View source for Origen

===Early years===
Origen was born in either 185 or 186&nbsp;AD in Alexandria.{{sfn|Olson|1999|p=100}}{{sfn|McGuckin|2004|p=2}}{{sfn|Trigg|1983|p=8}} [[Porphyry (philosopher)|Porphyry]] called him  "a [[Greeks|Greek]], and educated in [[ancient Greek literature|Greek literature]]".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Eusebius |title=Ecclessiastical History Book VI (1766) |url=https://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf201.iii.xi.i.html}}</ref> According to Eusebius, Origen's father was [[Leonides of Alexandria]], a respected professor of literature and a devout Christian who practised his religion openly (and later a martyr and saint).{{sfn|McGuckin|2004|p=3}}{{sfn|Trigg|1983|p=10}} Joseph Wilson Trigg deems the details of this report unreliable, but admits that Origen's father was certainly at least "a prosperous and thoroughly Hellenized bourgeois".{{sfn|Trigg|1983|p=10}} According to John Anthony McGuckin, Origen's mother, whose name is unknown, may have been a member of the lower class who did not have the [[Roman citizenship|right of citizenship]].{{sfn|McGuckin|2004|p=3}}

It is likely that, due to his mother's status, Origen was not a Roman citizen.{{sfn|McGuckin|2004|pp=2–3}} Origen's father taught him about literature and philosophy{{sfn|McGuckin|2004|pp=3–4}} as well as the Bible and Christian doctrine.{{sfn|McGuckin|2004|pp=3–4}}{{sfn|Trigg|1983|pp=11–16}} Eusebius states that Origen's father made him memorize passages of scripture daily.{{sfn|Trigg|1983|p=12}} Trigg accepts this tradition as possibly genuine, given Origen's ability as an adult to recite extended passages of scripture.{{sfn|Trigg|1983|p=12}} Eusebius also reports that Origen became so learned about the scriptures at an early age that his father was unable to answer his questions about them.{{sfn|McGuckin|2004|p=4}}{{sfn|Trigg|1983|pp=12–13}}

In 202, when Origen was "not yet seventeen", Emperor [[Septimius Severus]] ordered Roman citizens [[Persecution of Christians in the Roman Empire#Marcus Aurelius to Maximinus the Thracian|who openly practised Christianity to be executed]].{{sfn|McGuckin|2004|p=3}}{{sfn|Trigg|1983|p=30}} Origen's father Leonides was arrested and thrown in prison.{{sfn|Olson|1999|p=100}}{{sfn|McGuckin|2004|p=3}}{{sfn|Trigg|1983|p=30}} Eusebius reports that Origen wanted to turn himself in to the authorities so that they would execute him as well,{{sfn|Olson|1999|p=100}}{{sfn|McGuckin|2004|p=3}} but his mother hid all his clothes and he was unable to go to the authorities since he refused to leave the house naked.{{sfn|Olson|1999|p=100}}{{sfn|McGuckin|2004|p=3}} According to McGuckin, even if Origen had turned himself in, it is unlikely that he would have been punished, since the emperor was only intent on executing Roman citizens.{{sfn|McGuckin|2004|p=3}} Origen's father was beheaded,{{sfn|Olson|1999|p=100}}{{sfn|McGuckin|2004|p=3}}{{sfn|Trigg|1983|p=30}} and the state confiscated the family's entire property, leaving them impoverished.{{sfn|McGuckin|2004|p=3}}{{sfn|Trigg|1983|p=30}} Origen was the eldest of nine children,{{sfn|McGuckin|2004|p=3}}{{sfn|Trigg|1983|p=30}} and as his father's heir, it became his responsibility to provide for the whole family.{{sfn|McGuckin|2004|p=3}}{{sfn|Trigg|1983|p=30}}

