Pseudo-clementines

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Two writings are summarized under the term pseudo-clementines , which in the early days of the Church were ascribed to Clemens of Rome , who died around 110 , the second or third successor of Peter as Bishop of Rome . This includes the second letter of Clement and a novel. They stand next to the probably real first letter of Clement in the name of the Christian community in Rome to the divided community of Corinth . In late antiquity, the Syrian and Egyptian churches included them in the New Testament canon .

Pseudoclementine novel

It is a recognition novel ( Anagnorisis ) based on a secular model , with the apostle Peter and his pupil Clement in the center . The young Clemens lost his entire family through tragic circumstances and, after a fantastic life, finds them again through the intervening of Peter. Simon Magus appears as the antagonist of the apostle , who excels through Gnostic teachings and magic arts. His disputations with Peter as well as his teachings and warnings about Simon's heresy take up a large part of the book.

The origins of the novel may go back to the 2nd century. It has survived in two versions, the Greek homilies and the Latin recognitions (" Recognitions ", translated by Rufinus of Aquileia ). In the Latin form, the text became one of the oldest historical and biographical Christian sources in the Middle Ages.

theology

Although essentially antignostic, the novel divides the world in a strictly dualistic way: the female principle, which is attached to earthly desire, is opposed to the male principle embodied by the “true prophet ”. Only baptism empowers one to grasp its doctrine and to obey the law in the correct way. The doctrine of the true prophet, who manifests himself again and again from Adam to Moses to Christ, is a central point. Each of these prophets has his evil counterpart who tries to turn his teaching into the opposite. With this the author explains through the mouth of Peter the negative statements of the Bible, e.g. B. About Adam's Fall.

Theology has Jewish-Christian traits and is very critical of Pauline theology. This is how Simon Magus argues in the homilies with quotations from Paul's letters. The origins of the work, which has been revised and supplemented several times, can probably be found in anti-Pauline and anti-Pauline circles in Syria, with the anti-Pauline element receding further in the recognitions .

expenditure

Historic edition

Veal parchment - 202 sheets - 27.5 × 18.5 cm - Lamspringe - end of the 12th century, Codex Guelferbytanus 475 Helmstadiensis

A miniature is shown after the text of the Recognitiones. You can see how Peter chose Clement to be his successor. He is holding a tape in his hand: Dies mortis me? instat. Clementem hunc vobis episcopum ordino ("The day of death is before me. I appoint this Clemens to be your bishop.").

Modern edition

The pseudo-clementines . Akademie-Verlag, Berlin (The Greek Christian Writers of the First Three Centuries 42; 51; NF 16)

  • 1. Homilies . Edited by Bernhard Rehm . Arranged for printing by Johannes Irmscher . 1953. - 2., verb. Ed. 1969. - 3rd, verb. By Georg Strecker . 1992. ISBN 3-05-000575-0
  • 2. Recognitions in Rufin's translation . Edited by Bernhard Rehm. 1965th - 2nd, verb. Edition by Georg Strecker 1994. ISBN 3-05-001002-9
  • 3.1. Concordance with the pseudoclementines, T. 1: Latin word index. From Georg Strecker. 1986. ISBN 3-05-000115-1
  • 3.2. Concordance with the pseudoclementines, T. 2: Greek word index, Syrian word index, index nominum, position index. From Georg Strecker. 1989. ISBN 3-05-000319-7
  • 4. The biography of Klemens. Epitome prior, Martyrium Clementis, Miraculum Clementis. Edited by Franz Xaver Risch. 2008. ISBN 978-3-11-020944-0