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Ante-Nicene Fathers #2
Fathers of the Second Century: Hermas, Tatian, Theophilus, Athenagoras, Clement of Alexandria
"One of the first great events in Christian history was the Council of Nicaea in 325 AD, convened to organize Christian sects and beliefs into a unified doctrine. The great Christian clergymen who wrote before this famous event are referred to as the Ante-Nicenes and the Apostolic Fathers, and their writings are collected here in a ten-volume set. The Ante-Nicenes lived so close to the time of Christ that their interpretations of the New Testament are considered more authentic than modern voices. But they are also real and flawed men, who are more like their fellow Christians than they are like the Apostles, making their words echo in the ears of spiritual seekers. In Volume II of the 10-volume collected works of the Ante-Nicenes first published between 1885 and 1896, readers will find the writings of: ¿ the Pastor of Hermas, author of a popular book in the Ante-Nicene era ¿ Tatian, a second-century theologian ¿ Theophilus, a Christian convert and early apologist ¿ Athenagoras, a Christian convert and accomplished philosopher ¿ and Clement of Alexandria, who wrote Protrepticus, Paedagogus, and Stromata."
640 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1896
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November 4, 2021
Another massive step in my nonetheless still far-from-completed journey through early Christian writings is finished. I have a weird fondness for the fantasia that is The Pastor (or Shepherd) of Hermas, probably because the whole idea of this story of presumably entirely invented visions nonetheless shaping much early Christian discourse resonates with my own Mormon history of scripture emerging through a variety of creative paths. Mostly though, what I valued in this volume where the writings of Clement of Alexandria. His Instructor is wild, filled with all sorts of sometimes ridiculously insistent opinions about bathing, modesty, earrings, clothing, sleeping arrangements, shoes, and more, plus a whole chapter on sex which the Victorian translators of this edition felt appropriate to leave in Latin, all of which is wrapped up in a pious and actually rather thoughtfully expressed understanding of the believing Christian's need to accept the tutelage of Christ the Lord. And his sermon "Who Is the Rich Man that Shall Be Saved"? is genuinely kind of profound; it's something I'll be thinking about and arguing with myself about for quite a while.
May 3, 2013
As with Volume 1, this is a fascinating glimpse into the early theology and practice of the church.
Sometimes, the Fathers hold utterly unexpected beliefs (Clement is often cited as one of the first to advocate Universal Reconciliation); sometimes, very familiar ones. Clement of Alexandria is far and away my favourite, his shorter "Who is the Rich Man that Shall be Saved?" an excellent source of insight and guide for Christian practice. As a scholar, I appreciate the value that Clement places on philosophy as well as law, and I found his idea that Greek philosophy was a source of grace to the barbarians as the law was to the ancient Jews a fascinating theory, regardless of its veracity. Even Clement's seemingly-harsh moral prescriptions have value. He instructs the church, for instance, to eat very simply; I wondered why eating should be reduced to fueling the body (Yes, that's Clement's analogy) till I read in a magazine that the Romans offered 34-course banquets that required those who attended to throw up halfway through. It's interesting to see how, even then, the church shaped itself to answer the flaws of its culture.
With the other writers, I skipped around some. Personal circumstances ate into the time I had to read anyone else. Hermas was interesting, as an early version of the dream visions that dominated medieval religious writers, but I still found Hermas to overemphasize law in favour of grace. Still, even reading the flawed parts of the church fathers is a good exercise: If nothing else, they remind us that the church then had problems just as the church now does; we are neither better nor worse as people of God.
Recommended for those seeking traditional (as opposed to pop-culture) theology and spiritual encouragement, as well as those who are interested in the history of the church
Sometimes, the Fathers hold utterly unexpected beliefs (Clement is often cited as one of the first to advocate Universal Reconciliation); sometimes, very familiar ones. Clement of Alexandria is far and away my favourite, his shorter "Who is the Rich Man that Shall be Saved?" an excellent source of insight and guide for Christian practice. As a scholar, I appreciate the value that Clement places on philosophy as well as law, and I found his idea that Greek philosophy was a source of grace to the barbarians as the law was to the ancient Jews a fascinating theory, regardless of its veracity. Even Clement's seemingly-harsh moral prescriptions have value. He instructs the church, for instance, to eat very simply; I wondered why eating should be reduced to fueling the body (Yes, that's Clement's analogy) till I read in a magazine that the Romans offered 34-course banquets that required those who attended to throw up halfway through. It's interesting to see how, even then, the church shaped itself to answer the flaws of its culture.