When he was eighteen, Origen was appointed as a catechist at the Catechetical School of Alexandria.{{sfn|McGuckin|2004|p=4}} Many scholars have assumed that Origen became the head of the school,{{sfn|McGuckin|2004|p=4}} but according to McGuckin, this is highly improbable. It is more likely that he was given a paid teaching position, perhaps as a "relief effort" for his impoverished family.{{sfn|McGuckin|2004|p=4}} While employed at the school, he adopted the ascetic lifestyle of the Greek [[Sophist]]s.{{sfn|McGuckin|2004|p=4}}{{sfn|Trigg|1983|p=53}}<ref name="EusebiusHistoria" /> He spent the whole day teaching{{sfn|McGuckin|2004|p=4}} and would stay up late at night writing treatises and commentaries.{{sfn|McGuckin|2004|p=4}}{{sfn|Trigg|1983|p=53}} He went barefoot and only owned one cloak.{{sfn|Trigg|1983|p=53}} He did not drink alcohol and ate a simple diet{{sfn|McGuckin|2004|p=6}} and he often fasted for long periods.{{sfn|McGuckin|2004|p=6}}{{sfn|Trigg|1983|p=53}} Although Eusebius goes to great lengths to portray Origen as one of the [[Christian monastics]] of his era,{{sfn|McGuckin|2004|p=4}} this portrayal is now generally recognized as [[anachronistic]].{{sfn|McGuckin|2004|p=4}}

According to Eusebius, as a young man, Origen was taken in by a wealthy [[Gnostic]] woman,{{sfn|McGuckin|2004|p=5}} who was also the patron of a very influential Gnostic theologian from [[Antioch]], who frequently lectured in her home.{{sfn|McGuckin|2004|p=5}} Eusebius goes to great lengths to insist that, although Origen studied while in her home,{{sfn|McGuckin|2004|p=5}} he never once "prayed in common" with her or the Gnostic theologian.{{sfn|McGuckin|2004|p=5}} Later, Origen succeeded in converting a wealthy man named [[Ambrose of Alexandria|Ambrose]] from [[Valentinian Gnosticism]] to orthodox Christianity.{{sfn|Olson|1999|p=101}}{{sfn|McGuckin|2004|p=5}} Ambrose was so impressed by the young scholar that he gave Origen a house, a secretary, seven [[stenographers]], a crew of copyists and calligraphers, and paid for all of his writings to be published.{{sfn|Olson|1999|p=101}}{{sfn|McGuckin|2004|p=5}}

When he was in his early twenties, Origen sold the small library of Greek literary works that he had inherited from his father for a sum which netted him a daily income of four [[obols]].{{sfn|McGuckin|2004|p=5}}{{sfn|Trigg|1983|p=53}}<ref name="EusebiusHistoria">Eusebius, ''Historia Ecclesiastica'', VI.3.9</ref> He used this money to continue his study of the Bible and of philosophy.{{sfn|McGuckin|2004|p=5}}{{sfn|Trigg|1983|p=53}} Origen studied at numerous schools throughout Alexandria,{{sfn|McGuckin|2004|p=5}} including the [[Alexandrian school|Platonic Academy of Alexandria]],{{sfn|Olson|1999|pp=100–101}}{{sfn|McGuckin|2004|p=5}} where he was a student of [[Ammonius Saccas]].{{sfn|Watts|2008|pp=158–161}}{{sfn|Olson|1999|p=101}}{{sfn|McGuckin|2004|p=5}}{{sfn|Trigg|1983|pp=66–75}}{{sfn|Grant|1967|p=551}} Eusebius claims that Origen studied under [[Clement of Alexandria]],{{sfn|McGuckin|2004|p=6}}{{sfn|Olson|1999|p=100}}{{sfn|Trigg|1983|pp=54–66}} but according to McGuckin, this is almost certainly a retrospective assumption based on the similarity of their teachings.{{sfn|McGuckin|2004|p=6}} Origen rarely mentions Clement in his writings,{{sfn|McGuckin|2004|p=6}} and when he does, it is usually to correct him.{{sfn|McGuckin|2004|p=6}}