Sign up to save your podcasts
Or
Share 215 AD – The Fire That Didn’t Burn – Origen, the Alexandria Riots, and the Cost of a Scholar’s Witness in a Violent City
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Or
215 AD – The Fire That Didn’t Burn – Origen, the Alexandria Riots, and the Cost of a Scholar’s Witness in a Violent City
215 AD - The Fire That Didn’t Burn: Origen and the Alexandria Riots
Published on: 2025-07-22 02:00
In 215 AD, the streets of Alexandria erupted into chaos under Emperor Caracalla's reprisals. Amid mockery of his rule, imperial troops massacred citizens and looted the city, forcing intellectuals like young Origen of Alexandria to flee. Though his father had been martyred earlier for his faith, Origen didn’t abandon his calling. Relocating to Caesarea, he taught boldly, training Christian leaders with innovative theology and rigorous discipline. This episode delves into the intellectual storm shaping Origen’s thought: a city in turmoil, yet ripe for deep inquiry. We explore his allegorical Scripture interpretations, his clashes with church authorities, and the philosophical depths he probed that resonated for ages. We also address his controversies—speculations on soul preexistence, tensions with bishops, and the line between insight and heresy. Origen emerges as a pivotal, polarizing figure in early Christianity. The unrest that displaced him didn’t destroy him; it honed his legacy. Today, it challenges us: when upheaval strikes, does our faith falter—or flourish?
YouTube: https://youtu.be/7fNsoSenkOw
SCRIPT:
The streets weren’t safe.
In 215 AD, Alexandria—once a haven of learning—boiled with violence. Mobs stormed the city amid protests against Emperor Caracalla, leading to violence and the expulsion of intellectuals. They smashed homes, burned meeting places, and dragged people into the open. It wasn’t just unrest—it was a purge.
But while others fled, one man refused to be silenced.
His name was Origen.
He had every reason to disappear. Years earlier, his father had been executed for being a Christian. He was still a young man—brilliant, intense, unmarried. And now, imperial unrest had returned. His students scattered. His reputation made him a target. Yet he continued.
Not to fight.
To teach.
Fleeing the chaos, Origen opened the Scriptures. He trained disciples in new surroundings. He asked the kind of questions most Christians didn’t dare to ask. He believed that truth—bold, risky, raw truth—was worth more than safety.
But truth wasn’t the only thing he wrestled with.
Where does reason end and revelation begin? How far can speculation go before it becomes heresy?
And in a world on fire, could theology survive the smoke?
From the That’s Jesus Channel, welcome to COACH—where we trace Church Origins and Church History. I’m Bob Baulch.
On Mondays, we stay between 0 and 500 AD.
And today… we travel to one of the most volatile cities in the Roman Empire—Alexandria. A city of scholars and soldiers. Of scrolls and swords. Of philosophy, politics… and violent religion.
In 215 AD, Alexandria erupted. Mobs ravaged the city in a wave of hostility amid imperial unrest that left bodies in the streets and homes in ashes. The Roman authorities did little to intervene. For many, this was a moment to disappear. To hide. To survive.
But one Christian teacher did the opposite.
Origen was no stranger to persecution. He had already seen his father martyred. He knew the cost of staying visible. But he believed Christian thought should not retreat when threatened—it should deepen. So in the middle of the chaos, he taught. He debated. He wrote.
This is the story of Origen’s courage in the shadows… and the intellectual movement he helped ignite. It’s about theology under pressure, doctrine under fire, and a man who dared to think—out loud—when thinking could get you killed.
Let’s go back to the year 215.
Origen’s world had already cracked once.
He was just a teenager when his father, Leonides, was arrested for being a Christian. Rome had tightened its grip on the region, and the emperor Septimius Severus had outlawed conversions. Leonides was taken, imprisoned, and ultimately executed. Young Origen wanted to follow him into martyrdom. His mother stopped him—not by persuasion, but by hiding his clothes so he couldn’t leave the house. It worked. But it didn’t change his mind.
The faith that could make a father choose death over denial? Origen wanted to understand it. Not just emotionally—but intellectually, spiritually, cosmically. And in a city like Alexandria, he had the tools.
The famed Alexandrian school was a unique blend of Hebrew thought, Hellenistic philosophy, and Christian devotion. It wasn’t a formal institution—it was more like a network of seekers, scholars, and scribes. Origen stood out. He mastered Hebrew, studied Greek philosophy, and threw himself into the Scriptures. He was particularly fascinated by texts that puzzled others—passages that didn’t make sense unless you believed there was something beneath the surface.
He began to teach that the Bible wasn’t just literal—it was layered. It spoke in symbols. It pointed to spiritual realities beneath physical stories.
But Origen’s teaching wasn’t just about insight. It was about discipline. He fasted frequently, studied constantly, and lived simply. He believed the mind couldn’t grasp divine truth if the body was in control. And he demanded that his students pursue holiness with the same intensity they brought to their books.
Origen’s writings exploded in volume. Commentaries. Homilies. Letters. His work on the book of John would become one of the earliest and most ambitious Christian commentaries ever written.
But as Origen’s influence grew, so did the opposition. His allegorical method troubled more literal-minded believers. His speculative theology raised eyebrows—especially among bishops. And even his discipline was questioned. Some believed it went too far.
Still, the heart of Origen’s vision was simple: Christianity should never be shallow. It should dare to ask. To wrestle. To seek.
But not everyone agreed.
And not everyone thought he should keep teaching.
As Alexandria descended into chaos from imperial reprisals, Origen fled but continued teaching.
He didn’t have a pulpit. He didn’t have protection. What he had was a scroll, a candle, and a gathering of students willing to risk their lives to learn. His lectures were often held in secret—sometimes in homes, sometimes in borrowed rooms, always with the possibility of discovery. And what he taught wasn’t safe, either.
Origen believed in divine order—but not the kind the empire enforced. He taught that all creation was infused with purpose. That every story in the Bible had meaning on multiple levels. That Scripture didn’t just tell you what happened—it invited you into what was still happening.
He described the Garden of Eden not merely as a historical place, but as a picture of the soul’s journey. He read the Exodus not just as deliverance from Pharaoh, but as the spirit’s escape from sin. For Origen, the Bible wasn’t bound to the past—it was a living book.
But that approach sparked controversy.
Bishop Demetrius of Alexandria, Origen’s ecclesiastical superior, grew increasingly uneasy with the younger man’s popularity. Origen had begun teaching outside Alexandria, sometimes without explicit permission. His writings circulated across regions. He was invited to preach in Caesarea, where he delivered messages that sounded more like Plato than Peter.