With the other writers, I skipped around some. Personal circumstances ate into the time I had to read anyone else. Hermas was interesting, as an early version of the dream visions that dominated medieval religious writers, but I still found Hermas to overemphasize law in favour of grace. Still, even reading the flawed parts of the church fathers is a good exercise: If nothing else, they remind us that the church then had problems just as the church now does; we are neither better nor worse as people of God.
Recommended for those seeking traditional (as opposed to pop-culture) theology and spiritual encouragement, as well as those who are interested in the history of the church
April 9, 2025
Step into the world where demons, Satan, angels make sense and Plato learned from Moses.
Greek Gods are bad since they often eat their own children.
Ignorance is worse, opinion not so good, and gnostic certainty is best and love of wisdom needs certainty from the writings of Paul. To go against God’s nature is a sin and fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. God is love if you are obedient to His ways. Clement assured the reader the Epistle of Hebrews was written by Paul. All one need to do is read Hebrews and the sophistication in that letter is more than Paul was capable of writing.
When Clement defended the taking of captive virgins for the sake of birthing children and the raped victims honor, I realized the madness the early Christians employed in defending wickedness:
“Further, it forbids intercourse with a female captive so as to dishonour her. “But allow her,” it says, “thirty days to mourn according to her wish, and changing her clothes, associate with her as your lawful wife.” For it regards it not right that this should take place either in wantonness or for hire like harlots, but only for the birth of children."
The one argument that would have been persuasive is linking Jesus as the Messiah from the Old Testament and they don’t do that. The writers only make vague references while mostly sublating Greek philosophy in defense of a God.
They also assure me Lot’s wife turned into a pillar of salt as she turned around, and that the same fate awaits me if I don’t accept their absurdities. Also, they accept some of the early non-canonical writings as true and use whatever fantasy that seemed to support their beliefs.
I find these early Christian writers fascinating and marvel at the poor arguments they make.
Greek Gods are bad since they often eat their own children.
Ignorance is worse, opinion not so good, and gnostic certainty is best and love of wisdom needs certainty from the writings of Paul. To go against God’s nature is a sin and fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. God is love if you are obedient to His ways. Clement assured the reader the Epistle of Hebrews was written by Paul. All one need to do is read Hebrews and the sophistication in that letter is more than Paul was capable of writing.
When Clement defended the taking of captive virgins for the sake of birthing children and the raped victims honor, I realized the madness the early Christians employed in defending wickedness:
“Further, it forbids intercourse with a female captive so as to dishonour her. “But allow her,” it says, “thirty days to mourn according to her wish, and changing her clothes, associate with her as your lawful wife.” For it regards it not right that this should take place either in wantonness or for hire like harlots, but only for the birth of children."
The one argument that would have been persuasive is linking Jesus as the Messiah from the Old Testament and they don’t do that. The writers only make vague references while mostly sublating Greek philosophy in defense of a God.
They also assure me Lot’s wife turned into a pillar of salt as she turned around, and that the same fate awaits me if I don’t accept their absurdities. Also, they accept some of the early non-canonical writings as true and use whatever fantasy that seemed to support their beliefs.
I find these early Christian writers fascinating and marvel at the poor arguments they make.
January 7, 2014
I find most of the Fathers of the Church to be boring, some repugnant. There are a few exceptions, one of them being Clement of Alexandria. Unlike some of the others he had a liberal education, an appreciation of pre-Christian culture and philosophies. A goldmine of anecdote, his treatment of Pythagoras is precious.
A couple of years later, helping friends at a local Renaissance Fair thing, I did some stints as an insane monk, wearing a pseudo-Benedictine habit given me in seminary. Clement provided much of the material for my rants.
A couple of years later, helping friends at a local Renaissance Fair thing, I did some stints as an insane monk, wearing a pseudo-Benedictine habit given me in seminary. Clement provided much of the material for my rants.
August 23, 2012
This volume covers the rest of the Apologetic Fathers, the Shepherd of Hermas, and Clement of Alexandria. I'll give a few thoughts on the volume overall (when I've finished), and on each author (as I finish them in turn).
Overall thoughts:
-The similarity of conversion experiences of these apologetic writers is remarkable. Tatian, for example, writes of his own conversion that, having seen the depravity of Western culture,
-The authority given to Scripture is likewise remarkable. Especially in Clement (probably just because we have quite a bit more from him than from anyone else in this book), over and over the Bible is treated as the only source of truth in the world (any knowledge the Greek philosophers had they got because they had read the books of Moses), and as the Christians final authority. I don't know that we see this high a view of Scripture again until the Reformation...
