Clement of Alexandria: Exhortation to the Greeks; Rich Man's Salvation; To the Newly Baptized (Loeb Classical Library)

Rating:
Summary: Fascinating!
Review: Clement of Alexandria was a philosophic Christian writer of the late second century AD. His work and teachings heavily influenced his brilliant pupil Origen, although Clement tends to be more Orthodox by later standards than Origen. Clement's writings are a fascinating look at early Christian thought in Egypt.

This is a very nice little book. It contains a decent sampling of Clement's shorter works, including 'To the Newly Baptized,' which is not available in the excellent Ante-Nicene Fathers set (although the evidence is still inconclusive as to whether Clement actually wrote the short treatise). "Exhortation to the Greeks" is a reasoned exposition designed to convince Greeks of the truth of Christianity using their own myths. "Rich Man's Salvation" discusses ways a rich person might be in the Church, despite Jesus' (and the early church's) condemnation of riches.

The translation is from around 1910, so its a little stilted, but readable, much like the text from the Ante-Nicene Set. The Greek text is present on the left side of the book and based on the newest manuscripts available at the time. There are textual notes and manuscript variant notes, but they are few, and not nearly as helpful as the notes of other Clement translations.
Overall this Loeb edition offers a good translation with Greek texts, giving something to the serious scholar and the simply curious.

Rating:
Summary: "Interesting Writings from a Quasi-Saint"
Review: Clement of Alexandria was born tentatively in A.D. 150, and was more than likely raised a non-Christian; but he was destined nevertheless to become one the most influential teachers of the early Church. Among his pupils were the sublime Origen and the Bishop of Jerusalem, Alexander. Clement's familiarity with Greek mythological lore and the New and Old Testaments becomes strikingly apparent throughout his treatisies. What will be found in this volume are three works: "Exhortation to the Greeks," the "Rich Man's Salvation," and a short catechetical address "To the Newly Baptized." All are full of a driving wit, and are loaded with brazenly sharp philosophical tones of Platonism tinged with Christianity. Clement of Alexandria is numbered among the Fathers of the Church, but not recognized as one of her saints due to his views on the organized Church, and for suspicions arising from some of his teachings. Although, one need not pass this volume away, it is one of the masterpieces of nascent Christianity.