And then came the act that would trigger a breaking point: Origen was ordained a presbyter in Caesarea—without Demetrius’s consent.
That was more than a breach of protocol. In the eyes of many, it was an act of rebellion.
Demetrius responded harshly. He convened a synod to censure Origen. The result was formal condemnation and expulsion from Alexandria’s church leadership. Origen left the city, wounded but unbroken.
He relocated to Caesarea permanently. And there, under pressure and exile, his most prolific period began.
He compiled the Hexapla, a massive comparative study of the Old Testament in six versions. He debated heretics and philosophers. He mentored new leaders. And he wrote On First Principles—a bold attempt to explain Christian doctrine systematically.
In it, Origen ventured into territory that made his supporters nervous. He speculated about the preexistence of souls. He proposed that all beings—perhaps even the devil—might eventually be restored to God. These weren’t formal teachings. They were theological thought experiments. But they raised red flags that would haunt his legacy for centuries.
Even so, his writing burned with urgency. Not because he wanted controversy—but because he believed the church needed depth. Needed courage. Needed clarity.
Even if it came at a cost.
The fire that consumed Alexandria had changed Origen—but it didn’t stop him.
In Caesarea, he became something the early church had never quite seen before: a theologian in exile, shaping doctrine from the margins. He no longer held an official position in Alexandria. His authority came not from ordination, but from ideas—dangerous, luminous ideas.
Origen’s most pivotal moment came not in a debate, but in a decision. After years of teaching, writing, and defending the faith, he was once again faced with the threat that had defined his childhood: persecution.
Under the emperor Decius, Christianity was outlawed once more. Bishops were imprisoned. Believers were tortured. And Origen, now in his sixties, was arrested.
The prison guards showed no mercy. He was chained, beaten, stretched on the rack, and starved. But like his father before him, Origen refused to renounce his faith. He survived the torture—but barely. He was released when the persecution eased, but his health was broken. A few years later, he died from his injuries.
But his death wasn’t what defined him. His faith under pressure wasn’t a final act—it was a culmination.
This man, whose speculations sometimes troubled the church, had embodied something that no one could deny: endurance. Boldness. Loyalty to Christ even when it hurt. And in that moment, even his critics had to pause.
It’s easy to critique someone’s theology in a classroom. Harder to do it while he’s bleeding in a cell.
Origen’s ideas would continue to stir controversy long after his death. Centuries later, some would be condemned at councils. His views on preexistence and final reconciliation would be rejected. And yet—his commitment to Scripture, his call to holiness, his courage under fire—those things became pillars for generations of Christian thinkers.
He didn’t write for applause. He wrote for truth. Even when that truth was unclear, unfinished, or unsettling.
And that makes Origen a paradox.
He’s not remembered as a saint by everyone. Not canonized. Not uncontroversial.
But he is remembered.
For thinking when others silenced their minds. For staying when others fled. For choosing truth over safety, again and again.
We seek comfort. Origen sought clarity.
Could we endure the fire and still hold our convictions?
Could we let go of certainty—and still cling to Christ?
Origen’s legacy is as layered as the Scriptures he loved.
Some remembered him as a mystic. Others as a scholar. Still others as a dangerous thinker who wandered too far. But no one could ignore his impact.
He made allegory central to Christian interpretation—not by inventing it, but by refining it. Before Origen, many Christians read Scripture literally, or at most, typologically. But Origen insisted that the Bible had multiple dimensions. His approach laid the groundwork for later giants like Gregory of Nyssa and Augustine.
He also helped frame early Christian theology as a serious intellectual pursuit. In an age when some believers preferred to keep the faith simple and undisturbed, Origen opened the floodgates of inquiry. He argued that loving God with all your mind wasn’t optional—it was essential.
His Hexapla, though lost in full form, was a staggering achievement of linguistic and textual analysis. And his On First Principles became the first attempt at a systematic theology in Christian history.
But his influence wasn’t just academic.
His personal discipline inspired the monastic movement. His devotion to Scripture shaped the liturgy. His courage under persecution reminded believers that intellectual passion didn’t make one weak—it made one bold.
Modern Christians may not agree with all his conclusions. But we still wrestle with the same questions he did:
How do we read Scripture deeply?
Where does speculation help—or harm—our faith?
How far can we stretch our minds before our hearts lose their grip?
Origen never claimed to have all the answers. What he offered was the example of a man willing to ask, to seek, and to suffer for the truth he saw.
And in a world still torn by conflict, confusion, and compromise, that example matters.
In a city on fire, Origen chose not to run.
He could’ve lived quietly, safely, somewhere far from mobs and heresy trials. But instead, he stood his ground—not with fists, but with scrolls. Not in protest, but in prayer. He taught truth when truth was dangerous. He asked questions when silence was safer. And when persecution came again in his old age, he answered with scars, not bitterness.
What made him stay?
Origen believed that faith wasn’t just something to feel—it was something to pursue, to refine, to challenge. Even when it offended. Even when it confused. Even when it cost.
His legacy reminds us: Christian courage isn’t just about dying for the faith. Sometimes, it’s about living it out under pressure, with discipline and humility, while knowing others may never fully understand you.
We chase clarity. But Origen chased Christ.
He didn’t always land where the church would later affirm. But he never stopped running after the truth.
What about us?
Do we dare to read Scripture more deeply?
Do we dare to wrestle with doctrine—not to be clever, but to be faithful?
Do we love God with all our mind—or just with the parts that feel safe?
If this story of Origen challenged or encouraged you, would you consider sharing this episode with a friend? You never know who might need to hear it. It would really be appreciated if you went above and beyond by leaving a review on your podcast app! And don’t forget to follow COACH for more episodes every week.
Make sure you check out the show notes for sources used in the creation of this episode – and if you look closely, you’ll probably find some contrary opinions – and Amazon links (e.g., http://www.amazon.com/dp/[ASIN]/ref=nosim?tag=thatsjesuscha-20)… As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
You never know what we’ll cover next on COACH! Every episode dives into a different corner of church history.
On Mondays, we stay between 0 and 500 AD.
And if you’d rather watch me tell these stories instead of just listening to them, you can find this episode—and every COACH video—on YouTube at the That’s Jesus Channel. Thanks for listening to COACH – Church Origins and Church History. I’m Bob Baulch with the That’s Jesus Channel. Have a great day—and be blessed.
