Why Should We Remember Clement of Alexandria?
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Clement of Alexandria is not a name you hear every day. Though an important church father, Clement of Alexandria’s name has been buried under time and antiquity. Lost in the history books. Yet if you are a Christian, he may have played a role in your theology that you don’t even know about.
Who Was Clement of Alexandria?
Born of pagan parents in Athens in 150 CE, Titus Flavius Clemens grew up to be a truth seeker. He discovered the truth of Christ from a philosopher named Pantaenus in the city of Alexandria. Pantaenus became Clement’s teacher. He taught about Christianity through the lens of the scientific teachings floating around the Greek cities at that time. This was pivotal to Clement’s theology and the way he taught. I would argue that though this method caused others to label Clement a heretic, his desire to teach in a way the Greeks and Gnostics could understand, using the language of their philosophies, affected the way many of us understand the Bible today. After all, the Greeks greatly influenced our ways of learning.
Clement’s Method of Witnessing to Gnostics and Greeks
Clement developed a program of witnessing to both Greeks and Gnostics. Britannica contributor Linwood Frederickson states that Clement believed the Greeks’ philosophy could lead them to Christ, just as the Mosaic law could lead Jews to Jesus. Frederickson describes Clement’s goal as being to “make Christian beliefs intelligible” to educated Greeks so that Greek converts could witness well within their Hellenistic culture.
His goal was evangelism. And his method included using the language and culture of those he witnessed to. I’ve often heard it said people receive Christ better when the gospel is preached in their language. Clement took it further by witnessing through the filters of Greek intellect and Gnosticism.
How Clement of Alexandria Used Gnosticism
The Gnostics believed the world’s creator was a lesser “deity” who made mistakes when he created the world—mistakes causing evil, disease, and death. They also believed this god lived far away from humanity, not desiring a relationship with his creation. Finally, the Gnostics believed that though this god made mistakes in creating humankind, he did leave a good god “spark” in each person, making humanity inherently good while trapped in an evil, material body.
The Gnostics believed a special “mystic” knowledge provided salvation. The word gnosis means “to know.” Using the idea that knowledge is the key, Clement taught that knowledge and faith in a loving God and His Son Jesus led to salvation. God wants us to know Him, but the Gnostics relied on their own ability to understand something rather than trusting God’s Word. Knowledge became the bond between Clement and the Gnostics, which often opened the door to the truth he shared.
What Were the Key Events in the Life of Clement of Alexandria?
Very little is known about Clement’s life, but a few key events positioned him to have the influence he holds today.
190 AD: Clement became the head of Pantaenus’ catechetical school in Alexandria. According to an article in Christianity Today, “He taught a ‘new philosophy’ that addressed the cultural and philosophical concerns of the day.”
190-200 AD: Clement authored books as well as countless articles and sermons. Here are some of the most famous:
- Strōmateis (also known as Miscellanies). Christianity Today describes this book as a “multicolored patchwork of teachings in advanced philosophy, ethics, and disciplined instruction for ‘Christian Gnostics’ to lead them into esoteric knowledge (gnosis)...”
- Paedagogus (also known as Instructor) was a book outlining the duties and ethics of believers.
- Protrepticus (also known as Exhortations to the Greeks) was written for unbaptized people who had not been persuaded of the reasons for Christ.
- “The Discourse Concerning the Salvation of Rich Men.” This sermon was on the dangers and blessings of money.
201-202 AD: Emperor Severus persecuted Christians and closed Clement’s school in Alexandria. Clement was forced to find sanctuary.
215 AD: Clement died.
Did Clement of Alexandria Know Any Other Famous Christians?
Two of Clement’s students, Origen and Alexander of Jerusalem, played important roles in church history and Clement’s life. After Clement’s school closed due to persecution, Origen reopened it. Origen’s teachings were based on Clement’s philosophy, and he became one of the early church’s greatest Greek theologians.
