Clement of Rome
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Other popes named Clement |
Clement of Rome (
Few details are known about Clement's life. Clement was said to have been consecrated by
Clement's only genuine extant writing is his letter to the church at
According to tradition, Clement was imprisoned under the
Life
The
Early succession lists name Clement as the first,[11]: 636 [b] second, or third[2][c] successor of Peter. However, the meaning of his inclusion in these lists has been very controversial.[12] Some believe there were presbyter-bishops as early as the 1st century,[12] but that there is no evidence for a monarchical episcopacy in Rome at such an early date.[2] There is also, however, no evidence of a change occurring in ecclesiastical organization in the latter half of the 2nd century, which would indicate that a new or newly-monarchical episcopacy was establishing itself.[12]
A tradition that began in the 3rd and 4th century,
A large congregation existed in Rome c. 58, when Paul wrote his Epistle to the Romans.[2] Paul arrived in Rome c. 60 (Acts).[2] Paul and Peter were said to have been martyred there. Nero persecuted Roman Christians after Rome burned in 64, and the congregation may have suffered further persecution under Domitian (81–96). Clement was the first of early Rome's most notable bishops.[14] The Liber Pontificalis, which documents the reigns of popes, states that Clement had known Peter.
Clement is known for his epistle to the church in Corinth (c. 96), in which he asserts the apostolic authority of the bishops/presbyters as rulers of the church.[2] The epistle mentions episkopoi (overseers, bishops) or presbyteroi (elders, presbyters) as the upper class of minister, served by the deacons, but, since it does not mention himself, it gives no indication of the title or titles used for Clement in Rome.
Death and legends of final days
According to apocryphal
The
Writings
The Liber Pontificalis states that Clement wrote two letters (though the second letter, 2 Clement, is no longer ascribed to him by many modern scholars).[2][3][17]
Epistle of Clement
Clement's only extant, uncontested text is a letter to the
Clement writes to the troubled congregation in Corinth, where certain "presbyters" or "bishops" have been deposed (the class of clergy above that of deacons is argued by certain historians to be designated indifferently by the two terms).
We should be obedient unto God, rather than follow those who in arrogance and unruliness have set themselves up as leaders in abominable jealousy.... For Christ is with them that are lowly of mind, not with them that exalt themselves over the flock.
— Clement of Rome 1885b, 1 Clem 14:1; 16:1
Do we then think it to be a great and marvelous thing, if the Creator of the universe shall bring about the resurrection of them that have served Him with holiness in the assurance of a good faith, seeing that He showeth to us even by a bird the magnificence of His promise?
— Clement of Rome 1885b, 1 Clem 26:1
In the epistle, it is argued by some that Clement uses the terms "bishop" and "presbyter" interchangeably for the higher order of ministers above deacons.[2] In some congregations, particularly in Egypt, the distinction between bishops and presbyters seems to have become established only later.[18] But by the middle of the second century all the leading Christian centres had bishops.[18] Scholars such as Bart Ehrman treat as significant the fact that, of the seven letters written by Ignatius of Antioch to seven Christian churches shortly after the time of Clement, the only one that does not present the church as headed by a single bishop is that addressed to the church in Rome, although this letter did not refer to a collective priesthood either.[19]
Clement's letter also contains historical references, it mentions persecutions of Christians, records the martyrdom of the Apostle Peter and suggests that the apostle Paul traveled to Spain.[20]
Theology
Clement's view on justification has had much scholarly discussion, as he is sometimes argued to have believed sola fide, though others believe him as having synergist views. Debate exists, because Clement directly stated that "we are not justified by ourselves but by faith", however in other places of the letter, he stresses judgement on sin.[21] The Protestant scholar Tom Schreiner argued that Clement of Rome believed in a grace oriented justification by faith, which will cause the believer to do works as a result,[22] Philip Schaff also said that Clement probably taught a faith alone doctrine[23] while Catholic Encyclopedia wrote that Clement believed works to be part of justification.[24] Rudolf Knopf and Rudolf Bultmann also believed that Clement believed in synergism, and that the believer needs to cooperate with the grace of God to be saved. Rudolf Knopf in his commentary on the letter of Clement to the Corinthians stated that: "Pre-Christian sins are wiped out by baptism. For those sins that follow, a person must have faith in divine mercy and, at the same time, that person must exhibit his or her own good deeds, apart from which the person cannot be saved"[21] David Downs argued against the view that Clement of Rome holds synergist views, he argued that Clement did not write a letter about deep soteriology, but instead to provide moral guidance to the Corinthians, David Downs stated "According to the soteriological economy of Clement everything rests on the goodness, mercy, and election of the Creator, which have befitted the 'chosen portion' through Jesus".[21]
It has also been argued that the epistle may contain early evidence for belief in
According to Catholic Encyclopedia, the letter of Clement has Trinitarian theology and Christ is frequently called as the high priest by him.[20]
Writings formerly attributed to Clement
Second Epistle of Clement
The Second Epistle of Clement is a homily, or sermon, likely written in Corinth or Rome, but not by Clement.[2] Early Christian congregations often shared homilies to be read. The homily describes Christian character and repentance.[2] It is possible that the Church from which Clement sent his epistle had included a festal homily to share in one economical post, thus the homily became known as the Second Epistle of Clement.
