greek known distinguish earlier rome christian theologian taught convert christianity educated man familiar classical greek philosophy literature major works demonstrate influenced philosophy greater extent christian time particular secret works exist fragments suggest familiar pre christian jewish works argued greek philosophy origin non greeks claiming taught egyptian scholars pupils regarded church father like saint christianity christianity previously revered roman_catholic_church removed pope advice biography birthplace known degree certainty born according born athens tradition birth parents convert christianity displays extensive knowledge greek mythology mystery religions arisen practice family religion having rejected young man perceived moral corruption travelled greece asia minor palestine egypt journeys primarily religious undertaking greece encountered theologian identified east taught identified jew possibly reached alexandria met taught suggests head school controversial institutions school way time studied ordained pope julian virtually known life alexandria married supported writings left alexandria wrote letter commending imply living jerusalem time date location death unknown theological works trilogy major works survived collectively referred trilogy written tutor written written title suggests greece adopt christianity demonstrates extensive knowledge pagan mythology theology chiefly important exposition religion phenomenon short philosophical discussion opens history greek religion seven stages suggests men mistakenly believed sun moon heavenly bodies gods development worship products agriculture contends arose man paid reverence revenge human feelings love fear following stage poets homer attempt gods giving number finally men proclaimed men deities discussing contends objects primitive religion wood stone idols arose natural items carved following critical forms visual art suggesting artworks deadly toys criticizes greek basis deities false poor moral examples attacks mystery religions trivial rituals particular ridiculed ritual use children toys suggests points pagan deities based humans demons cites classical sources support second hypothesis like pre fathers writes favourably philosophers grounds saw flaws greatest praise reserved views god christianity figure prominent narrative contrasts song representing pagan divine christ according conversion christianity man fully participate universal truth work title tutor refers christ teacher mankind features extended metaphor christians children simply author intends christian respond love god following republic divides life elements character actions having dealt reflections christ role teaching act morally control despite explicitly christian nature work draws philosophy pagan literature homer cited times work christ like man image god shares likeness god father christ imitate christ man achieve salvation sin removed wisdom god guidance away sin manifestation god universal love mankind word play characteristic writing rooted belief relationships words deeply reflective relationships objects argues equality sexes grounds salvation extended mankind equally unusually suggests christ male female god father male female aspects described milk breast christ father supportive women playing active role leadership church provides list women considers inspirational includes biblical classical greek figures suggested progressive views gender set influenced later work argues faith knowledge required salvation according faith christ come know god second book provides practical rules living christian life argues food favour good table manners prohibiting promotes drinking alcohol following argues simple way life accordance innate simplicity christian elaborate expensive clothing argues overly passionate music believe abandoning pleasures argues christian able express joy god creation opposes wearing picking flowers ultimately kills beautiful creation god resembles crown treats sex length argues sexual unnatural main goal human sexuality homosexuality prostitution adultery pregnant women avoided act generation legitimate offspring book continues similar vein condemning grounds souls bodies seek opposes men hair male advises choosing company carefully avoid corrupted immoral people arguing material wealth sin likely distract infinitely important spiritual wealth found christ work finishes selections scripture supporting argument following prayer lyrics hymn contents title suggests miscellaneous place trilogy disputed initially intended write work complement practical guidance intellectual schooling theology systematic ordered works intended limited readership wrote books work seven survive writing 9th century found text manuscripts seven canonical books lead suggest original eighth book lost identified text purported eighth book fragments book starts topic greek philosophy consistent writing philosophy role greek similar function law jews discussion origins greek culture technology arguing important figures greek world foreigners erroneously jewish culture significant influence greece attempt demonstrate moses gives extended chronology world dates birth christ april creation world books ends discussion origin languages possibility jewish influence second book largely devoted respective roles faith philosophical argument contends important fear god foremost faith receives divine wisdom scripture true primitive philosophy complemented human reason faith voluntary decision believe crucial fundamental step closer god founded knowledge truth knowledge proceeds faith principles outside systematic structure book covers discusses marriage treated similarly rejects opposition marriage arguing men women remain sex positive good performed marriage purposes fall occurred adam eve succumbed desire allotted time argues idea christians reject family life stems luke jesus contradicted honour father mother exodus concludes rewarded motivation christian nature non christians pointless begins fourth book explanation disorganized nature work gives brief description aims remaining books fourth book focuses good christians death actively seek martyr death arguing sufficient respect god gift life ambivalent believing christian martyr virtue manner death reserved lived exceptional lives believe god father vain subject theological according way testing existence god father meaning christ object senses god beginning universal principle fifth book returns subject faith argues truth justice goodness seen mind eye faith way stresses knowledge god achieved faith ones moral faults corrected parallels earlier insistence achieved practice faith christ good deeds simply faith god matter entirely truly come know god christ god spiritual physical important beginning sixth book intends demonstrate works greek poets derived books bible order reinforce position greeks inclined cites numerous instances inappropriate appropriation classical greek writers reported second hand anonymous 3rd century work ascribed subject sin hell arguing adam perfect created given potential achieve perfection broadly doctrine holding christ promise salvation available condemned hell final extant book begins description nature christ true christian aims similar possible father son criticizes simplistic ancient religions quoting famous description african egyptian deities greek gods origins material objects representing iron wine prayer relationship love knowledge discussed characterization true christian knows knowledge universal love expressed christian reverence creator following argues vice arises state ignorance intention christian god responsible path salvation neighbor work ends extended passage contemporary divisions church works great trilogy extant work treatise salvation rich known rich man saved having begun scathing criticism effects money attitudes wealthy discusses implications rich promise eternal life unaware conflict possession material spiritual wealth good christian duty guide better life gospel jesus words taken literally seek meaning true route salvation revealed holding material wealth wrong long men careful let wealth dominate spirit important external wealth rich man saved follow material wealth value god alleviate suffering neighbor known works exist fragments including works secret tradition cover hierarchy complex universe headed face god lie seven followed angels humans according inherited christian followed christians trusted mysteries beings created god act priests identifies eyes lord characterizes forms entirely different argues members order lower orders according thousand years member order moves degree men angels elevated new position hierarchy clearly defined apparent contradiction fact seven vast number promoted order problematic modern explanation number seven meant taken literally principally significance know titles lost works list ecclesiastical history include outlines books known mentions writings including marriage prophecy attested writers difficult separate works intended write actually completed letter attributed remains debate today authentic letter ancient modern authentic main significance relating mark came alexandria rome wrote spiritual gospel entrusted church alexandria death genuine letter pushes tradition related connecting mark alexandria century legacy writer provide account life works separate sections work dedicated decidedly place argued evidence revised work provides list works biographical information extended quotation constantinople writes theology learning literary merits work particular highly critical work biblical fragments survived compared treatise like works highly featuring ideas jewish origin prevailing 9th century particular ideas deemed belief matter thought eternal originate god doctrine belief cosmic cycles creation world following extra biblical origin belief christ sense created contrary john following doctrine christ body illusion belief eve created adam sperm night belief genesis implies angels human women orthodox catholic theology angels considered seventeenth century saint catholicism found feast fell fourth december revised pope viii dropped calendar advice cardinal maintained decision predecessor grounds life little known obtained public church doctrines erroneous suspect revered saint contemporary considered saint eastern orthodox christianity somewhat limited commemorated nonetheless cathedral dallas dedicated earliest church fathers works survived subject significant recent academic work mainly focusing relationship thought non christian philosophy influence
Clement of Alexandria