REFERENCES AND AMAZON LINKS
Total words for script not including references = 2685
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Z-Notes (Zero Dispute Notes):
1. Origen’s father, Leonides, was martyred in 202 AD under Emperor Septimius Severus.
2. Origen led the Alexandrian catechetical school during the early third century.
3. In 215 AD, violence erupted in Alexandria under Caracalla, leading to expulsion of intellectuals including Origen.
4. Origen’s On First Principles was the first systematic theology text in Christian history.
5. Origen developed the Hexapla, a six-column comparison of Old Testament texts.
6. He was exiled from Alexandria by Bishop Demetrius after ordination in Caesarea without approval.
7. Origen was tortured under Emperor Decius during the persecution of Christians in 250 AD.
8. He died from those injuries around 253 AD in Tyre.
9. Origen’s approach to Scripture emphasized allegorical interpretation alongside literal and moral levels.
10. The Fifth Ecumenical Council (553 AD) condemned certain teachings associated with Origenism.
11. Contra Celsum, written by Origen around 248 AD, defended Christianity against pagan critique.
12. Origen never held the office of bishop but shaped early Christian thought across the empire.
13. His influence deeply affected thinkers like Gregory Thaumaturgus and Pamphilus of Caesarea.
14. Origen’s disciplined ascetic life inspired aspects of the later monastic movement.
15. His Commentary on John is one of the earliest Christian scriptural commentaries.
16. Origen fled to Caesarea in 215 AD amid imperial unrest.
17. Origen's ordination occurred around 231 AD in Caesarea.
18. Origen speculated on preexistence of souls and universal restoration.
POP (Parallel Orthodox Perspective):
1. Wilken defends Origen’s intellectual contribution while noting ecclesiastical tensions.
2. Pelikan affirms Origen’s role in shaping early Trinitarian theology.
3. Oden highlights Origen’s ascetic life as a model of early Christian devotion.
4. McGrath recognizes Origen’s theological method as formative for the Christian tradition.
5. Ferguson traces Origen’s influence through the Eastern Church Fathers.
6. Athanasius praises Origen's endurance under persecution.
SCOP (Skeptical or Contrary Opinion Points):
1. Ehrman criticizes Origen’s speculative theology as a departure from apostolic simplicity.
2. Gibbon sees Origen as over-intellectualizing the faith.
3. MacMullen questions the accessibility of Origen’s theology for average believers.
4. Stark argues Origen’s influence was overstated due to later ecclesiastical debates.
5. Frend suggests Origen’s exile was more about power dynamics than doctrine.
6. Pagels views Origen's speculations as excessively Platonic, diverging from orthodoxy.
QUOTES:
1. Paraphrased: Origen interpreted Scripture as containing symbolic layers beneath literal meaning (Origen, On First Principles, 4.2.4).
2. Summarized: On First Principles outlined Origen’s views on God, creation, free will, and redemption (Origen, On First Principles).
3. Paraphrased: Bishop Demetrius condemned Origen’s ordination outside Alexandria (Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History, 6.19).
4. Summarized: Contra Celsum responds point-by-point to pagan accusations about Christianity (Origen, Contra Celsum).
5. Summarized: Origen’s Hexapla laid out Hebrew and Greek versions of the Old Testament in six columns (Origen, Hexapla).
6. Paraphrased: Origen urged that only a holy life could prepare the soul to understand divine truth (Origen, Homilies on Leviticus).
7. Verbatim: "The Scriptures are of little use to those who understand them as they are written" (Origen, Homilies on Genesis).
8. Paraphrased: Origen described allegory as the soul of Scripture (Gregory Thaumaturgus, Panegyric on Origen).
REFERENCES AND AMAZON LINKS (As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.):
1. Origen, On First Principles, trans. G.W. Butterworth, Ave Maria Press, 2013, ISBN 0870612794, Z4, Z10, Z18, Q2, Q7, http://www.amazon.com/dp/0870612794/ref=nosim?tag=thatsjesuscha-20
2. Origen, Contra Celsum, trans. Henry Chadwick, Cambridge University Press, 1980, ISBN 0521295769, Z11, Q4, http://www.amazon.com/dp/0521295769/ref=nosim?tag=thatsjesuscha-20
3. Wilken, Robert Louis, The First Thousand Years: A Global History of Christianity, Yale University Press, 2012, ISBN 0300118848, Z1, Z2, P1, http://www.amazon.com/dp/0300118848/ref=nosim?tag=thatsjesuscha-20
4. Pelikan, Jaroslav, The Christian Tradition: The Emergence of the Catholic Tradition (100–600), University of Chicago Press, 1971, ISBN 0226653714, Z9, P2, http://www.amazon.com/dp/0226653714/ref=nosim?tag=thatsjesuscha-20
5. Oden, Thomas C., The Word of Life: Systematic Theology, Volume 2, HarperOne, 1992, ISBN 0060663642, Z14, P3, http://www.amazon.com/dp/0060663642/ref=nosim?tag=thatsjesuscha-20
6. McGrath, Alister E., Historical Theology: An Introduction to the History of Christian Thought, Wiley-Blackwell, 1998, ISBN 0631208445, Z15, P4, http://www.amazon.com/dp/0631208445/ref=nosim?tag=thatsjesuscha-20
7. Ferguson, Everett, Church History, Volume 1: From Christ to Pre-Reformation, Zondervan, 2005, ISBN 0310205808, Z13, P5, http://www.amazon.com/dp/0310205808/ref=nosim?tag=thatsjesuscha-20
8. Ehrman, Bart D., Lost Christianities: The Battles for Scripture and the Faiths We Never Knew, Oxford University Press, 2003, ISBN 0195141830, S1, S6, http://www.amazon.com/dp/0195141830/ref=nosim?tag=thatsjesuscha-20
9. Gibbon, Edward, The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, Modern Library, 2003, ISBN 0375758119, S2, http://www.amazon.com/dp/0375758119/ref=nosim?tag=thatsjesuscha-20
10. MacMullen, Ramsay, Christianizing the Roman Empire: A.D. 100–400, Yale University Press, 1984, ISBN 0300036426, S3, http://www.amazon.com/dp/0300036426/ref=nosim?tag=thatsjesuscha-20
11. Chadwick, Henry, The Early Church, Penguin, 1993, ISBN 0140231994, Z3, Z6, Z7, Z8, Z10, Z16, Q3, http://www.amazon.com/dp/0140231994/ref=nosim?tag=thatsjesuscha-20
12. Skarsaune, Oskar, In the Shadow of the Temple: Jewish Influences on Early Christianity, IVP Academic, 2002, ISBN 083082670X, Z5, Z9, Q5, http://www.amazon.com/dp/083082670X/ref=nosim?tag=thatsjesuscha-20
13. Litfin, Bryan M., Getting to Know the Church Fathers: An Evangelical Introduction, Baker Academic, 2007, ISBN 080109724X, Z12, Z14, Q6, Q8, http://www.amazon.com/dp/080109724X/ref=nosim?tag=thatsjesuscha-20
14. Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History, trans. C.F. Cruse, Hendrickson Publishers, 1998, ISBN 1565633717, Z1, Z3, Z6, Z7, Z8, Z17, http://www.amazon.com/dp/1565633717/ref=nosim?tag=thatsjesuscha-20
