The
doctrines ascribed to Origen of Alexandria, one of the outstanding
ecclesiastical writers of the early half of the 3rd century. He claimed that
Scripture has a threefold sense: the literal, the spiritual, and the mystic;
many passages have no literal meaning and must be interpreted in an
allegorical way. In his voluminous writings, most of which have perished, he
aimed at systematizing Christian doctrines and defending them against the
Gnostics but he himself is thought to have fallen into various errors
concerning the Trinity and other fundamental dogmas, though this is not
certain. Of his surviving works his two treatises, Against Celsusand On First Principles, are famous. He is an important witness
to many of the doctrines and practices of the
Christianity of his day. Three hundred years after his death 15 propositions
from his writings were condemned in an eastern synod and the condemnation
was approved by the Fifth General Council.