John Solheid: Purity of Heart in Origen's Psalm Homilies

The attribution to Origen of a codex manuscript containing twenty-nine homilies on the Psalms several years ago has provided Origen scholars, and scholars of early Christianity in general, with a rich new source of information and investigation. One such area of inquiry pertains to the ways in which Origen communicated his exegetical and theological concerns to a liturgical audience, likely comprised of non-academic hearers. This paper will address one such theological matter found in these homilies, purity of heart. Purity of heart was an important theme in Origen’s ascetical writings, such as On Prayer. It is also a theme which makes appearances in several of these Psalm Homilies. I will first briefly sketch the Origen’s understanding of purity of heart, found especially in On Prayer and Contra Celsum. I will then turn to the Homilies to demonstrate how the scholar and preacher presented this core element of his ascetical teaching to his liturgical audience. I will show how purity of heart functioned as both an exegetical means of guiding his audience beyond the simple wording of the text and as a pedagogical device for his spiritual and ascetic pedagogy. This theme thus provides us with a window into the theological and spiritual formation of an early Christian community.