Clement's Theological Foundations of Anthropology

What is it about?

This article sets out to investigate Clement’s representation of women, mothers, and babies in Clement’s Paedagogus, also in relation to his other works, and within his historico-theological context (with significant parallels with Bardaisan of Edessa, the Odes of Solomon, the Acts of Thomas, and so on). As will be pointed out, Clement’s treatment of women, maternity, and babies affects his theology first—indeed, it is even used in the service of his theological argument—and his anthropology next. Hence also his long biological expositions, which, as will be claimed, support his anthropology and, primarily, his theology. God is no less Mother than Father, although the Divinity properly transcends genders, and both men and women are in the image of God in the same way. Clement deployed much Platonic and Stoic lore about genders, their common virtue, and philosophical education.

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Photo by Olga DeLawrence on Unsplash

Photo by Olga DeLawrence on Unsplash

Why is it important?

The priority given by Clement to theology would be developed by Patristic thinkers who were well acquainted with his ideas and would build on his work, including not only Origen, but also Gregory of Nyssa (even down to Eriugena, who was familiar with Origen’s thought, as well as Maximus the Confessor’s). It will be argued that, among much else, Gregory shared with Clement the conviction of the exclusively biological and temporary differentiation between man and woman—which also assumed hierarchical overtones—like the idea that the restoration of rational creatures to God or apokatastasis is related to the feminine side of God, although both “feminine” and “masculine” are improperly predicated of God, who transcends genders and everything. Indeed, Clement’s whole discourse concerning divine paternity and maternity, God’s (and/or the Logos’) childbirth, breasts, milk, and the like contains a great deal of allegory and allegoresis, a Clementine and Origenian hermeneutical method that Gregory explicitly defended and employed.

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