A CHRISTIAN CLASSIC Written in the late first/early second century AD, Origen on Prayer remains a significant and masterful text for all Christian believers on the subject of prayer. Origen, an early church theologian and scholar, was born, lived, and taught in Alexandria, Egypt. He writes that prayer is the way in which humans can know and have discourse with God. He notes the many ways prayer is depicted in the Bible, and then tackles the argument that prayer is superfluous. He describes the four purposes of prayer: requests, praise, intercessions, and thanksgivings. Origen also performs an exegesis of the Lord's Prayer, which makes this in-depth look at each phrase of the prayer a valuable resource. Origen concludes with comments on the formalities of prayer in which he describes the proper posture and state of mind for praying. Origen on Prayer uses many Biblical references, particularly to prayerful characters, so the text presents many role models for our communication with God and is essential for those who wish to know how to approach the practice, structure, and mindset of prayer.
About the Author: ORIGEN ADAMANTIUS (b. 184/185 A.D. - d. 253/254 A.D.) Origen was born in Alexandria to Christian parents and became a scholar and early Christian theologian. He was a prolific writer in multiple branches of theology, including textual criticism, biblical exegesis and hermeneutics, philosophical theology, preaching, and spirituality. In 202, Origen's father was martyred in the outbreak of the persecution during the reign of Septimius Severus. A story reported by Eusebius has it that Origen wished to follow him in martyrdom, but was prevented only by his mother hiding his clothes. His fame and the number of his pupils increased so rapidly that Bishop Demetrius of Alexandria, made him restrict himself to instruction in Christian doctrine alone. There was second outbreak of the Antonine Plague, which at its height in 251 to 266 took the lives of 5,000 a day in Rome. This time it was called the Plague of Cyprian. Emperor Decius, believing the plague to be a product of magic, caused by the failure of Christians to recognize him as Divine, began Christian persecutions. This time Origen did not escape. Origen suffered "bodily tortures and torments under the iron collar and in the dungeon...." Though he did not die while being tortured, he died three years later, at the age of 69, due to his injuries.