-Uncertainty about what to do with pagans who say things that are true, but reject the Gospel. Clement simply says they are thieves, who have stolen what belongs to others but as a result have something true themselves. The others are a bit less certain about the best way to engage with pagan thinkers and artist. Perhaps this is a good parallel to how Christians are divided in thinking about science and modern philosophy today?
The Shepherd of Hermas: I skipped this one, as it is found in The Apostolic Fathers in English, which I have already read.
Address of Tatian to the Greeks (along with a few Fragments of his writings): I'm going to have to revisit this short work. Despite the fact that Tatian fell into Montanism at the end of his life, this is a solid work of philosophical and theological argument that bears re-reading. He has reasoned and lucid discussions of the shortcomings of Greek philosophy, the Christian doctrines of creation, resurrection, the fall, the Logos, the Holy Spirit, and how Christians ought to live in the world. Moreover, Christian writings are older and more accurate than anything in the Greek corpus.
Theophilus to Autolycus Like Tatian, Theophilus argues the various doctrines of Christianity as opposed to the Greek philosophy prevalent in his day. Theophilus is (I think) a better writer, if not quite as philosophically astute. He hinges his argument on the antiquity and historical accuracy of Christian Scriptures as opposed to Greek myths about the origin of the world. This, to the best of my knowledge (and according to the footnotes) also includes the first attempt to establish a Christian chronology and philosophy of history. Though of course the masterpieces of each would have to wait until Eusebius.
Athenagoras:
A Plea [Embassy] for the Christians This is a letter to the co-Emperors Marcus Aurelius and Commodus (not yet of Gladiator fame) arguing that Christians are being treated unjustly, despite the official policy of "religious toleration." Athenagoras argues that if Christians are breaking the law they should of course be punished -we are good subjects of the state, after all- but that such claims should be investigated. We should not just be punished because of the name "Christian."
Moreover, the charges of cannibalism and incest are false, and the government is more than welcome to investigate to confirm that we are actually innocent. Heck, it's your job as Emperor and judge to search this stuff out, not just assume that the charges are accurate.
Even more, Christians are not atheists- we just separate "God" from "matter", unlike the pagans and in line with the poets and philosophers (including Plato and Aristotle). Our view of God is of course better than the views of the poets and philosophers, and it is a view reinforced by the quality of our lives.
Overall, this is a fascinating and worthwhile read that gives a picture of early Christianity and how Christians thought about and interacted with the culture at large.
The Treatise of Athenagoras on the Resurrection of the Dead This is, well, a treatise on the resurrection. I wasn't quite as impressed by this as by the Plea for the Christians. Athenagoras makes two broad arguments here:
1) It's more important to articulate and defend truth than it is to attack falsehood, though both are necessary and sometimes the latter can be more useful.
2) The resurrection of the dead is well within the power and will of God, so there are no actual objections to it. We know that there will be a resurrection because a) God's goals in creation (that we would worship Him body and soul) require it; b) our nature is a mixture of body and soul, and after the body dies if there is to be any kind of fulfilling afterlife there must be a reunion of the two, therefore there must be a resurrection; c) final judgment requires that there be a body to be judged (or forgiven, in the case of Christians) as well as a soul, since the body and soul work together in sin. This last one seems to be the point that Athenagoras hinges most of his arguments on, assuming that all of his audience believes in a final judgment of some sort. Clearly, this wouldn't necessarily work as an apologetic approach today. (Nor would his claims about cannibalism, where he argues that "cannibalism" doesn't hinder resurrection because the stuff that will be resurrected isn't actually digest, it's expelled from the system until God reassembles the body. Which I find both a weird and fascinating argument at the same time, reminiscent of the last couple of books of City of God. There's a treatise to be written on the ancient world's obsession with cannibalism...)
Like I said, not as impressive as the plea, but worth the read nonetheless. His apologetic approach of taking things that the culture commonly assumes to be true and showing points of agreement and disagreement as a starting point for defending Christianity is an interesting one, though perhaps one I wouldn't use myself.
I'll get back to Clement. Frankly, he intimidates me, and I want a bit of a break before tackling the last 400 pages of this volume...
[later]
Okay Clement, I've read all the short pieces around you, and now I will tackle you head on I don't even care that your works are 400 pages of this book I will read and try to get something out of you!
[later again]
Exhortation to the HeathenIf you're anything like me and have been slogging your way through the church Fathers in some kind of loosely-chronological order, then this monograph by Clement of Alexandria is your reward. It is witty, thoughtful, scathing, and magnanimous all at the same time. In it, he exhorts the heathen (appropriately enough) to recognize the limitations and evils of paganism and see the truth and hope offered through the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He walks through several aspects of pagan life -poetry, philosophy, art, and so on- and shows how each of these are on the one hand corrupted by human sin and twisted into instruments of our destruction, and on the other hand are lived rightly in Christ and become pictures of God's mercy to and sovereignty over the world.
