The Mystery of the Eucharist and Childhood in Clement of Alexandria
| Authors | |
|---|---|
| Year of publication | 2019 |
| Type | Article in Periodical |
| Magazine / Source | Eastern Theological Journal |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Keywords | Sacramentology; Spirituality; Childhood; Eucharist; Clement of Alexandria |
| Description | In his most acclaimed work entitled Stromata, intended for Christians, but open to a wider intellectual audience, Clement of Alexandria (c. 150 – 220) mentions the Eucharist only in passing. Nevertheless, in Paedagogus, which is addressed solely to Christians, Clement refers to the topic of the Eucharist quite frequently, albeit not systematically. In this paper, I would like to present the connection Clement places in Paedagogus between three “mysteries”: the spiritual childhood, the Eucharist (or “gratefulness”, or “prayer of thanksgiving”) and the suffering of Christ and his followers. The Eucharist is presented by Clement as milk by which the little ones are nourished, and simultaneously as a means of entering the perfect knowledge of God: it is the fruit of Christ’s sacrifice, which unifies the baptized person with the Spirit and purifies him or her in heart, and so enables him or her to view God. |