Abstract

Separated by seventeen centuries, we find that Origen, a third century father, and Sophrony, a twentieth century Athonite monk, share a certain interest in the narrative of the fall (Genesis 2-4). Both authors express a profound sense of sorrow over the reality of paradise lost and are quick to remind us that we all share in the fate of Adam. Hoping to instill within us an awareness of this 'fate of Adam', Origen and Sophrony teach us that there is much to learn from our earliest ancestor and the reality of his life before the fall. We learn from both thinkers, that the Garden of Eden can, in some sense, be understood as a symbolic representation of the highest Christian calling: to live the reality of Eden is, in effect, to live a life focused on God. It is of no surprise, given the dissimilarity of their lives and the span of time that separates their respective worlds, that Origen and Sophrony should have certain differences of opinion regarding the nature of Adam's life before the fall. What is remarkable is the fact that, after having considered these differences, we come to learn that what unites their thought is greater then what separates it. Having both lived as men of the Church, these two fathers give us a greater appreciation for the living tradition of faith. Comparing the thoughts of Origen and Sophrony on the subject of the Garden of Eden, I will present the reader with a picture of Adam's loss and, ultimately, the reasons for his lament as it is presented in the works of these two writers.