The Clementine Homilies: A Classic of the Early Christian Church

The Homilies of Pope Clement I are classic early Christian writings, vividly depicting the philosophical and religious discussions of the early church fathers.

This lengthy and elaborate narrative is in the format of an address given in the voice of Clement I to the James the Just, the Bishop of Jerusalem in the mid-1st century. The topics range between belief in the Lord God, the nature and existence of immortality, and various religious questions and philosophic ideas. Later, we hear of Clement's activities spanning Rome, Palestine, Egypt and elsewhere, the spiritual events he officiated, and sermons he delivered to early believers.

Modern theologians and scholars do not generally consider the Clementine Homilies to have been penned by Pope Clement I (c. 35 - 99 AD) himself. Instead, they are attributed to a "Pseudo-Clement" who lived sometime between the 2nd and 4th centuries A.D. Nevertheless, the works are valuable both as a manner of biographical study, and for their insight into early Christian history and culture. A multitude of references to important events which combined depict an evolution of the church from small, localized groups of adherents into an organized and cohesive whole remains of great interest.