What exactly is the Church's position on Origen of Alexandria? I know that technically he is considered a heretic, yet so many other Church Fathers were influenced by him, and many Priests even to this day will quote him or recommend reading his scriptural interpretations. What exactly did he teach that was so heretical? And is there even proof that he taught it or did some later group of his followers misinterpret him and fall into heresy? I mean, let's face it, Origen was a pretty confusing, abstract guy--is it really so far fetched that he might have just been misinterpreted? I read his autobiography and it seems like he really loved the Church more than anything and only wanted to submit to it. Isn't it a bit unfair that he was declared a heretic after he died--never having a chance to either explain that he didn't really believe in the heresy in question, or if he did, to recant and correct himself?
I feel highly saddened about him being considered a heretic--Origen is a really intelligent guy, I mean REALLY intelligent. The way he brings allegory into everything and goes into such depth--all the while connecting it all together so eloquently and "bringing the point home"--is quite remarkable. He's the only reason I read the Old Testament opposed to just dismissing it as the boring ramblings and geneologies of unsophisticated desert people. He's also always my favorite Father to quote on allegorical interpretation when atheists and Protestant fundamentalists talk about strict literalism
Bottom line, Origen wrote a lot of stuff and had a very active, brilliant mind that was everywhere, isn't it only natural that he would get at least a few things wrong?