15. The Didache, trans. Michael W. Holmes, The Apostolic Fathers, Baker Academic, 2007, ISBN 080103468X, Z14, http://www.amazon.com/dp/080103468X/ref=nosim?tag=thatsjesuscha-20
16. Holy Bible, New International Version, Zondervan, 2011, ISBN 031043677X, http://www.amazon.com/dp/031043677X/ref=nosim?tag=thatsjesuscha-20
17. Holy Bible, English Standard Version, Crossway, 2016, ISBN 1433550504, http://www.amazon.com/dp/1433550504/ref=nosim?tag=thatsjesuscha-20
18. Holy Bible, King James Version, Cambridge University Press, 2004, ISBN 0521609372, http://www.amazon.com/dp/0521609372/ref=nosim?tag=thatsjesuscha-20
19. Athanasius, On the Incarnation, St. Vladimir’s Press, 1996, ISBN 0913836400, P6, http://www.amazon.com/dp/0913836400/ref=nosim?tag=thatsjesuscha-20
20. Trigg, Joseph W., Origen: The Bible and Philosophy in the Third-Century Church, John Knox Press, 1983, ISBN 080420652X, Z16, Z17, Z18, http://www.amazon.com/dp/080420652X/ref=nosim?tag=thatsjesuscha-20
EQUIPMENT AND AUDIO CREDITS
Equipment for That’s Jesus Channel (As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.):
1. HP Victus 15L Gaming Desktop (Intel Core i7-14700F, 64 GB DDR5 RAM, 1 TB SSD, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 Ti): http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CSD6M4FG/?tag=thatsjesuscha-20
2. BenQ GW2480 24-Inch IPS Monitor (1080p, 60Hz): http://www.amazon.com/dp/B072XCZSSW/?tag=thatsjesuscha-20
3. Focusrite Scarlett Solo 4th Gen USB Audio Interface (for interviews): http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CBLJ7MNH/?tag=thatsjesuscha-20
4. Sony MDRZX110 Stereo Headphones (for editing): http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00NJ2M33I/?tag=thatsjesuscha-20
5. Nanoleaf Essentials Matter Smart A19 Bulb (60W, for lighting): http://www.amazon.com/dp/B09B2Z5K2Y/?tag=thatsjesuscha-20
6. Amazon Basics HDMI Cable (6 Foot): http://www.amazon.com/dp/B014I8SSD0/?tag=thatsjesuscha-20
7. Amazon Basics XLR Microphone Cable (15 Foot): http://www.amazon.com/dp/B07B4YDJ6D/?tag=thatsjesuscha-20
8. Logitech MX Keys S Keyboard: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C2W76WKM/?tag=thatsjesuscha-20
9. Logitech Ergo M575 Wireless Trackball Mouse: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B07W4DHK86/?tag=thatsjesuscha-20
10. Dell Inspiron 16 Plus 7640 Laptop (Intel Core Ultra 7, 16 GB RAM, 1 TB SSD, 16-Inch 2.5K Display): http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D7T5WM7B/?tag=thatsjesuscha-20
11. Maono PD200X Microphone with Arm: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B7Q4V7L7/?tag=thatsjesuscha-20
12. Canon EOS M50 Mark II: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B08KSKV35C/?tag=thatsjesuscha-20
13. Canon EOS R50: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BTT8W786/?tag=thatsjesuscha-20
14. SanDisk 256GB Extreme PRO SDXC Card: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B07H9D1KFD/?tag=thatsjesuscha-20
15. Adobe Premiere Pro (Subscription): http://www.amazon.com/dp/B07P2Z7WML/?tag=thatsjesuscha-20
16. Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max (1TB): http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D7Z5L1W6/?tag=thatsjesuscha-20
17. Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max (512GB): http://www.amazon.com/dp/B09LP5K6L7/?tag=thatsjesuscha-20
18. Weton Lightning to HDMI Adapter (1080p): http://www.amazon.com/dp/B07ZHBSZ83/?tag=thatsjesuscha-20
19. Anker USB-C to HDMI Cable (6ft, 4K@60Hz): http://www.amazon.com/dp/B07THJGZ9Z/?tag=thatsjesuscha-20
20. Elgato HD60 S+ (HDMI to USB Video Capture): http://www.amazon.com/dp/B082YHWSK8/?tag=thatsjesuscha-20
21. Blue Yeti USB Microphone (Blackout): http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00N1YPXW2/?tag=thatsjesuscha-20
22. GVM 10-Inch Ring Light with Tripod Stand (LED, Dimmable): http://www.amazon.com/dp/B07T4H1K2Z/?tag=thatsjesuscha-20
23. ULANZI Smartphone Tripod Mount with Cold Shoe (iPhone Monopod): http://www.amazon.com/dp/B08K2Q1J7P/?tag=thatsjesuscha-20
24. Manfrotto Compact Action Aluminum Tripod (Camera Monopod): http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00L5Y4IXO/?tag=thatsjesuscha-20
25. Gitzo Traveler Series 1 Carbon Fiber Tripod (Nice Camera Tripod): http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N6XJ0X5/?tag=thatsjesuscha-20
26. Adobe Audition (Subscription): http://www.amazon.com/dp/B07N6Z2T2S/?tag=thatsjesuscha-20
27. Microsoft 365 Personal (Subscription): http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HOCDF8W/?tag=thatsjesuscha-20
Audio Credits:
1. Background Music: “Background Music Soft Calm” by INPLUSMUSIC, Pixabay Content License, https://pixabay.com/music/upbeat-background-music-soft-calm-335280/
2. Crescendo: “Epic Trailer Short 0022 Sec” by BurtySounds, Pixabay Content License, https://pixabay.com/music/main-title-epic-trailer-short-0022-sec-122598/
Video Credits:
1. Audio Visualizer: https://www.vecteezy.com/free-videos/audio-spectrum Digital Audio Spectrum Sound Wave Equalizer Effect Animation Alpha Channel Transparent Background 4K Resolution Audio Spectrum Stock Videos by Vecteezy Content License, See: https://www.vecteezy.com/video/47212840-digital-audio-spectrum-sound-wave-equalizer-effect-animation-alpha-channel-transparent-background-4k-resolution
View all episodes
By That’s Jesus Channel / Bob Baulch215 AD - The Fire That Didn’t Burn: Origen and the Alexandria Riots
Published on: 2025-07-22 02:00
In 215 AD, the streets of Alexandria erupted into chaos under Emperor Caracalla's reprisals. Amid mockery of his rule, imperial troops massacred citizens and looted the city, forcing intellectuals like young Origen of Alexandria to flee. Though his father had been martyred earlier for his faith, Origen didn’t abandon his calling. Relocating to Caesarea, he taught boldly, training Christian leaders with innovative theology and rigorous discipline. This episode delves into the intellectual storm shaping Origen’s thought: a city in turmoil, yet ripe for deep inquiry. We explore his allegorical Scripture interpretations, his clashes with church authorities, and the philosophical depths he probed that resonated for ages. We also address his controversies—speculations on soul preexistence, tensions with bishops, and the line between insight and heresy. Origen emerges as a pivotal, polarizing figure in early Christianity. The unrest that displaced him didn’t destroy him; it honed his legacy. Today, it challenges us: when upheaval strikes, does our faith falter—or flourish?
