Clement of Rome

A presbyter of the church in Rome who possibly may have, later, become its (third) bishop, ad is mostly remembered as the author of 1 Clement, addressed to the Corinthian Church on behalf of the church in Rome. The Corinthian Church had again broken into divisive disorder, including the sacking of one of her leaders. Clement, who saw himself authorized with the powers to address fellow churches, wrote to appeal to them to reconcile and make up, reminding them of the letter they had received from Paul and calling them to make peace (☰ to read the letter). Henry Bettenson assesses the letter thus:

For us the importance of the epistle lies in the picture it presents of the Roman Church at the end of the first century. A comparison of Clement with the other Apostolic Fathers reveals a wide variety of types of thoughts and ways of life in the early Church . . . Here we find no ecstasies, no miraculous 'gifts of the Spirit', no demonology, no preoccupation with an imminent 'Second Coming'. The Church has settled down in the world, and is going about its task 'soberly, discreetly and advisedly' . . . One would assume that he had small interest in theological speculation; rather he is concerned with the organization of the Christian community, its ministry, and its liturgy: and what he says about the ministry is of great interest to us, though notorioulsy uncertain of interpretation. Above all, Clement is a moralist. (The Early Christian Fathers).

Though a number of other works—2 Clement, Clementine Homilies and Recognitions—are also attributed to him, none can be authenticated as such.

The identity of Clement of Rome remains a matter of debate. He has been identified by Origen and Eusebius with the Paul's "co-worker" mentioned in Phil 4:3, though most scholars think this unlikely. Titus Flavius Clements, a cousin of Emperor Domitian and consul in 95 AD, who was arrested, together with his wife, Domitilla, towards the end of his consulship on charges of 'atheism' and 'Jewish practices,' has also been proposed as a possible candidate. Domitilla was probably a Christian, and many suppose he was as well.