Origen answers Celsus at a patron's request
About this date: The conventional approximate date belongs to Origen's response, not to the earlier work by Celsus that it answers.
At the request of his supporter Ambrose, Origen undertakes a written response to Celsus's criticism of Christianity. The preface weighs the value of a formal defense against the testimony of a Christian life.
Historical context
Against Celsus engages an earlier critic rather than recording a live debate. A patron's request helps explain how an extensive work of Christian argument came to be composed.
Key points
- Origen explicitly addresses the person who asked him to write the response.
- He begins by reflecting on Jesus's silence before accusations.
- Celsus's objections reach readers through the selection and presentation of an opponent.
People
- Origen
- Celsus
- Ambrose, Origen's patron
Sources and further reading
- Against Celsus, Book I: preface
Explains the request from Ambrose, Origen's reservations, and his approach to answering the critic.