Dear All,
I am forwarding this query from my Buddhist Studies colleague Rupert
Gethin to the list experts. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!
*******
In 1928 one Donald A. Mackenzie published a book with the title
_Buddhism in Pre-Christian Britain_ (London and Glasgow: Blackie &
Son). In support of his somewhat surprising thesis that Buddhism
flourished in the British Isles before the beginning of the Christian
Era, Mackenzie cites the works of Origen:
QUOTE
It is known that he [Origen] visited Rome and there, no doubt, he
received special and confidential information regarding Britain. At any
rate, writing about 230, he referred to our native land as a Christian
country.
'When,' he asked 'did Britain, _previous to the coming of the
Christ_, agree to worship the one God?' (_Fourth Hom. On Ezek._).
He inquires elsewhere (_Commentary on Ezekiel_) into the reason for the
rapid spread of Christianity in Britain and writes:
'The island long been pre-disposed to it (Christianity) _through the
doctrines of the Druids and Buddhists, who had already inculcated the
unity of the Godhead_.' (p. 42)
ENDQUOTE
This is as much information as Mackenzie gives. It appears from lists
of Origen's surviving works (e.g. H. Crousel, _Origen_ (Edinburgh,
1989), pp. 37-49) that Origen never actually wrote a Commentary on
Ezekiel. Could someone confirm my guess that Mackenzie has simply made
the whole reference up?
----------------------
Dr Rupert Gethin
University of Bristol
Centre for Buddhist Studies
Department of Theology and Religious Studies
3 Woodland Road, Bristol, BS8 1TB, UK
--- End Forwarded Message ---
----------------------
Carolyn Muessig
Department of Theology and Religious Studies
University of Bristol
3 Woodland Road
Bristol BS8 1TB
UK
fax: +44.117.929.7850
phone: +44.117.928.8168
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