While 2 Clement has been traditionally ascribed to Clement, most scholars believe that 2 Clement was written in the 2nd century based on the doctrinal themes of the text and a near match between words in 2 Clement and in the Greek Gospel of the Egyptians.[3][17]
Epistles on Virginity
Two "Epistles on Virginity" were traditionally attributed to Clement, but now there exists almost universal consensus that Clement was not the author of those two epistles.[31]
False Decretals
A 9th-century collection of church legislation known as the False Decretals, which was once attributed to
Clement is included among other early Christian popes as authors of the Pseudo-Isidoran (or False) Decretals, a 9th-century forgery. These decrees and letters portray even the early popes as claiming absolute and universal authority.[g] Clement is the earliest pope to whom a Pseudo-Isidoran text is attributed.
Clementine literature
Clement is also the hero of an early Christian romance or novel that has survived in at least two different versions, known as the Clementine literature, where he is identified with Emperor Domitian's cousin Titus Flavius Clemens. Clementine literature portrays Clement as the Apostles' means of disseminating their teachings to the Church.[2]
Recognition as a saint
Clement's name is in the
The St Clement's Church in Moscow is renowned for its glittering Baroque interior and iconostasis, as well as a set of gilded 18th-century railings. The parish was disbanded in 1934 and the original free-standing gate was demolished. The Lenin State Library stored its books in the building throughout the Soviet period. It was not until 2008 that the building reverted to the Russian Orthodox Church.
Clement of Rome is commemorated in the Synaxarium of the
Relics
Besides relics venerated in Rome and Kyiv (see above), in the city of Santa Cruz de Tenerife in Spain, the shinbone of Clement is kept. It was a gift of Sidotti, Patriarch of Antioch, to the Church of the Immaculate Conception. Historically, this was a highly revered relic in the city.[37]
Symbolism
In workings of art, Clement can be recognized by having an anchor at his side or tied to his neck. He is most often depicted wearing
Clement can be seen depicted near a
See also
- List of popes
- List of Catholic saints
- Pope Saint Clement I, patron saint archive
- St Clement's Day
- Saint Clement and Sisinnius inscription – 11th-century Romance and Latin inscription
References
Notes
- ^ Campbell 1907 details the debate regarding whether there was one pope with two names, or two distinct popes. Ancient sources are contradictory, and modern scholarship is divided.
- ^ Like Schaff, the Holy See's Annuario Pontificio, gives Clement as "supreme pontiff of Rome" in either 92–99 or 68–76, making him either the first or the third successor of Saint Peter, but not the second.(Libreria Editrice Vaticana 2008, p. 7)
- ^ The Catholic Encyclopedia article says that only on the false assumption that "Cletus" and "Anacletus" were two distinct persons, instead of variations of the name of single individual, did some think that Clement was the fourth successor of Saint Peter.
