{"author":null,"backreferences":[{"context_html":"<p>The full title of the <i>Stromata</i>, according to Eusebius and\r\nPhotius, was Τίτου Φλαυίου Κλήμεντος τῶν κατἁ τἡν ἀληθἢ φιλοσοφίαν\r\nγνωστικῶν ὑπομνημάτων στρωματεἲς<a class=\"fnanchor pginternal\" href=\"#Footnote_5\" id=\"FNanchor_5\">[5]</a>—Titus Flavius Clement’s\r\nmiscellaneous collections of speculative (gnostic) notes bearing upon\r\nthe true philosophy. The aim of the work, in accordance with this\r\ntitle, is, in opposition to gnosticism, to furnish the materials for\r\nthe construction of a true gnosis, a Christian philosophy, on the\r\nbasis of faith, and to lead on to this higher knowledge those who, by\r\nthe discipline of the Pædagogus, had been trained for it. The work\r\nconsisted originally of eight books. The eighth book is lost; that\r\nwhich appears under this name has plainly no connection with the rest\r\nof the <i>Stromata</i>. Various accounts have been given of the meaning\r\nof the distinctive word in the title (Στρωματεύς); but all agree in\r\nregarding it as indicating the miscellaneous character of its contents.\r\nAnd they are very miscellaneous. They consist of the speculations\r\nof Greek philosophers, of heretics, and of those who cultivated the\r\ntrue Christian gnosis, and of quotations from sacred Scripture. The\r\nlatter he affirms to be the source from which the<span class=\"pagenum\" id=\"Page_14\">[14]</span> higher Christian\r\nknowledge is to be drawn; as it was that from which the germs of\r\ntruth in Plato and the Hellenic philosophy were derived. He describes\r\nphilosophy as a divinely ordered preparation of the Greeks for faith\r\nin Christ, as the law was for the Hebrews; and shows the necessity\r\nand value of literature and philosophic culture for the attainment of\r\ntrue Christian knowledge, in opposition to the numerous body among\r\nChristians who regarded learning as useless and dangerous. He proclaims\r\nhimself an eclectic, believing in the existence of fragments of truth\r\nin all systems, which may be separated from error; but declaring that\r\nthe truth can be found in unity and completeness only in Christ, as\r\nit was from Him that all its scattered germs originally proceeded.\r\nThe <i>Stromata</i> are written carelessly, and even confusedly; but\r\nthe work is one of prodigious learning, and supplies materials of the\r\ngreatest value for understanding the various conflicting systems which\r\nChristianity had to combat.</p>","headings":["THE WRITINGS OF CLEMENT OF ALEXANDRIA.","INTRODUCTORY NOTICE."],"marker_anchor":"FNanchor_5","paragraph_id":"pg71937-paragraph-30"}],"canonical_references":[],"date_end":null,"date_start":null,"deduplication_fingerprint":"da9bead1fb0dd74879b84db1b7e74ff32e73bb43844486bf289899b00a6a82a0","edition_title":"The writings of Clement of Alexandria, Vol. 1 (of 2)","edition_translators":["William Wilson"],"edition_year":1867,"explicit_reference_candidates":[],"headings":[],"id":"pg71937-Footnote_5","license_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/policy/license.html","public_import_allowed":false,"record_kind":"original-editor-translator-note","review_required":["work and recension attribution","original-work chronology","Bible reference numbering and citation kind","English edition rights and attribution"],"review_status":"needs_review","rights_evidence":"Project Gutenberg metadata: Public domain in the USA. Existing 1867 English translation; translator died 1875. Electronic transcription subject to Project Gutenberg reuse terms.","source_anchor":"Footnote_5","source_ebook":71937,"source_html":"<div class=\"footnote\">\n<p><a class=\"label pginternal\" href=\"#FNanchor_5\" id=\"Footnote_5\">[5]</a> Eusebius, <i>Hist. Eccl.</i> vi. 13, Phot. <i>Bibl.</i>\r\n111.</p>\n</div>","source_sha256":"8e5c5bc39922dbad2626ac7651c2eb2e3d94cdcbd721f781e9792143ebb1cd03","source_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/71937/pg71937-images.html#Footnote_5","text_sha256":"c62ae0d84fe9f75f339aa10bcc59e5d43ed8e53a84af7916820a424a6e7aae1e","verified":false,"work_id":null}