• Leader Resource 7, Origen of Alexandria
• Handout 2, Excerpt from De Principiis

• Become familiar with the contents of Leader Resource 7, Origen of Alexandria.
• Make copies of Handout 2, Excerpt from De Principiis.
• Prearrange with two volunteers to read Handout 2, Excerpt from De Principiis aloud, each one reading about half of the text. Give them the handout in advance.

Present or read the information contained in Leader Resource 7, Origen of Alexandria. Distribute Handout 2, Excerpt from De Principiis. Explain that Origen's work was originally written in Greek, and only survives in fragments. Later translators added material in Latin, based on works that refuted Origen. The materials used today are yet another translation, into English.

Invite participants to read the handout once on their own. Then invite the two volunteers to re-read the material aloud. Ask participants to consider what the excerpt suggests about Origen's beliefs regarding (1) the nature of God, (2) the nature of Humanity, and (3) Creation, free will, heaven, and hell. Invite comment and reflections on Origen's work.