Pope Benedict's words at the beginning of his reflection on St. Clement are a fitting place for us to begin as well:"Let us now devote our attention to the Apostolic Fathers, that is, to the first and second generations in the Church subsequent to the Apostles. And thus, we can see where the Church's journey begins in history".
According to the Catholic Encyclopedia...
Pope Clement I (called CLEMENS ROMANUS to distinguish him from the Alexandrian), is the first of the successors of St. Peter of whom anything definite is known, and he is the first of the "Apostolic Fathers". His feast is celebrated 23 November. He has left one genuine writing [c. 97], a letter to the Church of Corinth, and many others have been attributed to him.
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| Pope St Clement Adoring the Trinity Giovanni Battista Tiepolo, 1737-1738 |
Readings:
Specific questions from Welborn/OSV:
- Who was Clement and why is it significant that he was writing to Christian communities in other cities?
- What does Clement indicate were the root causes of the dissension in the Church in Corinth?
- What elements of the Church’s identity did Clement recommend that the Church in Corinth focus on?
Clement asks:
"Why are there strifes, and tumults, and divisions, and schisms, and wars among you? Have we not one God and one Christ? Is there not one Spirit of grace poured out upon us? And have we not one calling in Christ? Ephesians 4:4-6 Why do we divide and tear in pieces the members of Christ, and raise up strife against our own body, and have reached such a height of madness as to forget that we are members one of another? Romans 12:5"
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