Gnosis, theophany, theosis : studies in Clement of Alexandria's appropriation of his background / Arkadi Choufrine.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Choufrine, Arkadi, 1956-

Contributor:

Classes of 1883 and 1884 Fund.

Series:

Patristic studies (Peter Lang Publishing) ; v. 5.

Patristic studies ; vol. 5

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Clement, of Alexandria, Saint, approximately 150-approximately 215.

Clement.

Physical Description:

x, 230 pages ; 24 cm.

Place of Publication:

New York : P. Lang, [2002]

Contents:

Chapter I. Gnosis as Awakening: A Background of Clement's Interpretation of Baptismal Initiation 17

A. "Gnostic religion" vs. Christian Gnosis 21

B. Awakening: a metaphor for sudden redemption 32

C. Baptism as awakening: "Gnostic" patterns in Clement 41

C.1. Illumination 43

C.2. Purification from passions 45

C.3. Separation from matter 50

C.3.a. Excursus: The significance of Jesus' baptism 54

C.4. Redemption 65

D. Redemption vs. "illumination" 69

Chapter II. Theophany as Light: A Background of Clement's Interpretation of the "Day" Abraham Was to See 77

A. Clement's revision of Philo's idea of Abram's conversion 79

B. Justification and the parousia: a problem left by Paul 88

B.1. Excursus: Pauline background of Clement's exegesis of Gen. 15:6 95

C. Clement's solution: illumination as an incarnation of the Light 100

C.1. Historical stages of the Incarnation 100

C.2. Illumination in Hades 102

C.3. "Vertical" stages of the Incarnation 111

C.4. Incarnation as a [characters not reproducible] of the Light 113

D. Clement's retrieval of Philo's idea of the eternal Day 123

D.1. God's Logos as the Seventh Day 124

D.2. Day One as the everlasting instant of (re-)generation 126

D.3. Today as the eternity of the generation from above 135

D.4. The Eighth Day as the true Sabbath 138

E. Excursus: An Aristotelian background of Philo's idea of illumination 149

F. Excursus: Philo's ontology of Light 152

Chapter III. Theosis as Infinity: A Background of Clement's Interpretation of "Assimilation to God" 159

A. The infinity of God 160

B. The infinity of the human being 178

B.1. Excursus: On Nichomachus of Gerasa and Philo 186

C. The infinity of the Church 192

D. The infinity of "the One" 195

A. Clement's continuity with earlier Christian thinking 199

B. Clement's discontinuity with earlier Christian thinking 202

C. Clement's synthesis as reflected in the structure of this study 207

D. Clement's Orthodoxy 208

A.1. Clement of Alexandria 213

A.1.a. Editions with complete apparatus 213

A.1.b. Translations and other editions used 213.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages [213]-230).

Local Notes:

Acquired for the Penn Libraries with assistance from the Classes of 1883 and 1884 Fund.

ISBN:

082046144X

OCLC:

49512643