Contents

Preface

List of Abbreviations

Introduction

1The Platonic Ideas as ‘thoughts of God’

2The Garments of Skin (Genesis, 3:21)

Killing the Figurative Language

Gregory of Nazianzus and Platonism

The Garments of Skin

Man is a Small Universe

Philosophy versus Mythology

A Henad of Rational Creatures?

Origen’s Sway on Posterity

3Adam as the Universal Human Nature

4Aetherial Bodies in Neoplatonism and Christianity

From Classical to Late Antiquity

Christians and Aetherial Bodies

Conclusion

5Origen on Castration

Conclusion

Postscriptum: Origen and Anaxagoras

Appendix I: Origen’s Commentary on Matthew, 15:1–5

Appendix II: Cassian Who? On Attempts to Rescue a Figment

Bibliography

Index of Ancient Names

Index of Modern Names