Theology.

        On the theological side Origen's principal works were his two books On the Resurrection and his four books On First Principles (De principiis). The latter is perhaps the greatest of Origen's works and marks a long step toward the formulation of Christian theology, even though to the modern reader Origen seems overinfluenced in some of his thinking by philosophy and appears 'a more Greek than Christian. In this work he followed the path Clement had taken before him, and sought to bring Greek philosophy and Christian teaching together. Unfortunately, the original Greek form has disappeared, except for a number of fragments,and we are dependent for our knowledge of it upon a free Latin' translation published in Rome in A.D. 398-99 by the diligent Rufinus, the friend and then the enemy of Jerome. It was, in fact, Rufinus' unguarded reference in his preface to Jerome's admiration for Origen that offended Jerome. Jerome himself later made a more faithful translation of the book, of which only a score or so of fragments survive. The book On the Resurrection has also perished, except for some fragments; it called forth a reply from Methodius of Olympus (311), which is itself extant only m an Old Slavonic version but adds to our knowledge of what Origen's book contained. The book On the Resurrection may be regarded as a prelude to the larger work On First Principles. Jerome's list of Origen's works mentions also two dialogues On the Resurrection now lost.

        Like his teacher Clement, Origen left behind books, or Miscellanies (Stronzateis), in ten books. a few small fragments, these too have been lost.

        With Origen's doctrinal works may be grouped two highly practical writings of his, one On Prayer, written at the request of Ambrose, and one On Martyrdom, addressed to two Christian leaders, urging them not to flinch from it in the persecution of Maximin then just beginning (A.D. 235). Both are fortunately extant in Greek.