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biography of clement of alexandria
- 150 in athens - educated in rhetoric and literature
- to alexandria, where converted to Christianity
- 180 succeeds pantaenus a Christian stoic philosopher
- Goal: bring in educated classes into church
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Works of clement of alexandria
- paedagogus - teacher
- protrepticus - exhortation to the pagans
- stromata - type of fragmentary, philosophical writings - "on marriage" "on spiritual perfection"
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historical/political context
- 1. severan dynasty (193-235) - great prosperity
- 2. 202 perseuctions in north africa - martyrdom of perpetua and felicitas
- 202 - clement leaves alexandria and goes to Jerusalem
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clement's alexandrian context
- 1. obscurantism v. christian gnosticism
- 2. mediating theology
- 3. faith and reason
- 4. clement's church: still loose confederation of Christian households
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clement/gnosticism sympathies
- 1. likes gnostic term
- 2. platonic idea of pre-existent soul
- 3. secret knowledge
- 4. emphasis on journey of soul
- 5. anti-docetic
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clement/gnosticism divergences
- 1. rejects dualism
- 2. rejects dismissal of baptismal confession
- 3. rejects pessimistic view of human freewill
- 4. rejects gnostic docetism
- 5. rejects view of christainity as religion of discontinuity
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Theological foundation: Creation fundamental doctrien
- 1. creation is image of God's providence
- 2. creation as ground of redemption
- 3. Creation as Ground of virtuous life
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theological foundation: God
- 1. god as one and transcendent
- 2. creator
- 3. apophasis
- 4. trinity: hierarchy of Three graded beings
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theological foundations: christ
- 1. as the intimate companion, the presence of God
- 2. Christ's presence and Christ's own perfection polishes or fine-tunes our own souls
- 3. christ as teacher of humankind not just the few - all humans
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Christian morality: mediating position
between licentiousness and hyper-ascetics
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christian morality: morality as atunement
- habit or disposition of the virtuous osul
- harmony of body and soul
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marriage as context for journey (3)
- 1. against extreme ascetisim and mystique of sexual continence
- 2. goodness as marriage and marriage relations (marriage as holy a life as celibacy)
- 3. death, not sexuality, is extreme affliction of fallen humanity
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