Origen’s Revenge: The Greek and Hebrew Roots of Christian Thinking on Male and Female

by Brian Patrick Mitchell

Publisher:

Wipf and Stock

, 2021

Overview

Is the difference of male and female to be “completely shaken off” so that men and women are no longer men and women but merely human beings? The great seventh-century saint Maximus the Confessor said yes, but such thinking is difficult if not impossible to reconcile with much else in Christian tradition that obliges men and women to live as either men or women. Origen’s Revenge contrasts the two main sources of early Christian thinking on male and female: the generally negative view of Greek philosophy, limiting sexual distinction to the body and holding the body in low regard, and the much more positive view of Hebrew Scripture, in which sexual distinction and reproduction are both deemed naturally good and necessary for human existence. These two views account for much of the controversy in early Christianity concerning marriage and monasticism. They also still contribute to current controversies over sex roles, gender identity, and sexual ethics. Origen’s Revenge also develops the more Hebrew line of early Christian thought to propose a new understanding of male and female with a firmer grounding in scripture, tradition, theology, and philosophy and with profound implications for all human relationships, whether social, political, or spiritual.

Key Features

• Contrasts the two main sources of early Christian thinking on male and female.
• Contributes to current controversies over sex roles, gender identity, and sexual ethics.
• Proposes a new understanding of male and female with a firmer grounding in scripture.

Praise for the Print Edition

Although much has been written about early Christian views of sexuality, no one has put all the pieces together in the same bold and comprehensive way as in this work. Mitchell describes the tensions that existed in Christian teaching about sexuality from the beginning and offers a positive proposal for how these tensions can be resolved. A fascinating and provocative book.

—David Bradshaw, University of Kentucky

Mitchell’s careful analysis of conflicts between Greek philosophy and the Hebrew view of male and female, together with his exploration of sex, sexuality, and the distinctively human way of life that is part of God’s created goodness, is thoughtful, provocative, and well worth reading.

—Mark J. Cherry, St. Edward’s University

Drawing on an astonishing array of both primary and secondary sources, Mitchell offers a perspective on early Christian views of sexual difference that can shed a much-needed light on contemporary discussions. Anyone who wishes to engage in these discussions in a genuinely fruitful way needs to read this book.

—D. C. Schindler, John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family

Product Details

• Title: Origen’s Revenge: The Greek and Hebrew Roots of Christian Thinking on Male and Female
• Author: Brian Patrick Mitchell
• Publisher: Wipf and Stock
• Print Publication Date: 2021
• Pages: 280
• Language: English
• Resources: 1
• Format: Digital › Logos Reader Edition
• ISBNs: 9781666700152, 1666700150
• Resource ID: LLS:RGNSRVNGGRMLFML
• Resource Type: Monograph
• Metadata Last Updated: 2022-12-30T20:32:38Z

About Brian Patrick Mitchell

Brian Patrick Mitchell is an American journalist, political theorist, and theologian, known for his theory of political difference, theology of interpersonal relations, and critical analysis of gender integration of the American armed forces.