Fatherly Care for the Young I do this, not moved to it by some unconsidered impulse, but to humor the delights of a beloved child. Since the letter which you recently sent requested us to furnish you with some counsel concerning the perfect life, I thought it only proper to answer your request. Although there may be nothing useful for you in my words, perhaps this example of ready obedience […]
Read moreLatest Posts
Clement of Alexandria: The Stromata, Book VI
The Lord is Our Garden, He is Our Knowledge In a meadow the flowers blooming variously, and in a park the plantations of fruit trees, are not separated according to their species from those of other kinds. .. the form of the Miscellanies is promiscuously variegated like a meadow. And such being the case, my notes shall serve as kindling sparks; and in the case of him, who is fit […]
Read moreClement of Alexandria: Mystery of the Eucharist
The holy Apostle Paul says, preserving the prophetic and truly ancient secret from which the teachings that were good were derived by the Greeks: “Howbeit we speak wisdom among them who are perfect; but not the wisdom of this world, or of the princes of this world, that come to nought; but we speak the wisdom of God hidden in a mystery.” Then proceeding, he thus inculcates the caution against […]
Read moreClement of Alexandria: The Stromata, Book V
The Priestly Robe And they say that the robe prophesied the ministry in the flesh, by which He was seen in closer relation to the world. So the high priest, putting off his consecrated robe (the universe, and the creation in the universe, were consecrated by Him assenting that, what was made, was good), washes himself, and puts on the other tunic—a holy-of-holies one, so to speak—which is to accompany […]
Read moreClement of Alexandria: The Stromata Book IV
The Golden Race “For those who seek for gold,” says Heraclitus, “dig much earth and find little gold.” But those who are of the truly golden race, in mining for what is allied to them, will find the much in little. For the word will find one to understand it. — The Stromata, Book IV. Ch. I Martyrdom of Virtue We call martyrdom perfection, not because the man comes to […]
Read more
Gregory of Nyssa: Life of Moses
Good is Limitless No Good has a limit in its own nature but is limited by the presence of its opposite, as life is limited by death and light by darkness … Just as the end of life is the beginning of death, so also stopping in the race of virtue marks the beginning of the race of evil. Whoever pursues true virtue participates in nothing other than God, because […]
Read morePhilo: On Abraham
Man and the World For it cannot be that while in yourself there is a mind appointed as your ruler which all the community of the body obeys and each of the senses follows, the world, the fairest, and greatest and most perfect work of all, of which everything else is a part, is without a king who holds it together and directs it with justice. That the king is […]
Read more