Alexander became the bishop of Jerusalem. Some historians believe Clement found safety and employment in Palestine with Alexander after he had to flee from Alexandria during the persecution. It’s believed that Clement remained with the bishop until he died.
8 Quotes by Clement of Alexandria
Clement’s books and sermons held nuggets of grace and truth. Though much of his work focused on the unsaved, he also dealt with the church’s divisions. These eight quotes reveal the heart and wisdom of Clement, whose work included simple advice and mystical ideas. His work spoke on the divine, the use of finances, and the church’s use of symbols.
1. “One, therefore, is the way of truth, but into it, just as into an everlasting river, flow streams but from another place.” — Strōmateis
2. “[Knowledge] loves and teaches the ignorant and instructs the whole creation to honor God the Almighty.” — Strōmateis
3. “Let us remove the ignorance and darkness that spreads like a mist over our sight, and let us get a vision of the true God.” — Exhortation to the Greeks
4. “Our superintendence in instruction and discipline is the office of the Word [Logos, in Greek], from whom we learn frugality and humility, and all that pertains to love of freedom, love of man, and love of excellence.” — Instructor
5. “The man of understanding and discernment is, then, a Gnostic. And his business is not abstinence from what is evil... or the doing of good out of fear... nor any more is he to do so from hope of promised recompense... but only the doing of good out of love, and for the sake of its own excellence is the Gnostic’s choice.” — Miscellanies
6. “The Lord admits the use of outward things, bidding us put away, not the means of living, but the things that use these badly. And these are... the infirmities and passions of the soul.” — “The Discourse Concerning the Soul of a Rich Man”
7. “The Word does not command us to renounce property but to manage property without inordinate affection.” — “The Discourse Concerning the Salvation of Rich Men”
8. “Let our emblem be a dove, or a fish, or a ship running before the wind, or a musician’s lyre, or a ship’s anchor. And if there be a fisherman, he will remind us of an apostle, and little children being drawn up out of the water.” — “The Discourse Concerning the Salvation of Rich Men”
What Makes Clement of Alexandria Important Today?
Clement of Alexandria is important today because he was a great father of evangelism and apologetics. His methods of reaching the Greeks and Gnostics through their language and culture still play an important role in us today. His student Origen influenced the next generation of church leaders, and Clement’s work later influenced theologians like John Wesley.
Clement’s intellectual approach to witnessing may feel obvious to us because knowledge is valued in our culture. We may not realize that we also follow his approach to witnessing in people’s language. The current emphasis on doing church in blacked-out auditoriums, playing rock music for worship, and not being too surprised if someone shows up with a tattoo, follows Clement’s idea of doing church in a way that the culture can relate to. Clement wasn’t the only early Christian to take this approach. Paul talked about becoming a Jew to Jews, all things to all people (1 Corinthians 9:20-22). However, Clement took that idea in a new direction for the next generation and helped ensure it would be passed on.
We can also learn something from how Clement tackled Gnostic teachings. Though we live in a postmodern world, traces of Gnosticism permeate our culture. A deeper study of Clement’s teachings could counterbalance the effect of modernity’s gnostic tentacles that have crept into our daily lives, teaching people that they have their own truth. We can’t close our eyes to this threat. As Clement wrote, “Let us remove the ignorance and darkness that spreads like a mist over our sight, and let us get a vision of the true God.”
Further Reading:
Writings of the Early Church Fathers
10 Things You Should Know about Church Father Augustine
Photo Credit: Public domain illustration, via Wikimedia Commons
Andy Lee is an event speaker, blogger, YouTuber, and award winning author of three books, A Mary Like Me; The Book of Ruth Key-Word Bible Study, and Radiant Influence: How an ordinary girl changed the world. She passionately teaches how to find life in God's Word in order to live abundantly. You can catch her life giving messages weekly on Instagram and YouTube. She also provides monthly Bible reading plans and articles on her website www.wordsbyandylee.