Clement of Alexandria

## Who Was Clement of Alexandria?

Clement of Alexandria was a Christian teacher in Alexandria, Egypt, in the late second century. His full name was Titus Flavius Clemens. He was probably born in Athens to a pagan family.

After his conversion he traveled in search of teachers. He settled in Alexandria under Pantaenus and later led the city’s school of Christian instruction. When persecution struck around AD 202, he left Alexandria. He died around 215, probably in Cappadocia.

## Major Works

Clement wrote three connected works:

Protrepticus (Exhortation to the Greeks), a call for pagans to turn to Christ.

Paedagogus (The Instructor), three books on how new Christians should live.

Stromata (Miscellanies), a loosely arranged collection of teaching for mature believers.

## Protrepticus

Clement opens by exposing the myths and mystery cults of Greece. He knew them well and quoted poets and philosophers throughout. He then presents Christ as the true Word who sings a new song and calls people out of idol worship.

## Paedagogus

Here Christ is the Instructor who trains believers in daily life. Clement gives specific guidance on eating, drinking, clothing, jewelry, laughter, and conversation. He warns against luxury and excess. His rule is simple. Use what you need and give the rest away.

He also wrote a separate sermon, Who Is the Rich Man That Shall Be Saved?, on Mark 10. He taught that wealth is not evil in itself but that a Christian must be free from attachment to it.

## Stromata

The Stromata runs seven books, with an unfinished eighth. Clement chose the loose form on purpose. He compared it to a meadow, so that only a careful reader would find the truth in it.

## Christian Education

Clement saw faith as the starting point for learning. A believer should keep growing in knowledge until faith becomes understanding. He wanted Christians to be able to answer educated pagans in their own terms.

## Faith and Philosophy

In Stromata book 1, Clement argues that philosophy prepared the Greeks for Christ the way the Law prepared the Hebrews. That did not make philosophy equal to Scripture. It meant truth wherever found belongs to God.

Some later readers thought Clement gave philosophy too much ground. His goal was to show that a thinking person could be a Christian.

## Spiritual Growth

Clement described the mature believer as the true gnostic. This person loves God for His own sake, prays without ceasing, controls the passions, and does good without seeking reward. Clement took a word the heretics used and filled it with Christian content.

## How to Read Clement of Alexandria Today

Start with Who Is the Rich Man That Shall Be Saved? It takes about 45 minutes.

Then read Paedagogus book 1 for his picture of Christ as teacher.

Read Stromata book 1 for faith and philosophy.

His works are free in the Ante-Nicene Fathers, volume 2.

## About the Author

CK Quarterman is a USAF veteran, independent author, and publisher at CKQbooks. He writes the Malaterrestrials nonfiction series, which examines evil earthbound non-human intelligences through Scripture and history, along with the Watchers’ Universe and Sons of the Flood fiction series. Find his books at ckqbooks.com.

Truth · History · Scripture