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'''Clement of Alexandria''' (Titus Flavius Clemens), was the first member well-known theologian of the [[Church of Alexandria to be more than a name, and one of its most distinguished teachers]]. He was born about the middle of the 2nd century, and died between 211 and 216.

He was not born in Egypt (''Stromata'', i. 1)as his name suggests; rather, Alexandria was his bishopric. Athens is named as his birthplace by the sixth-century Epiphanius Scholasticus, and this is supported by the classical quality of his Greek. His parents seem to have been wealthy pagans of some social standing. The thoroughness of his education is shown by his constant quotation of the Greek poets and philosophers. He travelled traveled in Greece, Italy, Palestine, and finally Egypt. He became the colleague of Pantaenus, the head of the [[Catechetical School of Alexandria]]and the man who likely converted him to Christianity, and finally succeeded him in the direction of the school. One of his most popular pupils His best known pupil was [[Origen]] (who was condemned by the [[Fifth Ecumenical Council]]. During the persecution of Septimius Severus (202 or 203) he sought refuge with Alexander, then [[bishop [possibly ]] of Flaviada] in Cappadocia, afterward of [[Jerusalem]], from whom he brought a letter to [[Antioch]] in 211. After this, he died sometime in the next five years without returning to Egypt.

treatment is composed of the ''Protrepticus'' ("Exhortation to the Greeks"), the ''Paedagogus'' ("Instructor"), and the ''Stromata'' ("Miscellanies"). Overbeck calls it the boldest literary undertaking in the history of the Church, since in In it Clement for the first time attempted to set forth Christianity for the faithful in the traditional forms of secular literature. The ''Protrepticus'' forms an introduction inviting the reader to listen, not to the mythical legends of the gods, but to the "new song" of the [[Jesus Christ|Logos]] (that is, Christ), the beginning of all things and creator of the world. He denounces what he claims to be the folly of idolatry and the pagan mysteries, the shamefulness of the pederastic practices of the Greeks, and the horrors of pagan sacrifice, and . Clement argues that the Greek philosophers and poets only guessed at the truth, while the prophets [[prophet]]s set forth a direct way to salvation; and now the divine Logos speaks in his own person, to awaken all that is good in the soul of man and to lead it to immortality. Having thus laid a foundation in the knowledge of divine truth, he goes on in the ''Paedagogus'' to develop a describe the Christian ethic. His design does not prevent him from taking a large part of his material from the Stoic Musonius Rufus, the master of Epictetus; but for Clement the real instructor is the incarnate Logos.

The first book deals with the religious basis of Christian morality, the second and third with the individual cases of conduct. As with Epictetus, true virtue shows itself with him in its external evidences by a natural, simple, and moderate way of living. The ''Stromata'' goes further and aims at the perfection of the Christian life by initiation into complete knowledge. The first of these works is addressed to the unconverted, the second to the new Christian, and the third appeals to the mature believer. It attempts, on the basis of [[Holy Scripture |Scripture]] and tradition[[Holy Tradition|Tradition]], to give such an account of the Christian faith as shall answer all the demands of learned men, and conduct the student into the innermost realities of his belief. Clement entitled this work ''Stromateis'', "patchwork," because it dealt with such a variety of matters. He intended to make but one book of this; at least seven grew out of it, without his having treated all the subjects proposed. The absence of certain things definitely promised has led scholars to ask whether he wrote an eighth book, as would appear from [[Eusebius of Caesarea|Eusebius]] (VI. xiii. 1) and the ''Florilegia'', and various attempts have been made to identify with it short or fragmentary treatises appearing among his remains. In any case , the "excerpts" and "selections" which, with part of a treatise on logical method, are designated as the eighth book in the single (11th century) manuscript of the ''Stromata'', are not parts of the ''Hypotyposes'' which Clement is known to have written. This work was a brief commentary on selected passages covering the whole Bible, as is shown in the fragments preserved by Oecumenius and in the Latin version of the commentary on the Catholic Epistles made at the instance request of a certain Cassiodorus.  Besides the great trilogy, the only complete another important work of Clement that has been preserved is the treatise "Who is the Rich Man that Shall Be Saved?" based on [[Gospel of Mark|Mark]] 10:17-31, and laying . This commentary lays down the principle that not the possession of riches , but their misuse , is to be condemned. There are extant a few We also have fragments of numerous other works, including: ''Exhortation to the treatise on the PassoverGreeks'', against the Quartodecimanism position ''The Instructor of Melito of SardisChildren'', and only a single passage from the "Ecclesiastical Canon" against the Judaizers. Several other works are known only by their titles''Hypotyposeis'' (''Sketches'').

