Kyueil Kwak: Dramatization of YHWH for the Logos-Christ in Origen’s Presentation of Christian Life as a Drama of Passage

The Greek term 'dramatization [προσωποποιία]’—derived from the verb προσωποποιεῖν, meaning ‘to dramatize’ or ‘to impersonate’—refers to a mode of demonstration or instruction by putting someone’s words and deeds onto the character in drama or play. Thus, this pedagogical method involves an indispensable process of identifying the spectators with the characters onstage by comparing. For his education of the catechumen at the church of Caesarea by means of the Old Testament readings, Origen of Alexandria often uses this method by comparing the baptized to the biblical exiles out of Egypt and Babylon. Hence, to the pre-baptized he presents Christian life as a drama of passage, beginning with the first passage through the sacrament of Baptism and ending with the final passage into the eternal fellowship with the Father. For Origen, this paper will demonstrate, the main character of this drama of passage is the Logos-Christ, who is compared to YHWH of the Hebrew Scriptures and now in action of carrying the baptized gradually by means of reading and explaining Scriptures. This paper will also demonstrate how the dramatization of YHWH for the Logos-Christ discloses Origen’s basic principle of scriptural interpretation, that is, making Scriptures as a connected whole by linking and comparing.