RELIGIOUS ENCYCLOPEDIA
Clement of Rome Clementina
256 and in Christian Classic Series, vol. vii., London, 1892 Next to Lightf cot's the best discussion is R. A. Lipsius, De dementis Romani epistola, Leipsic, 1855; idem Chronologie der romischen Bischofe, Kiel, 1869. Conaiilt further: M. J. Wocher, Die Briefe des . Clemens und Polycarpus, Tubingen, 1830; C. J. von Hefele, Patrum apostolicorum opera, ib. 1842; E. W. E. Reuss, Histoire de la theologie chretienne, ii. 609 sqq., Paris, 1852; ARM. Dressel, Patrum apostolicorum opera, Leipsic, 1857' J- Donaldson, History of Christian Literature, i. 90-153, London, 1864-66; idem. Apostolic Fathers, pp. 113-190, ib. 1874; F. C. Baur, Lehrbuch der Dogmengeschichte, ' i. 155, 249 et passim, Leipsic, 1865; T. Zahn, Hirt des Hermas, Gotha, 1868; A. Hilgenfeld, Die apostolischen Voter, Halle, 1853; idem, dementis Romani epiatolcB. Leipsic, 1876; J. M. Cotterill, Peregrinus Proteus, Edinburgh, 1879; idem, Modern Criticism and Clement's Epistles to Virgins, ib. 1884; F. X. Funk, in TQ, 1879, pp. 539 sqq.; idem. Opera patrum apostolicorum, vol. ii., Tubingen, 1881; S. Maistre, Clement de Rome, son histoire, 2 vols., Paris, 1883-84; C. H. Hoole, Apostolic Fathers . . Iransl. into English, with introductory Notes, London, 1885; Harnack, in TU, v (1886), 82-84; idem, Litteratur, i. 780 et passim, XL i. 251 sqq., 442, 438 sqq., II. ii. 298, 304 sqq.; E. Burton, Apostolic Fathers, part i., Epistles of Clement, with Introduction, London, 1888; W Werde, Untersuchungemum ersten Clemensbriefe, Gottingen, 1891; C. T. Cruttwell, Literary History of Early Christianity, 2 vols., London, 1893; Kruger, History, pp. 21-25, 62-63; Schaff, Christian Church, ii. 636-651; DCB, i. 654-559; KL, iii. 449-458.
CLEMENTINA.
The Homilies (§ 1). Doctrinal Teachings (§2). The Recognitions (§ 3). The Epitome (§ 4).
Discussion of the Clementine Problem (§ 5). Relation of the Recognitions to the Homilies (§ 6).
The " Clementina " discussed in this article are a very remarkable and still in many points mysterious group of early Christian writings, closely related in their contents and evidently coming from a single source, of which three are still extant — the Clementine Homilies, Recognitions, and Epitome. For the collection of decretals made by Pope Clement V. and intended by him to form a seventh book in the great collection, also known as "Clementina," see Canon Law, II., 6, § 3.
Turrianus was the first, in his Pro canonibus apostolorum (1573), to give information about the HomUies, using a manuscript which has apparently disappeared. They were published I. The in 1672 by Cotelerius from a manu-
Homilies. script in the library of Paris, which, however, stopped with the nineteenth homily, and offered a very corrupt text. The first complete editon was that of Dressel (1853), from a, newly discovered manuscript in the Ottobonian library at Rome. Lagarde made the first attempt to give a critically accurate text in 1865. The book consists of two letters to the apostle James and twenty " homilies " also addressed to him. The first letter purports to be from Peter, asking James to keep secret the special doctrines he has transmitted to him. The second is supposed to be from Clement, announcing that Peter has appointed him his successor in Rome, and charged him to send James an account of their long association. Clement, having sought truth in vain in the philosophical schools, hearing something of Jesu.s,^ decides to go to Judea for an answer to his questions. In Alexandria he meets Barnabas, who •conducts him to Peter at Cssarea Stratonis. Peter
instructs him in Christianity, and invites him to be present at the disputation with Simon Magus which is soon to take place. It lasts three days. At the end Simon, defeated, takes flight; Peter remains a while, founds a local church, and sets apart Zacchaeus as its bishop. Before himself following Simon, he sends Clement, with Niceta and Aquila, to bring back news of him. They do not find hirn in Tyre, but meet some of his friends, with one of whom, Appion the Alexandrian grammarian, Clement disputes till Peter arrives. Together they continue their journey, Peter preaching to the heathen and founding churches. On the way Clement narrates his own life — how his parents and two brothers have mysteriously disappeared long before. Niceta and Aquila turn out to be his brothers. Discourses and dialogues are interspersed with these events. Simon arrives here, and the principal disputation follows, lasting four days, on divine revelations in visions, on the most high God, and on evil. Simon is defeated and retires, but presently, by his magic arts, changes the appearance of Clement's brother Faustus into his own likeness. In this form Peter sends him to Antioch, where the real Simon has many adherents, to make a recantation of all his teaching. Peter having organized a church in Laodicea, departs for Antioch.
This romantic narrative, however, is only a framework for doctrinal development. The doctrine has two sides, a metaphysical and an ethical, which allows irreconcilable views to be stated side by side. The aim of human life is the attainment of the highest good, only possible through a true knowledge of God and of all things, which sin prevents man from gaining without revelation.
God revealed himself first in creation, 2. Doctrinal and then, this being obscured by sin, Teachings, through the " true Prophet." He is
to be recognized through prophecy, and, once known, must be followed implicitly. He has appeared not in one single person, but under divers forms and names. Eight persons have had a special relation to this revelation — Adam, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, and Christ; Adam, Moses, and Christ stand above the others, Christ being the highest. The primeval revelation in Adam, the Mosaic teaching, and Christianity are essentially identical. Christianity is purified Mosaism, with the addition, however, of preaching to the heathen and baptism. The death of Christ does not mean salvation to the author, and he is silent on the Resurrection. The fundamental doctrine of the one God, the Creator, develops in two different directions — one decidedly pantheistic, and another which leads not less strongly, by an ethical road, to a totally opposite view of the universe. Here God is still one, but personal, and described in the most anthropomorphic terms. Man, made in his image, is free, and hence comes sin. The devil is always seducing men, and the " true Prophet " teaching them again how to serve God. If evil comes out of freedom, there can be only one end to it, eternal punishment. The author has evidently tried to reconcile these two conflicting tendencies, especially in his teaching on evil. All property is sin; the eating of flesh is
Clementina
Clergy