The significance of Clement in the history of the development of doctrine is, according to Adolf Harnack, that he knew how to replace the apologetic method by the constructive or systematic, to turn the simple church tradition into a scientific dogmatic theology. It is a marked characteristic of 's most lasting impact was his that he sees only superficial and transient disagreement where others find a fundamental opposition. He is able attempt to reconcile, or even to fuse, differing views to an extent which makes it almost impossible to attribute to him a definite individual systemunite Greek pagan philosophy with Christianity. He is admittedly an eclectic (''Stromata'', i. 37). This attitude determines especially his treatment of non-Christian philosophy. Although the theory of a diabolical origin for it is not unknown to him, and although he shows exhaustively that the philosophers owe a large part of their knowledge to the writings of the [[Old Testament]], yet he seems to express and expresses his own personal conviction when he describes philosophy as a direct operation of the divine Logos, working through it as well as through the law and his direct revelation in the Gospel to communicate the truth to men. It  Clement spend much time defining for Christians the originally pagan philosophical concept of the Logos, the principle of true Christian gnosis, through whom alone God's relation to the world and his revelation is true that maintained. God he considers transcendentally as unqualified Being, who can not be defined in too abstract a way (see [[apophatic theology]]). Though his goodness operated in the knowledge creation of the philosophers was elementaryworld, yet immutability, fragmentaryself sufficiency, incapability of suffering are the characteristic notes of the divine essence. Thus Clement emphasizes the permanent importance of philosophy for the fullness of Christian knowledge, explains with special predilection the relation between knowledge and incapable faith, and sharply criticizes those who are unwilling to make any use of imparting true righteousness; philosophy. He pronounces definitely against the sophists and it was far surpassed by against the hedonism of the school of Epicurus. Although he generally expresses himself unfavorably in regard to the revelation given through Stoic philosophy, he really pays marked deference to that mixture of Stoicism and Platonism which characterized the law religious and ethical thought of the educated classes in his day. This explains the prophetsvalue set by Clement on ''gnosis''. To be sure, he constantly opposes the concept of ''gnosis'' as that again was still further surpassed defined by the direct revelation [[Gnosticism|Gnostics]]. Faith is the foundation of all ''gnosis'', and both are given by [[Christ]]. As faith involves a comprehensive knowledge of the incarnate Logosessentials, knowledge allows the believer to penetrate deeply into the understanding of what he believes; but and this is the making perfect, the completion, of faith. In order to attain this idea kind of relative inferiority does not prevent him from showing that his whole mental attitude faith, the "faith of knowledge," which is so much higher than the mere "faith of conjecture," or simple reception of a truth on authority, philosophy is permanently necessary. Christianity truly is determined a philosophy, and dominated by the philosophical traditionperfect Christian is the true Gnostic—but again only "Gnostic according to the canon of the Church," not as in the heretical sect.

Not all later ecclesiastics have been happy with his viewsClement lays great stress on the fulfillment of moral obligations. While In his feast day ethical expressions he is traditionally [[December 4]]influenced strongly by Plato and the Stoics, Pope Benedict XIV removed Clement from whom he borrows much of his terminology. He praises Plato for setting forth the greatest possible likeness to God as the aim of life; and his portrait of the perfect Gnostic closely resembles that of the wise man as drawn by the Stoics. Hence he counsels his readers to shake off the chains of the flesh as far as possible, to live already as if out of the body, and thus to rise above earthly things. He is a true Greek in the value which he sets on moderation; but his highest ideal of conduct remains the mortification of all affections which may in any way disturb the Roman martyrology soul in 1748its career.

Thus he emphasizes the permanent importance of philosophy for the fulness of Christian knowledge, explains The way to union with special predilection the relation between knowledge and faith, and sharply criticizes those who are unwilling to make any use of philosophy. He pronounces definitely against the sophists and against the hedonism of the school of Epicurus. Although he generally expresses himself unfavorably in regard to the Stoic philosophy, he really pays marked deference to that mixture of Stoicism and Platonism which characterized the religious and ethical thought of the educated classes in his day. This explains the value set by Clement on ''gnosis''. To be sure, he constantly opposes the concept of ''gnosis'' as defined by the God ([[Gnosticism|Gnosticstheosis]]. Faith ) is for Clement only the foundation of all ''gnosis'Church', and both are given by [[Christ]]s way. As The simple faith involves a comprehensive knowledge of the baptized Christian contains all the essentials, of the highest knowledge allows the believer to penetrate deeply into the understanding of what he believes; and this is by the making perfect, [[Eucharist]] the completion, of faith. In order to attain this kind of faith, the "faith of knowledge," which believer is so much higher than united with the mere "faith of conjecture," or simple reception of a truth on authority, philosophy is permanently necessary. In fact, Christianity is Logos and the true philosophySpirit, and the perfect Christian the true Gnostic -- but again only the "Gnostic according to the canon of the Church " has this distinction. Also, he rejects the Gnostic distinction made partaker of "psychic" and "pneumatic" men; all are alike destined to perfection if they will embrace itincorruptibility.