For example, Clement discusses how music has been used in the service of myth and fable to lead individuals astray into sin (171-172). For the Christian, however:
Art, likewise, has been corrupted by being used to create idols. For the Christian, the universe is God's art, which we picture when we create out of the material he has made. How awful it is then for us to take God's art and use it in rebellion against Him! (189-190)
Philosophy and poetry also have been used to rebel against God. The small bit of truth available to philosophers and poets has done them no good, and indeed has simply revealed how deep the need for the true philosophy and poetry of the living Word runs in the world:
Even custom itself has become a source of sin. Giving up the good things custom has prepared for us (citizenship, family inheritance, social respectability) in the name of Christ simply means we get the benefits of those things returned to us in their better and proper form. We become citizens of heaven, receive the inheritance of the children of God, and the social respectability of living a life of true virtue and obedience. All of these are given not by conforming to the customs of the world, but by living the life of faith.
In addition to making all of these important points, this particular work is exceptionally well-written. I don't know if credit for that goes to the translator, to Clement himself, or to some combination of the two, but in many ways this has been the most delightful of the ante-Nicene fathers to read so far.
A sampler of quotes:
The Instructor
This is Clement's Christology. In broad scope, Clement believes that man is composed of habit, action, and passion, and once one is saved the same Word redeems all three. Thus, the Word (Jesus) is our Tutor, Pedagogue, and Instructor all at the same time. Specifically, the Word instructs us in the practical way of virtue and teaches us how to grow in holiness. He deals with the sickness of our sin and encourages us to grow in Christ-like behavior.
Ultimately, as we are increasingly conformed to the word our souls become more Beautiful. This is not crass materialism, but a growth in true, inner beauty.
Overall, this work is perhaps not as interesting (while being significantly longer) as "Exhortation to the Heathen", but is still worth a quick once-over.
Who is the Rich Man that Shall be Saved?
The lesson of Jesus' encounter with the rich young ruler is not that we should be poor, but rather that we should be saved. This salvation comes only through Jesus himself. He saved us by becoming a man and giving his life for us. This doesn't mean that we can go on sinning, but rather that once we have been saved we should go out and tell others about Jesus in turn, all the while being aware of the enemy that lurks within us and would tempt us to stray from the redemption worked by Christ.
An excellent little meditation, though not without its theological difficulties (a bit heavy on the free will at times).
Stromata, or Miscellanies
Well, this is it. The reason most people (I assume) don't read this book. The "Stromata" is almost three hundred pages of systematic theology without the "systematic" part.
In broad strokes, Clement is following the Hellenistic philosophical categories of physics, logic, and ethics (that is, "what is the world like?", "how should we think about the world?", "how should we live in the world?") from a Christian perspective. In this sense, the book is fascinating as it basically gives a Christian response to the various philosophies at play in the ancient world (sometimes even explicitly, as when Clement takes on the Skeptics).
And yet, Clement regularly warns us that there is no particular order to his work, and instead we should read it as a shotgun-blast (not his phrase) of theology and practical guidance. As we read through his rambling reflections, what should emerge is a picture of the whole Christian life, the life of the true "Gnostic." (That is, one who knows the truth.)
And, a word here about the word "gnostic." Clement is not talking about "gnosticism," which assumes a secret and personal knowledge revealed only to those in the inside. Instead, Clement uses the phrase to mean a Christian who embraces the very public declaration of salvation through Christ, and brings his entire life (but especially his intellectual life) into line with that declaration.
That is basically the point of this very length work: to guide the Christian in shaping a whole life according to what God has revealed in Scripture about Christ.
While parts of the "Stromata" drag, to be sure, it's still worth reading. If you just can't bring yourself to dedicate the amount of time it takes to read the whole thing, I recommend reading just Books I and II. You'll get the bulk of what Clement engages, as well as all of the main points he makes (including the final authority of the Bible as the source of truth; the relationship between Christianity and pagan philosophy; and how Christians should think about ethics).
Overall thoughts:
-The similarity of conversion experiences of these apologetic writers is remarkable. Tatian, for example, writes of his own conversion that, having seen the depravity of Western culture,
retiring by myself, I sought how I might be able to discover the truth. And, while I was giving my most earnest attention to the matter, I happened to meet with certain barbaric writings, too old to be compared with the opinions of the Greeks, and too divine to be compared with their errors; and I was led to put faith in these by the unpretending cast of the language, the inartificial character of the writers, the foreknowledge displayed of future events, the excellent quality of the precepts, and the declaration of the government of the universe as centered in one Being. And my soul being taught of God, I discern that the former class of writings [pagan works] lead to condemnation, but that these put an end to the slavery that is in the world, and rescue us from a multiplicity of rulers and ten thousand tyrants, while they give us, not indeed what he had not before received, but what we had received but were prevented by error from retaining. (pg 77)In other words, he wanted to know the truth and stumbled across Scriptures, which caught him by their historical antiquity and accuracy, their truth, and their declaration of the sovereignty of God. A similar story is told by Theophilus and Athenagoras.