- ^ Kelly & Walsh 2005, p. 7 note that "Writers of the 3rd and 4th centuries, like Origen, Eusebius, and Jerome, equate him (St. Clement I), perhaps, correctly, with the Clement whom St. Paul mentions (Phil 4:3) as a fellow worker."
- ^ Phan 2000, p. 32 writes, "Most scholars would now regard 1 Clement as an impressive example of fraternal correction rather than an authoritative intervention."
- ^ The Encyclopædia Britannica places the Donation of Constantine in this section; the Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church places it in the section of the pre-Nicene Popes.
- ^ Durant 2011, p. 525 writes, "These early documents were designed to show that by the oldest traditions and practice of the Church no bishop might be deposed, no Church councils might be convened, and no major issue might be decided, without the consent of the pope. Even the early pontiffs, by these evidences, had claimed absolute and universal authority as vicars of Christ on Earth."
Citations
- ^ "Patron Saints and their feast days". pamphlets.org.au. Archived from the original on 22 June 2015. Retrieved 15 June 2015.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-19-280290-3.
- ^ a b c d e f g Chapman, Henry Palmer (1908). Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 4. New York: Robert Appleton Company. . In Herbermann, Charles (ed.).
- ^ Roberts, Alexander; Donaldson, James (1885). Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers: Series II. Vol. I (1st ed.). Church History of Eusebius, Book III, Chapter IV, 10.
- ^ Irenaeus. "Book III, Chapter 3". Ante-Nicene Fathers Vol. I.
- ISBN 978-1-889758-86-2.
- ^ Tertullian (1903). "Prescription against Heretics". In Alexander Roberts; James Donaldson (eds.). The Ante-Nicene Fathers: Translations of the Writings of the Fathers Down to A.D. 325. Vol. III, Part II, Section I, Ch XXXII. C. Scribner's Sons. p. 258.
- ^ Jerome (1885). Alexander Roberts; James Donaldson (eds.). . Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers: Series II. Vol. III – via Wikisource.
- ^ Irenaeus (1885). Alexander Roberts; James Donaldson (eds.). . Ante-Nicene Fathers. Vol. I – via Wikisource.
- Eusebius of Caesarea (1885). Alexander Roberts; James Donaldson (eds.). Wikisource. . Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers: Series II. Vol. I – via
- ^ a b Schaff, Philip (1883). "Ch XIII, §162 Clement of Rome.". History of the Christian Church. Vol. II: Ante-Nicene Christianity. A.D. 100-325. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons.
- ^ a b c Van Hove, Alphonse (1907). Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 2. New York: Robert Appleton Company. . In Herbermann, Charles (ed.).
- ^ "Vision II", 4. 3
- ISBN 978-0-19-280290-3.
- ^ a b Stracke, Richard (2015-10-20). "Saint Clement: The Iconography". Christian Iconography.
- ^ Bernhard Gallistl: 'Klemens von Rom und sein Kult auf der Krim'. In: Würzburger Jahrbücher für die Altertumswissenschaft. NF, vol.45, 2021, pp. 101–143.
- ^ a b McBrien (2000). Lives of the Popes. HarperCollins. p. 35.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-19-280290-3.
- ISBN 978-0-19-534350-2.
- ^ a b "CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Pope St. Clement I". www.newadvent.org. Retrieved 2022-01-21.
- ^ S2CID 170840708.
- ^ "Did the Early Church Teach 'Faith Alone'?". Zondervan Academic. Retrieved 2021-12-31.
- ^ "Philip Schaff: History of the Christian Church, Volume II: Ante-Nicene Christianity. A.D. 100-325 - Christian Classics Ethereal Library". www.ccel.org. Retrieved 2022-01-21.
- ^ "CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Pope St. Clement I". www.newadvent.org. Retrieved 2021-12-31.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-310-51579-1.
- ^ Mirus, Jeffrey. "...and Protects His Church from Teaching Error in Faith and Morals'". www.ewtn.com/. Eternal Word Television Network. Retrieved 6 January 2022.
- ISBN 978-0-88141-125-6.
- ^ "Christians Have Always Recognized the Pope's Authority — Here's Proof From the 1st Century". National Catholic Register. 18 Sep 2021. Retrieved 6 January 2022.