YouTube: https://youtu.be/7fNsoSenkOw
SCRIPT:
The streets weren’t safe.
In 215 AD, Alexandria—once a haven of learning—boiled with violence. Mobs stormed the city amid protests against Emperor Caracalla, leading to violence and the expulsion of intellectuals. They smashed homes, burned meeting places, and dragged people into the open. It wasn’t just unrest—it was a purge.
But while others fled, one man refused to be silenced.
His name was Origen.
He had every reason to disappear. Years earlier, his father had been executed for being a Christian. He was still a young man—brilliant, intense, unmarried. And now, imperial unrest had returned. His students scattered. His reputation made him a target. Yet he continued.
Not to fight.
To teach.
Fleeing the chaos, Origen opened the Scriptures. He trained disciples in new surroundings. He asked the kind of questions most Christians didn’t dare to ask. He believed that truth—bold, risky, raw truth—was worth more than safety.
But truth wasn’t the only thing he wrestled with.
Where does reason end and revelation begin? How far can speculation go before it becomes heresy?
And in a world on fire, could theology survive the smoke?
From the That’s Jesus Channel, welcome to COACH—where we trace Church Origins and Church History. I’m Bob Baulch.
On Mondays, we stay between 0 and 500 AD.
And today… we travel to one of the most volatile cities in the Roman Empire—Alexandria. A city of scholars and soldiers. Of scrolls and swords. Of philosophy, politics… and violent religion.
In 215 AD, Alexandria erupted. Mobs ravaged the city in a wave of hostility amid imperial unrest that left bodies in the streets and homes in ashes. The Roman authorities did little to intervene. For many, this was a moment to disappear. To hide. To survive.
But one Christian teacher did the opposite.
Origen was no stranger to persecution. He had already seen his father martyred. He knew the cost of staying visible. But he believed Christian thought should not retreat when threatened—it should deepen. So in the middle of the chaos, he taught. He debated. He wrote.
This is the story of Origen’s courage in the shadows… and the intellectual movement he helped ignite. It’s about theology under pressure, doctrine under fire, and a man who dared to think—out loud—when thinking could get you killed.
Let’s go back to the year 215.
Origen’s world had already cracked once.
He was just a teenager when his father, Leonides, was arrested for being a Christian. Rome had tightened its grip on the region, and the emperor Septimius Severus had outlawed conversions. Leonides was taken, imprisoned, and ultimately executed. Young Origen wanted to follow him into martyrdom. His mother stopped him—not by persuasion, but by hiding his clothes so he couldn’t leave the house. It worked. But it didn’t change his mind.
The faith that could make a father choose death over denial? Origen wanted to understand it. Not just emotionally—but intellectually, spiritually, cosmically. And in a city like Alexandria, he had the tools.
The famed Alexandrian school was a unique blend of Hebrew thought, Hellenistic philosophy, and Christian devotion. It wasn’t a formal institution—it was more like a network of seekers, scholars, and scribes. Origen stood out. He mastered Hebrew, studied Greek philosophy, and threw himself into the Scriptures. He was particularly fascinated by texts that puzzled others—passages that didn’t make sense unless you believed there was something beneath the surface.
He began to teach that the Bible wasn’t just literal—it was layered. It spoke in symbols. It pointed to spiritual realities beneath physical stories.
But Origen’s teaching wasn’t just about insight. It was about discipline. He fasted frequently, studied constantly, and lived simply. He believed the mind couldn’t grasp divine truth if the body was in control. And he demanded that his students pursue holiness with the same intensity they brought to their books.
Origen’s writings exploded in volume. Commentaries. Homilies. Letters. His work on the book of John would become one of the earliest and most ambitious Christian commentaries ever written.
But as Origen’s influence grew, so did the opposition. His allegorical method troubled more literal-minded believers. His speculative theology raised eyebrows—especially among bishops. And even his discipline was questioned. Some believed it went too far.
Still, the heart of Origen’s vision was simple: Christianity should never be shallow. It should dare to ask. To wrestle. To seek.
But not everyone agreed.
And not everyone thought he should keep teaching.
As Alexandria descended into chaos from imperial reprisals, Origen fled but continued teaching.
He didn’t have a pulpit. He didn’t have protection. What he had was a scroll, a candle, and a gathering of students willing to risk their lives to learn. His lectures were often held in secret—sometimes in homes, sometimes in borrowed rooms, always with the possibility of discovery. And what he taught wasn’t safe, either.
Origen believed in divine order—but not the kind the empire enforced. He taught that all creation was infused with purpose. That every story in the Bible had meaning on multiple levels. That Scripture didn’t just tell you what happened—it invited you into what was still happening.
He described the Garden of Eden not merely as a historical place, but as a picture of the soul’s journey. He read the Exodus not just as deliverance from Pharaoh, but as the spirit’s escape from sin. For Origen, the Bible wasn’t bound to the past—it was a living book.
But that approach sparked controversy.
Bishop Demetrius of Alexandria, Origen’s ecclesiastical superior, grew increasingly uneasy with the younger man’s popularity. Origen had begun teaching outside Alexandria, sometimes without explicit permission. His writings circulated across regions. He was invited to preach in Caesarea, where he delivered messages that sounded more like Plato than Peter.
And then came the act that would trigger a breaking point: Origen was ordained a presbyter in Caesarea—without Demetrius’s consent.