-The authority given to Scripture is likewise remarkable. Especially in Clement (probably just because we have quite a bit more from him than from anyone else in this book), over and over the Bible is treated as the only source of truth in the world (any knowledge the Greek philosophers had they got because they had read the books of Moses), and as the Christians final authority. I don't know that we see this high a view of Scripture again until the Reformation...
-Uncertainty about what to do with pagans who say things that are true, but reject the Gospel. Clement simply says they are thieves, who have stolen what belongs to others but as a result have something true themselves. The others are a bit less certain about the best way to engage with pagan thinkers and artist. Perhaps this is a good parallel to how Christians are divided in thinking about science and modern philosophy today?
The Shepherd of Hermas: I skipped this one, as it is found in The Apostolic Fathers in English, which I have already read.
Address of Tatian to the Greeks (along with a few Fragments of his writings): I'm going to have to revisit this short work. Despite the fact that Tatian fell into Montanism at the end of his life, this is a solid work of philosophical and theological argument that bears re-reading. He has reasoned and lucid discussions of the shortcomings of Greek philosophy, the Christian doctrines of creation, resurrection, the fall, the Logos, the Holy Spirit, and how Christians ought to live in the world. Moreover, Christian writings are older and more accurate than anything in the Greek corpus.
Theophilus to Autolycus Like Tatian, Theophilus argues the various doctrines of Christianity as opposed to the Greek philosophy prevalent in his day. Theophilus is (I think) a better writer, if not quite as philosophically astute. He hinges his argument on the antiquity and historical accuracy of Christian Scriptures as opposed to Greek myths about the origin of the world. This, to the best of my knowledge (and according to the footnotes) also includes the first attempt to establish a Christian chronology and philosophy of history. Though of course the masterpieces of each would have to wait until Eusebius.
Athenagoras:
A Plea [Embassy] for the Christians This is a letter to the co-Emperors Marcus Aurelius and Commodus (not yet of Gladiator fame) arguing that Christians are being treated unjustly, despite the official policy of "religious toleration." Athenagoras argues that if Christians are breaking the law they should of course be punished -we are good subjects of the state, after all- but that such claims should be investigated. We should not just be punished because of the name "Christian."
Moreover, the charges of cannibalism and incest are false, and the government is more than welcome to investigate to confirm that we are actually innocent. Heck, it's your job as Emperor and judge to search this stuff out, not just assume that the charges are accurate.
Even more, Christians are not atheists- we just separate "God" from "matter", unlike the pagans and in line with the poets and philosophers (including Plato and Aristotle). Our view of God is of course better than the views of the poets and philosophers, and it is a view reinforced by the quality of our lives.
Overall, this is a fascinating and worthwhile read that gives a picture of early Christianity and how Christians thought about and interacted with the culture at large.
The Treatise of Athenagoras on the Resurrection of the Dead This is, well, a treatise on the resurrection. I wasn't quite as impressed by this as by the Plea for the Christians. Athenagoras makes two broad arguments here:
1) It's more important to articulate and defend truth than it is to attack falsehood, though both are necessary and sometimes the latter can be more useful.
2) The resurrection of the dead is well within the power and will of God, so there are no actual objections to it. We know that there will be a resurrection because a) God's goals in creation (that we would worship Him body and soul) require it; b) our nature is a mixture of body and soul, and after the body dies if there is to be any kind of fulfilling afterlife there must be a reunion of the two, therefore there must be a resurrection; c) final judgment requires that there be a body to be judged (or forgiven, in the case of Christians) as well as a soul, since the body and soul work together in sin. This last one seems to be the point that Athenagoras hinges most of his arguments on, assuming that all of his audience believes in a final judgment of some sort. Clearly, this wouldn't necessarily work as an apologetic approach today. (Nor would his claims about cannibalism, where he argues that "cannibalism" doesn't hinder resurrection because the stuff that will be resurrected isn't actually digest, it's expelled from the system until God reassembles the body. Which I find both a weird and fascinating argument at the same time, reminiscent of the last couple of books of City of God. There's a treatise to be written on the ancient world's obsession with cannibalism...)
