Editing Origen (section)

===Ethics===
[[File:Master of Jean de Mandeville The Birth of Esau and Jacob.jpg|thumb|left|''The Birth of Esau and Jacob'' ({{circa}} 1360–1370) by Master of Jean de Mandeville. Origen used the Biblical story of Esau and Jacob to support his theory that a soul's free will actions committed before incarnation determine the conditions of the person's birth.{{sfn|Greggs|2009|pp=58–59}}]]

Origen was an ardent believer in [[free will]],{{sfn|Greggs|2009|pp=56–59}} and he adamantly rejected the Valentinian idea of [[Election (Christianity)|election]].{{sfn|Greggs|2009|p=58}} Instead, Origen believed that even disembodied souls have the power to make their own decisions.{{sfn|Greggs|2009|p=58}} Furthermore, in his interpretation of the story of [[Jacob]] and [[Esau]], Origen argues that the condition into which a person is born is actually dependent upon what their souls did in this pre-existent state.{{sfn|Greggs|2009|pp=58–59}} According to Origen, the superficial unfairness of a person's condition at birth—with some humans being poor, others rich, some being sick, and others healthy—is actually a by-product of what the person's soul had done in the pre-existent state.{{sfn|Greggs|2009|pp=58–59}} Origen defends free will in his interpretations of instances of [[Prophecy|divine foreknowledge]] in the scriptures,{{sfn|Greggs|2009|p=79}} arguing that Jesus's knowledge of Judas's future betrayal in the gospels and God's knowledge of Israel's future disobedience in the [[Deuteronomistic History|Deuteronomistic history]] only show that God knew these events would happen in advance.{{sfn|Greggs|2009|p=79}} Origen therefore concludes that the individuals involved in these incidents still made their decisions out of their own free will.{{sfn|Greggs|2009|p=79}} Like [[Plato]], [[Plotinus]]<ref> Enn. 6.8.4.11 </ref> and [[Gregory of Nyssa]], Origen understands that only the agent who chooses the Good is free; choosing evil is never free but slavery.<ref>{{cite journal | url=https://www.doi.org/10.1111/moth.12777 | doi=10.1111/moth.12777 | title=The Legacy of Origen in Gregory of Nyssa's Theology of Freedom | year=2022 | last1=Ramelli | first1=Ilaria L. E. | journal=Modern Theology | volume=38 | issue=2 | pages=363–388 | s2cid=247117697 }}</ref>

Origen was an ardent [[Christian pacifism|pacifist]],{{sfn|Caspary|1979|pp=125–127}}{{sfn|Brock|1972|pp=11–12}}{{sfn|Cahill|1994|pp=53–54}}{{sfn|Trigg|1983|pp=235–236}} and in his ''Against Celsus'', he argued that Christianity's inherent pacifism was one of the most outwardly noticeable aspects of the religion.{{sfn|Caspary|1979|pp=125–127}} While Origen did admit that some Christians served in the Roman army,{{sfn|Charles|2005|p=36}}{{sfn|Caspary|1979|pp=126–127}}{{sfn|Cahill|1994|pp=53–54}} he pointed out that most did not{{sfn|Charles|2005|p=36}}{{sfn|Cahill|1994|pp=53–54}} and insisted that engaging in earthly wars was against the way of Christ.{{sfn|Charles|2005|p=36}}{{sfn|Brock|1972|pp=11–12}}{{sfn|Cahill|1994|pp=53–54}}{{sfn|Trigg|1983|pp=235–236}} Origen accepted that it was sometimes necessary for a non-Christian state to wage wars{{sfn|Brock|1972|p=12}} but insisted that it was impossible for a Christian to fight in such a war without compromising his or her faith, since Christ had absolutely forbidden violence of any kind.{{sfn|Brock|1972|p=12}}{{sfn|Trigg|1983|pp=235–236}} Origen explained the violence found in certain passages of the Old Testament as allegorical{{sfn|Cahill|1994|p=53}} and pointed out Old Testament passages which he interpreted as supporting nonviolence, such as Psalm 7:4–6<ref>{{bibleverse|Psalm|7:4–6|HE}}</ref> and Lamentations 3:27–29.<ref>{{bibleverse|Lamentations|3:27–29|HE}}</ref>{{sfn|Cahill|1994|p=53}} Origen maintained that, if everyone were peaceful and loving like Christians, then there would be no wars and the Empire would not need a military.{{sfn|Trigg|1983|p=236}}