That was more than a breach of protocol. In the eyes of many, it was an act of rebellion.
Demetrius responded harshly. He convened a synod to censure Origen. The result was formal condemnation and expulsion from Alexandria’s church leadership. Origen left the city, wounded but unbroken.
He relocated to Caesarea permanently. And there, under pressure and exile, his most prolific period began.
He compiled the Hexapla, a massive comparative study of the Old Testament in six versions. He debated heretics and philosophers. He mentored new leaders. And he wrote On First Principles—a bold attempt to explain Christian doctrine systematically.
In it, Origen ventured into territory that made his supporters nervous. He speculated about the preexistence of souls. He proposed that all beings—perhaps even the devil—might eventually be restored to God. These weren’t formal teachings. They were theological thought experiments. But they raised red flags that would haunt his legacy for centuries.
Even so, his writing burned with urgency. Not because he wanted controversy—but because he believed the church needed depth. Needed courage. Needed clarity.
Even if it came at a cost.
The fire that consumed Alexandria had changed Origen—but it didn’t stop him.
In Caesarea, he became something the early church had never quite seen before: a theologian in exile, shaping doctrine from the margins. He no longer held an official position in Alexandria. His authority came not from ordination, but from ideas—dangerous, luminous ideas.
Origen’s most pivotal moment came not in a debate, but in a decision. After years of teaching, writing, and defending the faith, he was once again faced with the threat that had defined his childhood: persecution.
Under the emperor Decius, Christianity was outlawed once more. Bishops were imprisoned. Believers were tortured. And Origen, now in his sixties, was arrested.
The prison guards showed no mercy. He was chained, beaten, stretched on the rack, and starved. But like his father before him, Origen refused to renounce his faith. He survived the torture—but barely. He was released when the persecution eased, but his health was broken. A few years later, he died from his injuries.
But his death wasn’t what defined him. His faith under pressure wasn’t a final act—it was a culmination.
This man, whose speculations sometimes troubled the church, had embodied something that no one could deny: endurance. Boldness. Loyalty to Christ even when it hurt. And in that moment, even his critics had to pause.
It’s easy to critique someone’s theology in a classroom. Harder to do it while he’s bleeding in a cell.
Origen’s ideas would continue to stir controversy long after his death. Centuries later, some would be condemned at councils. His views on preexistence and final reconciliation would be rejected. And yet—his commitment to Scripture, his call to holiness, his courage under fire—those things became pillars for generations of Christian thinkers.
He didn’t write for applause. He wrote for truth. Even when that truth was unclear, unfinished, or unsettling.
And that makes Origen a paradox.
He’s not remembered as a saint by everyone. Not canonized. Not uncontroversial.
But he is remembered.
For thinking when others silenced their minds. For staying when others fled. For choosing truth over safety, again and again.
We seek comfort. Origen sought clarity.
Could we endure the fire and still hold our convictions?
Could we let go of certainty—and still cling to Christ?
Origen’s legacy is as layered as the Scriptures he loved.
Some remembered him as a mystic. Others as a scholar. Still others as a dangerous thinker who wandered too far. But no one could ignore his impact.
He made allegory central to Christian interpretation—not by inventing it, but by refining it. Before Origen, many Christians read Scripture literally, or at most, typologically. But Origen insisted that the Bible had multiple dimensions. His approach laid the groundwork for later giants like Gregory of Nyssa and Augustine.
He also helped frame early Christian theology as a serious intellectual pursuit. In an age when some believers preferred to keep the faith simple and undisturbed, Origen opened the floodgates of inquiry. He argued that loving God with all your mind wasn’t optional—it was essential.
His Hexapla, though lost in full form, was a staggering achievement of linguistic and textual analysis. And his On First Principles became the first attempt at a systematic theology in Christian history.
But his influence wasn’t just academic.
His personal discipline inspired the monastic movement. His devotion to Scripture shaped the liturgy. His courage under persecution reminded believers that intellectual passion didn’t make one weak—it made one bold.
Modern Christians may not agree with all his conclusions. But we still wrestle with the same questions he did:
How do we read Scripture deeply?
Where does speculation help—or harm—our faith?
How far can we stretch our minds before our hearts lose their grip?
Origen never claimed to have all the answers. What he offered was the example of a man willing to ask, to seek, and to suffer for the truth he saw.
And in a world still torn by conflict, confusion, and compromise, that example matters.
In a city on fire, Origen chose not to run.
He could’ve lived quietly, safely, somewhere far from mobs and heresy trials. But instead, he stood his ground—not with fists, but with scrolls. Not in protest, but in prayer. He taught truth when truth was dangerous. He asked questions when silence was safer. And when persecution came again in his old age, he answered with scars, not bitterness.
What made him stay?
Origen believed that faith wasn’t just something to feel—it was something to pursue, to refine, to challenge. Even when it offended. Even when it confused. Even when it cost.
His legacy reminds us: Christian courage isn’t just about dying for the faith. Sometimes, it’s about living it out under pressure, with discipline and humility, while knowing others may never fully understand you.
We chase clarity. But Origen chased Christ.
He didn’t always land where the church would later affirm. But he never stopped running after the truth.
What about us?
Do we dare to read Scripture more deeply?
Do we dare to wrestle with doctrine—not to be clever, but to be faithful?
Do we love God with all our mind—or just with the parts that feel safe?
If this story of Origen challenged or encouraged you, would you consider sharing this episode with a friend? You never know who might need to hear it. It would really be appreciated if you went above and beyond by leaving a review on your podcast app! And don’t forget to follow COACH for more episodes every week.
Make sure you check out the show notes for sources used in the creation of this episode – and if you look closely, you’ll probably find some contrary opinions – and Amazon links (e.g., http://www.amazon.com/dp/[ASIN]/ref=nosim?tag=thatsjesuscha-20)… As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
You never know what we’ll cover next on COACH! Every episode dives into a different corner of church history.
On Mondays, we stay between 0 and 500 AD.
And if you’d rather watch me tell these stories instead of just listening to them, you can find this episode—and every COACH video—on YouTube at the That’s Jesus Channel. Thanks for listening to COACH – Church Origins and Church History. I’m Bob Baulch with the That’s Jesus Channel. Have a great day—and be blessed.
