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Origen, On First Principles: The First System of Theology

Origen's treatise On First Principles is the first attempt in the early church to systematize theological questions, in four books: on God, on the world, on freedom and on Scripture. Origen held that nothing contradicting Scripture or legitimate conclusions from it may be accepted, and he held to the Word of God and the Rule of Faith as standards of interpretation; yet, in Berkhof's assessment, his theology bears the stamp of Neoplatonism. Most of the work survives only in the Latin translation of Rufinus, who corrected the author's daring opinions. In the apology Against Celsus Origen refuted the pagan philosopher's attacks one by one.