Like I said, not as impressive as the plea, but worth the read nonetheless. His apologetic approach of taking things that the culture commonly assumes to be true and showing points of agreement and disagreement as a starting point for defending Christianity is an interesting one, though perhaps one I wouldn't use myself.
I'll get back to Clement. Frankly, he intimidates me, and I want a bit of a break before tackling the last 400 pages of this volume...
[later]
Okay Clement, I've read all the short pieces around you, and now I will tackle you head on I don't even care that your works are 400 pages of this book I will read and try to get something out of you!
[later again]
Exhortation to the HeathenIf you're anything like me and have been slogging your way through the church Fathers in some kind of loosely-chronological order, then this monograph by Clement of Alexandria is your reward. It is witty, thoughtful, scathing, and magnanimous all at the same time. In it, he exhorts the heathen (appropriately enough) to recognize the limitations and evils of paganism and see the truth and hope offered through the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He walks through several aspects of pagan life -poetry, philosophy, art, and so on- and shows how each of these are on the one hand corrupted by human sin and twisted into instruments of our destruction, and on the other hand are lived rightly in Christ and become pictures of God's mercy to and sovereignty over the world.
For example, Clement discusses how music has been used in the service of myth and fable to lead individuals astray into sin (171-172). For the Christian, however:
Not such is my song, which has come to loose, and that speedily, the bitter bondage of tyrannizing demons; and leading us back to the mild and loving yoke of piety, recalls to heaven those that had been cast prostrate to the earth. (172)
Art, likewise, has been corrupted by being used to create idols. For the Christian, the universe is God's art, which we picture when we create out of the material he has made. How awful it is then for us to take God's art and use it in rebellion against Him! (189-190)
Philosophy and poetry also have been used to rebel against God. The small bit of truth available to philosophers and poets has done them no good, and indeed has simply revealed how deep the need for the true philosophy and poetry of the living Word runs in the world:
For I think it has now become evident to all that those who do or speak aught without the Word of truth are like people compelled to walk without feet. (193)
Even custom itself has become a source of sin. Giving up the good things custom has prepared for us (citizenship, family inheritance, social respectability) in the name of Christ simply means we get the benefits of those things returned to us in their better and proper form. We become citizens of heaven, receive the inheritance of the children of God, and the social respectability of living a life of true virtue and obedience. All of these are given not by conforming to the customs of the world, but by living the life of faith.
In addition to making all of these important points, this particular work is exceptionally well-written. I don't know if credit for that goes to the translator, to Clement himself, or to some combination of the two, but in many ways this has been the most delightful of the ante-Nicene fathers to read so far.
A sampler of quotes:
Do not play the tyrant, O man, over beauty... Be king over beauty, not its tyrant. Remain free, and then I shall acknowledge thy beauty, because thou hast kept its image pure: then I will worship that true Beauty which is the archetype of all who are beautiful. (185)
O the prodigious folly of being ashamed of the Lord! He offers freedom, you flee into bondage; He bestows salvation, you sink down into destruction; He confers everlasting life, you wait for punishment, and prefer the fire which the Lord 'has prepared for the devils and his angels.' (195)
The union of many in one, issuing in the production of divine harmony out of a medley of sounds and division, becomes one symphony following one choir-leader and teacher, the Word, reaching and resting in the same truth and crying Abba, Father. (197)
For man has been otherwise constituted by nature, so as to have fellowship with God... placing our finger on what is man's peculiar and distinguishing characteristic above other creatures, we invite him -born, as he is, for the contemplation of heaven, and being, as he is, a truly heavenly plant- to the knowledge of God, counselling him to furnish himself with what is his sufficient provision for eternity, namely piety. Practise husbandry, we say, if you are a husbandman; but while you till your fields, know God. Sail the sea, you who are devoted to navigation, yet call the whilst on the heavenly Pilot. (200)
For in us, buried in darkness, shut up in the shadow of death, light has shone forth from heaven, purer than the sun, sweeter than life here below. That light is eternal life; and whatever partakes of it lives.... He hath changed the sunset into sunrise, and through the cross brought death to life; and having wrenched man from destruction, He hath raised him to the skies, transplanting mortality into immortality, and translating earth to heaven. (203)
The Instructor
This is Clement's Christology. In broad scope, Clement believes that man is composed of habit, action, and passion, and once one is saved the same Word redeems all three. Thus, the Word (Jesus) is our Tutor, Pedagogue, and Instructor all at the same time. Specifically, the Word instructs us in the practical way of virtue and teaches us how to grow in holiness. He deals with the sickness of our sin and encourages us to grow in Christ-like behavior.
