Paideia and Pronoia in the Works of Clemens Alexandrinus

The title of this article will undoubtedly remind the reader of the book of H. Koch, Pronoia und Paideusis. Already now we may say that the contents of this article will recall this book. For, what Origenes has written about these notions, is essentially already to be found in Clement, whose theology was profoundly influenced, especially by the paideia-idea. In a broad outline he gives the following form to this idea: God occupies Himself with man as an educator. This is connected partly with the fact that God's main quality towards mankind is His goodness,' partly with man's liberty to choose God's side or against Him. God's goodness towards man is to Clement an incontestable fact. Out of goodness God assumed the human body for our sake,2 out of charity He gave the law and the prophets and not long ago (before Clement's time) He sent his Son.3 This is not a natural proces, but a deed of free will: ovYre yQe o6 4Soq axov dyaEog o8v rd7tnov TO nriL igeQljavwrXov (eXov'Lno 6e Ij r&v ayat&v Terdaoadl avtrT, xdo v nQo,ahpdvn tr)v aZt,l av).4 God has no natural relation to us, Clement says,6 dAAa yae qtvaet nAiovaltog cOv 6 %Eda ev eq ,ia V a& v o atroi &yayorlra xid&Tatl v uTre YoOQlicv 'Ovtov a Tro5v re qvaEl tXrDxvv.6 (In another context, however, he states that to do well is in the nature of God, just as it is in the nature of fire to produce warmth, str. I, 86, 3). In correspondence with this opinion he does not attach much

Biblical studies · Context (archaeology) · Deed · Humanity · Josephus · Natural (archaeology) · Paideia · Political science · Relation (database) · Theology · Augustinian Studies and Theology · Classical Studies and Legal History · Classics · Historical and Linguistic Studies · Historical and Religious Studies of Rome · History · Law · Organic Chemistry Synthesis Methods · Philosophy · Theology and Canon Law Studies

• Prawda jako fundament nauczania misyjnego w Protreptikos Klemensa Aleksandryjskiego

  Open Access•Jerzy Duda•Annales Missiologici Posnanienses•2015

  Add to list

• Clement of Alexandria

  Eric Osborn, Eric Francis Osborn•Clement of Alexandria•2010

  Add to list