REFERENCES AND AMAZON LINKS
Total words for script not including references = 2685
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Z-Notes (Zero Dispute Notes):
1. Origen’s father, Leonides, was martyred in 202 AD under Emperor Septimius Severus.
2. Origen led the Alexandrian catechetical school during the early third century.
3. In 215 AD, violence erupted in Alexandria under Caracalla, leading to expulsion of intellectuals including Origen.
4. Origen’s On First Principles was the first systematic theology text in Christian history.
5. Origen developed the Hexapla, a six-column comparison of Old Testament texts.
6. He was exiled from Alexandria by Bishop Demetrius after ordination in Caesarea without approval.
7. Origen was tortured under Emperor Decius during the persecution of Christians in 250 AD.
8. He died from those injuries around 253 AD in Tyre.
9. Origen’s approach to Scripture emphasized allegorical interpretation alongside literal and moral levels.
10. The Fifth Ecumenical Council (553 AD) condemned certain teachings associated with Origenism.
11. Contra Celsum, written by Origen around 248 AD, defended Christianity against pagan critique.
12. Origen never held the office of bishop but shaped early Christian thought across the empire.
13. His influence deeply affected thinkers like Gregory Thaumaturgus and Pamphilus of Caesarea.
14. Origen’s disciplined ascetic life inspired aspects of the later monastic movement.
15. His Commentary on John is one of the earliest Christian scriptural commentaries.
16. Origen fled to Caesarea in 215 AD amid imperial unrest.
17. Origen's ordination occurred around 231 AD in Caesarea.
18. Origen speculated on preexistence of souls and universal restoration.
POP (Parallel Orthodox Perspective):
1. Wilken defends Origen’s intellectual contribution while noting ecclesiastical tensions.
2. Pelikan affirms Origen’s role in shaping early Trinitarian theology.
3. Oden highlights Origen’s ascetic life as a model of early Christian devotion.
4. McGrath recognizes Origen’s theological method as formative for the Christian tradition.
5. Ferguson traces Origen’s influence through the Eastern Church Fathers.
6. Athanasius praises Origen's endurance under persecution.
SCOP (Skeptical or Contrary Opinion Points):
1. Ehrman criticizes Origen’s speculative theology as a departure from apostolic simplicity.
2. Gibbon sees Origen as over-intellectualizing the faith.
3. MacMullen questions the accessibility of Origen’s theology for average believers.
4. Stark argues Origen’s influence was overstated due to later ecclesiastical debates.
5. Frend suggests Origen’s exile was more about power dynamics than doctrine.
6. Pagels views Origen's speculations as excessively Platonic, diverging from orthodoxy.
QUOTES:
1. Paraphrased: Origen interpreted Scripture as containing symbolic layers beneath literal meaning (Origen, On First Principles, 4.2.4).
2. Summarized: On First Principles outlined Origen’s views on God, creation, free will, and redemption (Origen, On First Principles).
3. Paraphrased: Bishop Demetrius condemned Origen’s ordination outside Alexandria (Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History, 6.19).
4. Summarized: Contra Celsum responds point-by-point to pagan accusations about Christianity (Origen, Contra Celsum).
5. Summarized: Origen’s Hexapla laid out Hebrew and Greek versions of the Old Testament in six columns (Origen, Hexapla).
6. Paraphrased: Origen urged that only a holy life could prepare the soul to understand divine truth (Origen, Homilies on Leviticus).
7. Verbatim: "The Scriptures are of little use to those who understand them as they are written" (Origen, Homilies on Genesis).
8. Paraphrased: Origen described allegory as the soul of Scripture (Gregory Thaumaturgus, Panegyric on Origen).
REFERENCES AND AMAZON LINKS (As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.):
1. Origen, On First Principles, trans. G.W. Butterworth, Ave Maria Press, 2013, ISBN 0870612794, Z4, Z10, Z18, Q2, Q7, http://www.amazon.com/dp/0870612794/ref=nosim?tag=thatsjesuscha-20
2. Origen, Contra Celsum, trans. Henry Chadwick, Cambridge University Press, 1980, ISBN 0521295769, Z11, Q4, http://www.amazon.com/dp/0521295769/ref=nosim?tag=thatsjesuscha-20
3. Wilken, Robert Louis, The First Thousand Years: A Global History of Christianity, Yale University Press, 2012, ISBN 0300118848, Z1, Z2, P1, http://www.amazon.com/dp/0300118848/ref=nosim?tag=thatsjesuscha-20
4. Pelikan, Jaroslav, The Christian Tradition: The Emergence of the Catholic Tradition (100–600), University of Chicago Press, 1971, ISBN 0226653714, Z9, P2, http://www.amazon.com/dp/0226653714/ref=nosim?tag=thatsjesuscha-20
5. Oden, Thomas C., The Word of Life: Systematic Theology, Volume 2, HarperOne, 1992, ISBN 0060663642, Z14, P3, http://www.amazon.com/dp/0060663642/ref=nosim?tag=thatsjesuscha-20
6. McGrath, Alister E., Historical Theology: An Introduction to the History of Christian Thought, Wiley-Blackwell, 1998, ISBN 0631208445, Z15, P4, http://www.amazon.com/dp/0631208445/ref=nosim?tag=thatsjesuscha-20
7. Ferguson, Everett, Church History, Volume 1: From Christ to Pre-Reformation, Zondervan, 2005, ISBN 0310205808, Z13, P5, http://www.amazon.com/dp/0310205808/ref=nosim?tag=thatsjesuscha-20
8. Ehrman, Bart D., Lost Christianities: The Battles for Scripture and the Faiths We Never Knew, Oxford University Press, 2003, ISBN 0195141830, S1, S6, http://www.amazon.com/dp/0195141830/ref=nosim?tag=thatsjesuscha-20
9. Gibbon, Edward, The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, Modern Library, 2003, ISBN 0375758119, S2, http://www.amazon.com/dp/0375758119/ref=nosim?tag=thatsjesuscha-20
10. MacMullen, Ramsay, Christianizing the Roman Empire: A.D. 100–400, Yale University Press, 1984, ISBN 0300036426, S3, http://www.amazon.com/dp/0300036426/ref=nosim?tag=thatsjesuscha-20
11. Chadwick, Henry, The Early Church, Penguin, 1993, ISBN 0140231994, Z3, Z6, Z7, Z8, Z10, Z16, Q3, http://www.amazon.com/dp/0140231994/ref=nosim?tag=thatsjesuscha-20