Ultimately, as we are increasingly conformed to the word our souls become more Beautiful. This is not crass materialism, but a growth in true, inner beauty.
Overall, this work is perhaps not as interesting (while being significantly longer) as "Exhortation to the Heathen", but is still worth a quick once-over.
Who is the Rich Man that Shall be Saved?
The lesson of Jesus' encounter with the rich young ruler is not that we should be poor, but rather that we should be saved. This salvation comes only through Jesus himself. He saved us by becoming a man and giving his life for us. This doesn't mean that we can go on sinning, but rather that once we have been saved we should go out and tell others about Jesus in turn, all the while being aware of the enemy that lurks within us and would tempt us to stray from the redemption worked by Christ.
An excellent little meditation, though not without its theological difficulties (a bit heavy on the free will at times).
Stromata, or Miscellanies
Well, this is it. The reason most people (I assume) don't read this book. The "Stromata" is almost three hundred pages of systematic theology without the "systematic" part.
In broad strokes, Clement is following the Hellenistic philosophical categories of physics, logic, and ethics (that is, "what is the world like?", "how should we think about the world?", "how should we live in the world?") from a Christian perspective. In this sense, the book is fascinating as it basically gives a Christian response to the various philosophies at play in the ancient world (sometimes even explicitly, as when Clement takes on the Skeptics).
And yet, Clement regularly warns us that there is no particular order to his work, and instead we should read it as a shotgun-blast (not his phrase) of theology and practical guidance. As we read through his rambling reflections, what should emerge is a picture of the whole Christian life, the life of the true "Gnostic." (That is, one who knows the truth.)
And, a word here about the word "gnostic." Clement is not talking about "gnosticism," which assumes a secret and personal knowledge revealed only to those in the inside. Instead, Clement uses the phrase to mean a Christian who embraces the very public declaration of salvation through Christ, and brings his entire life (but especially his intellectual life) into line with that declaration.
That is basically the point of this very length work: to guide the Christian in shaping a whole life according to what God has revealed in Scripture about Christ.
While parts of the "Stromata" drag, to be sure, it's still worth reading. If you just can't bring yourself to dedicate the amount of time it takes to read the whole thing, I recommend reading just Books I and II. You'll get the bulk of what Clement engages, as well as all of the main points he makes (including the final authority of the Bible as the source of truth; the relationship between Christianity and pagan philosophy; and how Christians should think about ethics).
March 18, 2023
I truly love this series as it lets me peer into the minds of the early Christians, learning how they think and see the world, gleaning from their massive knowledge and wisdom. I approached this second volume with an excitement to read the Pastor of Hermas, which I thoroughly enjoyed, but I discovered a lesser known but priceless gem, Clement of Alexandria. Clement's "The Instructor" explicates the identity and role of Jesus Christ and outlines beneficial practices in the Christian life e.g. what fasting is and how to do it. The behemoth of a book, The Stromata (in my opinion it is Clement's masterpiece), is a collection of books that sifts through Greek philosophy to find its truths, that belong to God as truth is one, and to detect its superstitions. Clement believes that the Greek philosophers knew about Moses and true religion; they incorporated some of its teachings into their own philosophical schemas without acknowledging its source, God through Moses. Essentially, he accuses them of plagiarism. Clement also believes that God did genuinely reveal some truth to the Greeks, and this truth trained them to receive the greater revelation that is Jesus Christ. Clement declares that true philosophy is Christianity. Clement is a presuppositionalist to the core: to have any sort of truth, one must first accept the Christian God who upholds all rationality through the power of His Word, Jesus Christ. The Alexandrian philosopher also draws a connection between virtue and the reception of knowledge; one cannot receive the truth while the passions blind them. To free oneself of the passions is to become like God who is completely free of all the constraints of sin. Thus, the reception of the truth entails a likeness to God. As our virtue grows, so does our knowledge. Clement concurs with Plato in the idea that the goal of life is assimilation to the divine, and Clement will frequently use this phrase of assimilation to the divine throughout The Stromata. The reception of the true philosophy, in conjunction with the eradication of the passions, unites one with God. Embodying the true philosophy that is Christianity inculcates in a person the virtues of God, incorruptibility, immutability, and impassibility, which ultimately deifies that person; in other words, this is theosis, assimilation to the divine. At its culmination, Clement's Stromata is mystical. The summit of Christianity is a quitting of flesh's base passions and an ascension into the heavenly places to contemplate the ineffable Divinity through the Son, jouneying further into the heart of God for all eternity.
January 16, 2019
If you desire to understand the patristics and the theology thereof, this is a must read
August 31, 2022
Compared to the first volume, this one was much less helpful. It's quite a challenge getting through all of the Greek literature that's quoted and most arguments seem weak.
