Clement of Alexandria: A Project of Christian Perfection

✍ Scribed by Piotr Ashwin-Siejkowski

• Publisher: T&T Clark
• Year: 2008
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 272
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

This book examines Clement's project which brings together ethical, intellectual and spiritual development of a Christian while highlighting the need of search for integrity in the life of faith and reason. Approaches to Clement have traditionally either assessed the philosophical context of his thought or studied the adaptation of Greek legacy into a new Christian context as underpinning Clement's work. In this new study Piotr Ashwin-Siejkowski challenges and develops these approaches providing new and refreshing insights into Clement's understanding of Christian perfection.

✦ Table of Contents

Acknowledgements vii
Abbreviations viii
INTRODUCTION 1
1. The Classic Dilemma 3
2. Structure, Methods and Aim of the Present Study 10
3. The Central Theme and its Relevance 13
Part One
Chapter 1
CLEMENT OF ALEXANDRIA AND HIS BACKGROUND 19
1. Life and Works Re-Examined 19
2. The Catechetical School as Part of Clement’s Puzzle 31
Chapter 2
HELLENISTIC JUDAISM AND ITS ROLE IN CLEMENT’S PROJECt 39
1. Moses as the Archetype of Perfection: Philo of Alexandria
and Clement 43
2. The Role of the Metaphor of the High Priest: Philo, Clement
and the Letter to the Hebrews 55
3. The Hebrew Attitude of fo/boj and its Role in Clement’s
Project 68
Chapter 3
PHILOSOPHICAL SCHOLAE INSPIRING CLEMENT’S PROJECT 79
1. Pythagoras and Plato: Their Influence on Clement’s Ideal 84
2. The Stoics and Philosophical Therapy 93
3. Clement’s Eclecticism as a Hermeneutical Method 100
Chapter 4
ALTERNATIVE HETERO-GNOSTIC MODELS OF PERFECTION IN
CLEMENT’S WORK 109
1. Traditions – Scriptures – Diversity 110
2. Basilides and Valentinus and their Schools in Clement’s
Oeuvre 115
3. The Libertine Groups and the Extreme Ascetic Sects 126
4. Conclusion 141
Part Two
Chapter 5
THE PATH TO PERFECTION 147
1. Becoming a Gnostic 152
2. Becoming a Contemplative Gnostic 165
3. The Climax of Perfection 174
Chapter 6
EKKLESIA GNOSTIKE: THE NATURAL HABITAT OF THE CHRISTIAN
GNOSTIC 189
1. Membership and the Marks of the Church 193
2. The Manifold Functions of the Church 211
CONCLUSION 227
Bibliography 233
General Index 257
Index of Modern Authors 259