De principiis

De principiis (On First Principles) is an early systematic work by Origen, a prominent theologian and biblical scholar of the early Greek church. Written around 225 CE, it aimed to outline Christian doctrine based on the Apostles' rule of faith. This included the Creator as God of both Testaments, the incarnation of the preexistent Lord, the Holy Spirit as part of the divine triad, the freedom of rational souls, and the non-eternity of the world.12

Origen believed that God is good, just, and omnipotent, and that in love, God created rational beings. These beings, however, fell from grace, leading to the creation of the material world as a means of discipline. Origen speculated that souls fell to different levels, becoming angels, humans, or devils. He proposed that redemption is a process of education that restores all souls to blessedness, believing that even Satan could be redeemed. His work explored concepts like the preexistence of souls and universal salvation, which later led to controversy and condemnation by some church councils.12