March 3, 2017
A good volume that consists of the early church leader's in defense of the Christian faith and the repudiation of pagan religious belief and Greek philosophy through the use of Scripture and Greek philosophy. It is interesting that the Christian writers used the word and Greek concept of "gnostic"/"gnosis" when making a distinction between the true gnostic or gnosis who were the Christians and the Scriptures, in opposition to the false gnostic or gnosis who were the pagans with their pagan beliefs.
The early fathers in this volume made use predominantly of the philosophic concepts used in their day to teach and explain Christian teachings in order to portray the latter as being beyond human concepts but not beyond reason. They also emphasized conduct appropriate to Christian faith. Apparently, without necessarily excluding faith, they made repentance and corresponding conduct essential to possessing salvation and spoke little of faith (apparently, it may have been assumed as reflected in repentance and right living?). It would be hard to find the Calvinist concept of salvation by "faith alone" in the these writings.
I must admit, I did skip of few pages finding them either redundant or uninteresting, for example, pages 253-291 of the "Instructor." The topics entitled were things like, "On the Use of Ointments and Crowns," "On Sleep," "On True Beauty," etc. I was finding subjects read before these to be boring so I decided to skip the rest, at least, until I got the the topic of "Religion in Ordinary Life," "Going to Church," "Out of Church," and further more interesting subjects I thought relevant even for today.
The early fathers in this volume made use predominantly of the philosophic concepts used in their day to teach and explain Christian teachings in order to portray the latter as being beyond human concepts but not beyond reason. They also emphasized conduct appropriate to Christian faith. Apparently, without necessarily excluding faith, they made repentance and corresponding conduct essential to possessing salvation and spoke little of faith (apparently, it may have been assumed as reflected in repentance and right living?). It would be hard to find the Calvinist concept of salvation by "faith alone" in the these writings.
I must admit, I did skip of few pages finding them either redundant or uninteresting, for example, pages 253-291 of the "Instructor." The topics entitled were things like, "On the Use of Ointments and Crowns," "On Sleep," "On True Beauty," etc. I was finding subjects read before these to be boring so I decided to skip the rest, at least, until I got the the topic of "Religion in Ordinary Life," "Going to Church," "Out of Church," and further more interesting subjects I thought relevant even for today.
Read
January 6, 2017Shepherd of Hermas - http://thatjeffcarterwashere.blogspot...
Address of Tatian to the Greeks - http://thatjeffcarterwashere.blogspot...
Theophilus to Autolycus -
http://thatjeffcarterwashere.blogspot...
Athenagoras - An Embassy for the Christians - http://thatjeffcarterwashere.blogspot...
Athenagoras - Treatise on the Resurrection of the Dead - http://thatjeffcarterwashere.blogspot...
Address of Tatian to the Greeks - http://thatjeffcarterwashere.blogspot...
Theophilus to Autolycus -
http://thatjeffcarterwashere.blogspot...
Athenagoras - An Embassy for the Christians - http://thatjeffcarterwashere.blogspot...
Athenagoras - Treatise on the Resurrection of the Dead - http://thatjeffcarterwashere.blogspot...
May 2, 2013
Once again, this is a difficult book to review based on the content. I am not familiar in any way with the original languages of these various writings so I cannot testify to the translation quality. Also, the writing style of these various pieces is obviously outdated. However, I am pleased at the easy availability of these texts. If interested in the topic, these editions (available online in PDF form and easily transferable to a kindle or other such app) would be a handy way to obtain a copy.
May 2, 2013
A bowlful of useful treasure, with the occasional piece of gravel. The Instructor was very fascinating, containing a kind of thinking and a manifest desire for holiness most useful to the church, but bearing the painful stamp of Greek fondness for the denigration of creation and pleasure, and the over-exaltation of the contemplative intellectual life. The Miscellanies (Stromata) were far more philosophical than many other selections, and felt somewhat angular because of it. Shepherd of Hermas, Letter to Autolycus, and the Exhortation to the Heathen were all highlights.
March 23, 2016
Yes, of course, it's long. And yes, it's worth it. Many churches today claim to be very much like the church of old. But how old are we talking about? Many churches claim to be teaching what the apostles taught, and the church fathers after them. But how would you know? And is that important? And what about the topics not covered by the canon of Holy Scripture? Does that matter for us today? Yes, of course, it's long. And yes, of course, it's worth it.
March 18, 2009
Volume 2 of the early church fathers continues with more great historical writings! I most enjoyed the works of Clement of Alexandria in this set (Exhortation to the Heathen, the Instructor, Stromata).
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