WM 113: Clement of Rome

Image: A depiction of the martyrdom of Clement of Rome by being tied to an anchor and thrown into the sea, during the time of the Emperor Trajan.

I have recorded and post WM 113: Clement of Rome to sermonaudio.com (listen here).

In this episode I review 1 Clement,  a work attributed to the Apostolic Father, Clement of Rome (and perhaps the Clement mentioned in Philippians 4:3 by Paul).

I review eight themes in 1 Clement:

1. A call for unity in the face of disunity at Corinth (chapters 1, 14, 21, 40, 44-47, 54, 57, 63).

2. Recalling the examples of Peter and Paul (chapter 5).

3. Concerning the resurrection (chapter 24; cf. 1 Corinthians 15).

4. On justification by faith and good works (chapters 32-33).

5. On the church as a body (chapter 37; cf. 1 Corinthians 12).

6. On church government: bishops and deacons (chapter 42).

7. On the Trinity (chapters 46, 58).

8. On "love" in the church (chapter 49; cf. 1 Corinthians 13).

For previous WMs on Church Fathers, see:

WM 85 Ignatius of Antioch

WM 88: Polycarp of Smyrna

WM 99: Cyril of Alexandria

David Bentley Hart's Survey of the Patristic Age

I’m enjoying reading through David Bentley Hart’s popular level work The Story of the Christianity (Quercus, 2009). It has short chapters, clear overviews, and is filled with interest-grabbing anecdotes.

In the chapter titled “Age of the Fathers” (95-101), Hart provides a succinct overview of the key leaders in the immediate post-apostolic age.

Hart calls this “the golden age of Christian thought” which was “frequently marked by a kind of speculative audacity, that the theologians of later years, under the restrictions of more precisely defined dogmas, found all but impossible” (95).

Here is my summary of his survey:

“Apostolic Fathers”: the earliest successors of the apostles

Clement of Rome

Ignatius of Antioch

Polycarp of Smyrna

Apologists: defenders of Christianity in the pagan world

Quadratus, during the time of the emperor Hadrian

Aristides, during the time of the emperor Antonius Pius

Melito of Sardis, during the time of the emperor Marcus Aurelius

Justin Martyr (c. 100-c. 165)

Irenaeus of Lyon (c. 130-c. 200)

Tertullian (c. 155-c. 230)

“High Patristic Age”

Clement of Alexandria

Origen

Athanasius, the scourge of Arianism

The Cappadocian Fathers: Basil, Gregory of Nazianzus, Gregory of Nyssa

Augustine of Hippo (354-430)

Note: Hart says, “Western Christianity is Augustinian Christianity.” As an Orthodox theologian, however, Hart unsurprisingly believes that Augustine misunderstood Paul.

Later Masters

Cyril of Alexandria (c. 375-444)

Maximus the Confessor (c. 580-662)
“Pseudo-Dionysius” (c. 500)

The End of the Patristic Period

The last father in the West is usually said to be Isidore of Seville (c. 560-636);

The last father in the East, John of Damascus (c. 675-749).

JTR