The main aim of this article is to show how Origen’s theological system, particularly his conception of the Godhead of the Father and the Son, depends on the dialectic of the One which Plato’s "Parmenides" is about, although Origen’s dependance on Plato is surely mediated by Middle-Platonic literature. Then, a comparison between Origen’s De princ. 1,1,6 and Plato’s Parm. 137d-142e implies two main theoretical consequences. Firstly, Origen refers to God-Father exactly using the same predicates which Plato refers to the One, in particular the incorporeity and the oneness. Secondly, as Origen explains the relation between the Father and the Son in terms of the light and the brightness so Plato explains the relation between the One and the Being in terms of a metaphysics of light. Moreover, Origen’s relationship among the Father, the Son and the intelligible creation is the Christian interpretation of Plato’s dialectic of the One, the Many and the Mediator, the One-Many. Finally, as in Origen the Son-Wisdom is the Mediator of God-Father and the intelligible World, so in Plato the One-Many is the mediator of the One and the Many, i.e. the Being.
"Theós Hén": A Comparison between Origen's De princ. 1,1,6 and Plato's Parm. 137d-142e
LIMONE V
2016-01-01
Abstract
The main aim of this article is to show how Origen’s theological system, particularly his conception of the Godhead of the Father and the Son, depends on the dialectic of the One which Plato’s "Parmenides" is about, although Origen’s dependance on Plato is surely mediated by Middle-Platonic literature. Then, a comparison between Origen’s De princ. 1,1,6 and Plato’s Parm. 137d-142e implies two main theoretical consequences. Firstly, Origen refers to God-Father exactly using the same predicates which Plato refers to the One, in particular the incorporeity and the oneness. Secondly, as Origen explains the relation between the Father and the Son in terms of the light and the brightness so Plato explains the relation between the One and the Being in terms of a metaphysics of light. Moreover, Origen’s relationship among the Father, the Son and the intelligible creation is the Christian interpretation of Plato’s dialectic of the One, the Many and the Mediator, the One-Many. Finally, as in Origen the Son-Wisdom is the Mediator of God-Father and the intelligible World, so in Plato the One-Many is the mediator of the One and the Many, i.e. the Being.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
