Early Christian Theology_ Clement of Alexandria

  Clement of Alexandria(155-220)

·         Genial, tolerant fellow, something of a philosophical …

 

Christianity and philosophy

·         While it doesn't produce faith, it does support it, clarify it, make it attractive.

·         Faith intuits the first principles of philosophy, so faith is the indispensable basis of philosophy.

·         Philosophy is God's covenant with the Greeks and the law to the Jews(the river of truth has many streams(.

·         Of course, not all philosophy is worthy of the name.

 

Man, Redemption

a.     Free will (autexousion) emphasized.

b.     Adam :not created perfect, but adapted to the reception of virtue.

c.     Denies that all know God

 

Evaluation

·         A regression to a view like that of Justin Martyr, though somewhat more sophisticated.

·         Unknown G connected to earth by mediators - a gnostic or neo-Platonic type of pattern which obscures the creator/ creature   distinction, G's personal sovereignty over the world, and the nature of redemption.

·         Apologetics: accommodates. Tells Greeks that they can become Christians because Christians have always believed the same things as   the Greeks.