From philosophy he takes his conception ==Charges of the Logosheresy==According to Clement, the principle of Christian gnosis, through whom alone Godthough Christ's relation to the world and his revelation is maintained. God he considers transcendentally as unqualified Being, who can not be defined in too abstract a way. Though his goodness operated in the creation of the world, yet immutabilitythe Son himself was immutable, self sufficiency-sufficient, incapability and incapable of suffering . According to his interpretation, such are the characteristic notes qualities of the divine essence. Though the Logos is most closely one with the Father, whose powers he resumes in himself, yet to Clement both the Son and the Spirit are "first-born powers and first created"; they form the highest stages in the scale of intelligent being, and Clement distinguishes the Son-Logos from the Logos who is immutably immanent in God, and thus gives a foundation to . Because of this [[Photius the Great|Photius]] would later charge of Photius that he "degraded the Son to the rank of a creature." Separate from the world as the principle of creation, he the Logos is yet in it as its guiding principle. Thus a natural life is a life according to the will of the Logos. The Incarnation, in spite of Clement's rejection has also been accused of [[Docetism]] in his teachings on the Gnostic [[DocetismIncarnation]]. According to him, has with him a decidedly Docetic character. The the body of Christ was not subject to human needs. He is See the following passage from ''Stromateis'' which clearly denies Christ's full humanity::''In regard to the good Physician; Savior, however, it were ridiculous to suppose that the medicine which he offers is body demanded, as a body, the communication of saving necessary aids for''gnosis:''its maintenance. For He ate, leading men from paganism to faith and from faith to note for the higher state sake of knowledge. This true philosophy includes within itself the freedom body, which had its continuance from sin and the attainment a holy power, but lest those'':''in His company might happen to think otherwise of virtueHim, just as aftewards some did certainily supposed that He had appeared'':''as a mere phantasm. As all sin has its root He was in ignorance, so the knowledge of God general dispassionate; and no movement of goodness is followed by well-doing. Against the Gnostics Clement emphasizes the freedom of all to do goodfeeling penetrated Him, whether pleasure:''or pain.''{{ref|2}}

Instead, Clement lays great stress on the fulfilment of moral obligations's Christ is a supernatural physician; He is not subject to humanity's bodily pain. In his ethical expressions The medicine which he offers is influenced strongly by Plato and the Stoicscommunication of saving ''gnosis'', leading men from whom he borrows much of his terminology. He praises Plato for setting forth the greatest possible likeness paganism to God as the aim of life; faith and his portrait of the perfect Gnostic closely resembles that of the wise man as drawn by the Stoics. Hence he counsels his readers from faith to shake off the chains higher state of the flesh as far as possible, to live already as if out of the body, and thus to rise above earthly thingsknowledge. He is a This true Greek in philosophy includes within itself the value which he sets on moderation; but his highest ideal of conduct remains freedom from sin and the mortification attainment of virtue. As all affections which may sin has its root in any way disturb the soul in its career. As Harnack saysignorance, so the lofty ethical-religious ideal knowledge of the attainment of man's perfection in union with God, which Greek philosophy from Plato down had worked out, and to which it hadsubordinated all scientific worldly knowledge, of goodness is taken over followed by well-doing. Against the Gnostics Clement, deepened in meaning, and connected not only with Christ, but with ecclesiastical traditionemphasizes the freedom of all to do good (for which he has also been called Semi-Pelagian).

The wayAlso, however, to this union with God is for some have downplayed Clement only the Church's way. The communication of the gnosis is bound up with holy orders, which give the divine light and life. The simple faith of the baptized Christian contains all the essentials of the highest knowledge; by the Eucharist the believer is united with the Logos and the Spirit, and made partaker of incorruptibility. Though he lays down at starting a purely spiritual conception of influence on the Church, later : "Clement has had no notable influence on the exigencies course of theology beyond his controversy with the Gnostics make him lay more stress personal influence on the visible church. As to his use of Scripture, the extraordinary breadth of his reading and manifold variety of his quotations from the most diverse authors make it very difficult to determine exactly what was received as canonical by the Alexandrian Church of that period. Though he uses the Apocryphal Gospels, our four alone have supreme authority for him. For the other [[New Testament]] writings he seems not to have had as definite a line of demarcation; but whatever he recognized as of apostolic origin had for him an authority distinct from, and higher than, that of all other ecclesiastical traditionyoung Origen"{{ref|1}}.

:''The Word of God, became man just that you may learn from a Man how it may be that man should become god.'' --St. Clement of Alexandria

*[http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/text/clement-stromata-book1.html "The Stromata, or MiscellenariesMiscellanies", by Clement of Alexandria]

* {{note|1}}[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/04045a.htm CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Clement of Alexandria]