Clement definitely asserts his authority over the Corinthian church far away… That is extraordinary, and very similar to what we see in the Jerusalem Council in Acts 15:28 ("For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things") and in Scripture itself… infallibility (divine protection from error and the pope as a unique representative of God).
- ^ "Authority of the Pope". www.churchfathers.org/. Church Fathers Organization. Retrieved 6 January 2022.
You will afford us joy and gladness if being obedient to the things which we have written through the Holy Spirit, you will root out the wicked passion of jealousy
- ^ Cf. Downs, "Justification, Good Works, and Creation in Clement of Rome's Appropriation of Romans 5–6," in New Testament Studies.
- ^ Clement of Rome (1885). "Ch. XXX Two Epistles Concerning Virginity: Introductory Notice.". The Ante-Nicene Fathers : translations of the writings of the Fathers down to A.D. 325. Vol. VIII. Buffalo: C.L. Pub. Co. p. 53.
- ^ Encyclopædia Britannica: False Decretals
- ^ Bunson 2004, p. 345.
- ISBN 978-0-19-280290-3.
- ^ "The Calendar". The Church of England. Retrieved 2021-03-27.
- ISBN 978-1-64065-235-4.
- ^ González 2007, p. 3.
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "Pope St. Clement I". Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
Sources
- Bunson, Matthew (2004). "False Decretals". OSV's Encyclopedia of Catholic History. Our Sunday Visitor. ISBN 978-1-59276-026-8.
- Campbell, Thomas Joseph (1907). Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 1. New York: Robert Appleton Company. . In Herbermann, Charles (ed.).
- Clement of Rome (1885b). Alexander Roberts; James Donaldson (eds.). Wikisource. . Ante-Nicene Fathers. Vol. IX. Translated by John Keith – via
- ISBN 978-1-4516-4761-7.
- González, Manuel Hernández (2007). Fiestas y creencias en Canarias en la Edad Moderna. Ediciones IDEA. ISBN 978-84-8382-107-7.
- Kelly, John Norman Davidson; Walsh, Michael J. (2005). The Oxford Dictionary of Popes (2nd ed.). Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-861433-3.
- Libreria Editrice Vaticana (2008). Annuario pontificio (2008). Libreria Editrice Vaticana. ISBN 978-88-209-8021-4.
- Phan, Peter C. (2000). The Gift of the Church: A Textbook on Ecclesiology in Honor of Patrick Granfield, O.S.B. Liturgical Press. ISBN 978-0-8146-5931-1.
Further reading
- Clarke, W. K. Lowther, ed. (1937). The First Epistle of Clement to the Corinthians. London: Society for the Promotion of Christian Knowledge.
- Grant, Robert M., ed. (1964). The Apostolic Fathers. New York: Nelson.
- Loomis, Louise Ropes (1916). The Book of Popes (Liber Pontificalis). Merchantville, NJ: Evolution Publishing. ISBN 1-889758-86-8.
- Lightfoot, J.B. (1890). The Apostolic Fathers. London: Macmillan.
- Meeks, Wayne A. (1993). The origins of Christian morality : the first two centuries. New Haven: Yale Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0-300-05640-2.
- Richardson, Cyril Charles (1943). Early Christian Fathers. The Library of Christian Classics. Philadelphia: Westminster Press.
- Staniforth, Maxwell (1968). Early Christian writings. Baltimore: Penguin.
External links
- "Saint Clement I." Encyclopædia Britannica Online.
- Grieve, Alexander James; Robinson, Joseph Armitage (1911). . In Chisholm, Hugh (ed.). Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 6 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 482–483.
- Works by or about Clement of Rome at Internet Archive
- Works by Clement of Rome at LibriVox (public domain audiobooks)
- Two Epistles Concerning Virginity .
- Opera Omnia
- Hieromartyr Clement the Pope of Rome Eastern Orthodox synaxarion
- Patron Saints Index: Pope Saint Clement I
- Saint Clement at the Christian Iconography web site
- "Here Followeth the Life of St. Clement" in the Caxton translation of the Golden Legend
- "St. Clement of Rome, Pope and Martyr (1st Century)"
- Colonnade Statue in St Peter's Square