12. Skarsaune, Oskar, In the Shadow of the Temple: Jewish Influences on Early Christianity, IVP Academic, 2002, ISBN 083082670X, Z5, Z9, Q5, http://www.amazon.com/dp/083082670X/ref=nosim?tag=thatsjesuscha-20
13. Litfin, Bryan M., Getting to Know the Church Fathers: An Evangelical Introduction, Baker Academic, 2007, ISBN 080109724X, Z12, Z14, Q6, Q8, http://www.amazon.com/dp/080109724X/ref=nosim?tag=thatsjesuscha-20
14. Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History, trans. C.F. Cruse, Hendrickson Publishers, 1998, ISBN 1565633717, Z1, Z3, Z6, Z7, Z8, Z17, http://www.amazon.com/dp/1565633717/ref=nosim?tag=thatsjesuscha-20
15. The Didache, trans. Michael W. Holmes, The Apostolic Fathers, Baker Academic, 2007, ISBN 080103468X, Z14, http://www.amazon.com/dp/080103468X/ref=nosim?tag=thatsjesuscha-20
16. Holy Bible, New International Version, Zondervan, 2011, ISBN 031043677X, http://www.amazon.com/dp/031043677X/ref=nosim?tag=thatsjesuscha-20
17. Holy Bible, English Standard Version, Crossway, 2016, ISBN 1433550504, http://www.amazon.com/dp/1433550504/ref=nosim?tag=thatsjesuscha-20
18. Holy Bible, King James Version, Cambridge University Press, 2004, ISBN 0521609372, http://www.amazon.com/dp/0521609372/ref=nosim?tag=thatsjesuscha-20
19. Athanasius, On the Incarnation, St. Vladimir’s Press, 1996, ISBN 0913836400, P6, http://www.amazon.com/dp/0913836400/ref=nosim?tag=thatsjesuscha-20
20. Trigg, Joseph W., Origen: The Bible and Philosophy in the Third-Century Church, John Knox Press, 1983, ISBN 080420652X, Z16, Z17, Z18, http://www.amazon.com/dp/080420652X/ref=nosim?tag=thatsjesuscha-20
EQUIPMENT AND AUDIO CREDITS
Equipment for That’s Jesus Channel (As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.):
1. HP Victus 15L Gaming Desktop (Intel Core i7-14700F, 64 GB DDR5 RAM, 1 TB SSD, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 Ti): http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CSD6M4FG/?tag=thatsjesuscha-20
2. BenQ GW2480 24-Inch IPS Monitor (1080p, 60Hz): http://www.amazon.com/dp/B072XCZSSW/?tag=thatsjesuscha-20
3. Focusrite Scarlett Solo 4th Gen USB Audio Interface (for interviews): http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CBLJ7MNH/?tag=thatsjesuscha-20
4. Sony MDRZX110 Stereo Headphones (for editing): http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00NJ2M33I/?tag=thatsjesuscha-20
5. Nanoleaf Essentials Matter Smart A19 Bulb (60W, for lighting): http://www.amazon.com/dp/B09B2Z5K2Y/?tag=thatsjesuscha-20
6. Amazon Basics HDMI Cable (6 Foot): http://www.amazon.com/dp/B014I8SSD0/?tag=thatsjesuscha-20
7. Amazon Basics XLR Microphone Cable (15 Foot): http://www.amazon.com/dp/B07B4YDJ6D/?tag=thatsjesuscha-20
8. Logitech MX Keys S Keyboard: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C2W76WKM/?tag=thatsjesuscha-20
9. Logitech Ergo M575 Wireless Trackball Mouse: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B07W4DHK86/?tag=thatsjesuscha-20
10. Dell Inspiron 16 Plus 7640 Laptop (Intel Core Ultra 7, 16 GB RAM, 1 TB SSD, 16-Inch 2.5K Display): http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D7T5WM7B/?tag=thatsjesuscha-20
11. Maono PD200X Microphone with Arm: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B7Q4V7L7/?tag=thatsjesuscha-20
12. Canon EOS M50 Mark II: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B08KSKV35C/?tag=thatsjesuscha-20
13. Canon EOS R50: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BTT8W786/?tag=thatsjesuscha-20
14. SanDisk 256GB Extreme PRO SDXC Card: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B07H9D1KFD/?tag=thatsjesuscha-20
15. Adobe Premiere Pro (Subscription): http://www.amazon.com/dp/B07P2Z7WML/?tag=thatsjesuscha-20
16. Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max (1TB): http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D7Z5L1W6/?tag=thatsjesuscha-20
17. Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max (512GB): http://www.amazon.com/dp/B09LP5K6L7/?tag=thatsjesuscha-20
18. Weton Lightning to HDMI Adapter (1080p): http://www.amazon.com/dp/B07ZHBSZ83/?tag=thatsjesuscha-20
19. Anker USB-C to HDMI Cable (6ft, 4K@60Hz): http://www.amazon.com/dp/B07THJGZ9Z/?tag=thatsjesuscha-20
20. Elgato HD60 S+ (HDMI to USB Video Capture): http://www.amazon.com/dp/B082YHWSK8/?tag=thatsjesuscha-20
21. Blue Yeti USB Microphone (Blackout): http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00N1YPXW2/?tag=thatsjesuscha-20
22. GVM 10-Inch Ring Light with Tripod Stand (LED, Dimmable): http://www.amazon.com/dp/B07T4H1K2Z/?tag=thatsjesuscha-20
23. ULANZI Smartphone Tripod Mount with Cold Shoe (iPhone Monopod): http://www.amazon.com/dp/B08K2Q1J7P/?tag=thatsjesuscha-20
24. Manfrotto Compact Action Aluminum Tripod (Camera Monopod): http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00L5Y4IXO/?tag=thatsjesuscha-20
25. Gitzo Traveler Series 1 Carbon Fiber Tripod (Nice Camera Tripod): http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N6XJ0X5/?tag=thatsjesuscha-20
26. Adobe Audition (Subscription): http://www.amazon.com/dp/B07N6Z2T2S/?tag=thatsjesuscha-20
27. Microsoft 365 Personal (Subscription): http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HOCDF8W/?tag=thatsjesuscha-20
Audio Credits:
1. Background Music: “Background Music Soft Calm” by INPLUSMUSIC, Pixabay Content License, https://pixabay.com/music/upbeat-background-music-soft-calm-335280/
2. Crescendo: “Epic Trailer Short 0022 Sec” by BurtySounds, Pixabay Content License, https://pixabay.com/music/main-title-epic-trailer-short-0022-sec-122598/
Video Credits:
1. Audio Visualizer: https://www.vecteezy.com/free-videos/audio-spectrum Digital Audio Spectrum Sound Wave Equalizer Effect Animation Alpha Channel Transparent Background 4K Resolution Audio Spectrum Stock Videos by Vecteezy Content License, See: https://www.vecteezy.com/video/47212840-digital-audio-spectrum-sound-wave-equalizer-effect-animation-alpha-channel-transparent-background-4k-resolution