• Little is known of Clement’s life. Born in Athens, he became a
student of the Platonic philosopher Pantaenus in Alexandria. In
the late 2nd century, he became head of the Christian catechetical
school in that city. The only other biographical fact we know about
Clement is that he fled from persecution in 202.
• Clement forged a “thinking person’s” version of Christianity. He
sought a middle way between the extreme elitism of Gnosticism
and the ignorance of simple believers. He thought in terms of a
“Christian Gnosticism” that was orthodox and connected to the
larger tradition. He affirmed the lines of the developing rule of faith
and despised the compositions of Valentinus and Basilides.
• Clement’s project took the form of a three-stage presentation using
the forms of ancient Greek rhetoric and philosophy.
o The Protrepticus (“Exhortation”) is a classic call to conversion,
such as was issued by Greco-Roman philosophers. We see an
example in Lucian of Samosata’s Nigrinus, which castigates
false philosophers and calls for adherence to the teaching of
Nigrinus. Clement similarly attacks pagan errors—especially
in religious matters—and argues for the truth of Christianity.
o The Paidogogos (“Instructor”) in Greek education was the
one who taught young children their morals and manners.
Clement’s book by this title offers an extensive catalogue of
Christian moral behavior.o Clement’s most ambitious work, the Didaskalos (“Teacher”),
was never completed; however, the compilation of notes for
that work, the Stromateis (“Fragments”), itself constitutes a
major and deeply learned statement on Christianity’s use of
Scripture and its relationship to philosophy.• Clement’s work represents a much more ambitious and systematic
effort than Justin’s not only to render Christianity as reasonable but
to make it a serious contender in ancient philosophical discourse.