R.A. Baker
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Chapter Downloads Chapter 1  Introduction Chapter 2  The Origins of Christian theoria Chapter 3  Technical Aspects of theoria Chapter 4  Theoria: Final Stage in the Spiritual Pathway Chapter 5  The Practical Aspects of theoria Chapter 6  Conclusion Addendum  Appendices, Bibliography

(You can now download the PDF of my Ph.D. Thesis, University of St Andrews - March 2001) I will present various sections of my research in summary form with very few citations. PDF files of each chapter can be downloaded above - these represent the "official" work with page numbers and footnotes - these should be used if you plan to cite this work.

Clement of Alexandria
2.5 Theoria: Part of the Secret Paradosis

There are two significant sections of Stromateis which give us some evidence that this oral tradition includes theoria, a mystical teaching of spirituality and prayer. In these sections Clement introduces his discussion on theoria with comments about oral tradition.

We have just seen that Book V is the most lengthy presentation of the hidden nature of Truth. In Chapter 10 Clement demonstrates how and why the apostle Paul concealed and revealed both in his writings and ministry. He cites several texts to show this, then he says,

Here we have the "food" theme again; this alerts the reader that a revealing section has come. This text leads the reader to another very important one; to avoid a long citation I will give V.10.63,1-66,1 in an elliptical fashion,

Here Clement uses various citations, mainly Paul and OT, to support the argument he has been presenting throughout Book V - God's truth is hidden. But notice, he inserts comments along the way which imply that he is about to reveal some "gnostic communication" (64,5). We also notice that he uses some of the same Pauline texts which he had introduced earlier (V.4.25,2-26,1; see note 197), ending with the "milk...meat" analogy. This section introduces a very important passage,

Three times in Book V he uses the analogy of "milk...meat" to illustrate two levels of believers, and now "meat" is "the mystic contemplation." We need to note the connection Clement has made: he uses the symbolic nature of philosophy coupled with the Scriptures to "awaken in the perceptive reader a desire for the true gnosis." Then he uses Paul's references to an esoteric teaching (the "milk...meat" analogy), and now he has revealed: "meat is mystic contemplation." This confirms what we have seen in our discussion of Clement's use of the "food" theme in Strom. I.1 - this gnostic "food" is theoria. We have just seen how Clement ends Strom. V.10; V.11 then begins with the following pronouncement;

From this context, this abstraction appears to be Clement's definition of theoria, his understanding of what it means to receive this spiritual "meat." Notice also, he says this person "practises the true philosophy." He then proceeds with a discourse on apophatic theory, which covers Strom. V.11 and 12.

The remainder of Book V represents a digression into the familiar topic of "the plagiarism of the Greeks from the Barbarian [Hebrew] philosophy." This digression will last through Book VI.5, but not without a hint of the revealing discussion he has left behind. Book VI opens with a reminder of the "meat;" "For the Lord enjoined 'to labour for the meat which endureth to eternity'." We have already mentioned (§2.2.1, pp.39-46) that Clement uses the gnostic "food" theme to cue the reader of a revealing section. Here he is not revealing, but reminding the reader of the important topic he had discussed in Book V. He reminds the reader of the role the Paidagogus played in preparing the believer for this meat. He also brings the layout of the Stromateis to remembrance;

So just as our discussion here has taken a slight detour, Clement throws the casual reader off the trail with "the truth mixed up in the dogmas of philosophy, or rather covered over and hidden." But he does continue, as was his announced plan, to give hints along the way. After this extended amount of wandering, he comes back to this theme of mystical contemplation (Book VI.7), again introducing it with a comment on oral tradition;

So we see that the concept of contemplation is clearly introduced, or connected with, oral tradition in at least two major sections. We also must note that Clement is challenging the philosophers - they can never attain true theoria, only the gnostic "practises the true philosophy." (V.11.67,1-2)

In Strom. VI.8 Clement returns again to this "milk...meat" theme saying that "milk" is the study of philosophy, which must mean that "meat" is again contemplation. As we have mentioned, this "milk...meat" analogy is an example of Clement's subtle way of dropping hints to the reader and is part of his revealing.

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Clement of Alexandria and Christian Spirituality

Chapter 2
Origins of Christian Theoria
- introduction
- what is spirituality?
- studies on clement
- oral tradition
- oral tradition II
- minority tradition
- hidden - Stromateis
- theoria and oral tradition
- conclusions

Chapter 3
Technical Aspects of Theoria
- introduction
- apophatic theoria
- apatheia and theoria
- concept of mystery
more sections coming...
- the threefold pathway
- theoria - spirituality
- stromateis book VII
- practical spirituality
- silence, silent prayer
- egyptian christianity
- clement's theoria
- clement's influence