutive elements of political thought in Late Antiquity—community, justice, and rulership—as thematic loci within Origen’s theological narrative. By tracking Origen’s development of this political plotline, from beginning to end, this dissertation provides the first systematic treatment of what may be called Origen’s “political theology.” This dissertation also provides an original study of how the political language, models, and themes of Scripture were received into Origen’s theology (e.g., the “Kingdom” and “City” of God, as well as the Pauline “rulers, powers, and authorities”). Within this political framework, Origen discusses the following: (1) the form and method of God’s rulership, (2) the compatibility of the creation’s freedom and its subjection to God’s rulership, (3) the arrangement of creatures into a cosmic hierarchy of rulers and ruled, (4) the justice of God’s rulership, (5) Christ as the form or archetype of Justice, (6) Christ’s restoration of both ruling and obedience within the created order, and (7) the realization of a divine πολιτεία. These are the main topics considered in this study. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2024. / Submitted to: Boston College. Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: Theology.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:BOSTON/oai:dlib.bc.edu:bc-ir_110045 |
| Date | January 2024 |
| Creators | Foley Holmes, Austin |
| Publisher | Boston College |
| Source Sets | Boston College |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text, thesis |
| Format | electronic, application/pdf |
| Rights | Copyright is held by the author, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise noted. |
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