Origenes und der Platonismus
Die origeneische Selbstverortung gegenüber Platon und der platonischen Lehre im Kontext des zeitgenössischen Platonismus
Paperback (Forthcoming)
(February 2027)
ISBN: 9783162001603
6.1 x 9.13 inches
Price: $195.00
In his examination of the Christian thinker Origen’s relationship to Platonism, Johannes Rensinghoff addresses a central theme in the history of ideas. For the first time, he systematically outlines what Origen himself considered to be Platonic and situates it within the context of contemporary Platonism.
Origen’s relationship to Plato and Platonic thought is of central importance to the ancient history of ideas. For the first time, Johannes Rensinghoff systematically describes this relationship based on Origen’s explicit statements. To this end, he explores the questions of who Plato is for Origen and what Origen himself considers Platonic, before situating the thus reconstructed “Origenist Platonism” within the context of contemporary Platonism.
First, the author demonstrates to what extent Origen views Plato as the preeminent exponent of philosophy: Plato, as a soul originating from the highest region of heaven, possessed perfect knowledge of theoretical wisdom; he then, however, fell away from God and placed himself in the service of the prince of demons. This constellation explains why Origen considers Plato’s doctrine to be identical with Christian doctrine (and can even attribute a certain utility to it for his project of the rational explication of biblical revelation), yet at the same time sharply criticizes Plato and the Platonic writings (especially insofar as they call for the worship of demons). Subsequently, Origen’s Platonism (i.e., what Origen considers to be Platonic) is reconstructed on the basis of the explicit reception of Plato in Contra Celsum and compared with Origen’s own teachings as well as those of contemporary Platonists. This reveals that Origen’s doctrinal system is consistent with “his Platonism” in all essential respects; at the same time, this “Origenist Platonism” – as elucidated on the basis of numerous little-noticed, including anonymous, sources of so-called Middle Platonism – fits seamlessly into contemporary Platonic thought, specifically as non-Plotinian Neoplatonism/Numenianism.
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