Onan was a figure detailed in the Book of Genesis chapter 38, as the second son of Judah who married the daughter of Shuah the Canaanite. Onan had an older brother Er and a younger brother, Shelah as well.
113-422: After being commanded by his father, Judah, to perform his duty as a husband's brother according to the custom of levirate marriage with the late Er's wife Tamar , Onan instead refused to perform his duty as a levirate and "spilled his seed on the ground whenever he went in" because "the offspring would not be his", and was thus put to death by Yahweh . This act is detailed as retribution for being "displeasing in
226-518: A levirate marriage with his brother's widow Tamar to give her offspring. Religion professor Tikva Frymer-Kensky has pointed out the economic repercussions of a levirate marriage: any son born to Tamar would be deemed the heir of the deceased Er and could claim the firstborn's double share of an inheritance. However, if Er were childless or only had daughters, Onan would have inherited as the oldest surviving son. When Onan had sex with Tamar, he withdrew before he ejaculated and "spilled his seed on
339-558: A century. Eusebius , the fourth-century early church historian, is the first writer to provide an account of Clement's life and works, in his Ecclesiastical History , 5.11.1–5, 6.6.1 He provides a list of Clement's works, biographical information, and an extended quotation from the Stromata . From this and other accounts, it is evident that Clement was highly revered by his contemporaries and later patristic figures. As J.B. Mayor observes, “The piety and learning of Clement, his power as
452-513: A child to his sister-in-law may reflect a rejection of this custom already present in society. The regulation of levirate marriage in Deut 25:5–10 shows that the custom had encountered some opposition. The law in Deuteronomy allowing a man to refuse his duty was a concession to the reluctance to comply with the custom. Because of Onan's unwillingness to bear a child for his deceased brother, Yahweh
565-562: A degree, and thus humans can become angels. Even the protoctists can be elevated, although their new position in the hierarchy is not clearly defined. The apparent contradiction between the fact that there can be only seven protoctists but also a vast number of archangels to be promoted to their order is problematical. One modern solution regards the story as an example of "interiorized apocalypticism": imagistic details are not to be taken literally, but as symbolizing interior transformation. The titles of several lost works are known because of
678-584: A friend” (Maurice). Nonetheless, there have been a few detracting voices. Photios I of Constantinople writes polemically against Clement's theology in the Bibliotheca , although he also is appreciative of Clement's learning and the literary merits of his work. In particular, he is highly critical of the Hypotyposes , a work of biblical exegesis of which only a few fragments have survived. Photios compared Clement's treatise, which, like his other works,
791-518: A gradual decline of yibbum in favor of halizah , to the point where in most contemporary Jewish communities, and in Israel by mandate of the Chief Rabbinate , yibbum is prohibited. This started already in time of Mishnah, "The opinion of Abba Shaul, who said, 'The mitzvah of ḥalitza takes precedence over the mitzvah of levirate marriage'" (Yevamot 3a). "Now that they do not have intent for
904-660: A list in Eusebius' Ecclesiastical History , 6.13.1–3. They include the Outlines , in eight books, and Against Judaizers . Others are known only from mentions in Clement's own writings, including On Marriage and On Prophecy , although few are attested by other writers and it is difficult to separate works that he intended to write from those that were completed. The Mar Saba letter was attributed to Clement by Morton Smith , but there remains much debate today over whether it
1017-404: A man loses his wife before she bears a child or she dies leaving young children, her lineage provides another wife to the man, usually a younger sister with a lowered bride price . Both levirate and sororate are practiced to guarantee the well being of children and ensure that any inheritance of land will stay within the family. "The Kirghiz practice levirate whereby the wife of a deceased male
1130-491: A plot-element in various works of fiction: Clement of Alexandria Titus Flavius Clemens , also known as Clement of Alexandria ( Ancient Greek : Κλήμης ὁ Ἀλεξανδρεύς ; c. 150 – c. 215 AD ), was a Christian theologian and philosopher who taught at the Catechetical School of Alexandria . Among his pupils were Origen and Alexander of Jerusalem . A convert to Christianity, he
1243-604: A saint. Saint Clement Coptic Orthodox Christian Academy in Nashville, Tennessee, is specifically named after him. Clement is commemorated in Anglicanism . Clement taught that faith was the basis of salvation; he also believed that faith was the basis of gnosis —which to him meant spiritual and mystical knowledge. Clement of Alexandria appropriated the word gnosis from the Gnostics (whom he opposed) but reinterpreted
SECTION 10
#17327823605811356-534: A simple way of life in accordance with the innate simplicity of Christian monotheism . He condemns elaborate and expensive furnishings and clothing, and argues against overly passionate music and perfumes, but Clement does not believe in the abandonment of worldly pleasures and argues that the Christian should be able to express joy in God's creation through gaiety and partying. He opposes the wearing of garlands, because
1469-622: A teacher and philosopher, are spoken of in the highest terms by succeeding fathers.” In the same work, Eusebius cites Alexander of Jerusalem (180–251) lauding “the holy Clement, who was both my master and benefactor,” describing him as one of the “blessed fathers who have trod the path before us,” while Eusebius himself is quoted as calling him “an incomparable master of Christian philosophy.” Jerome (342–420) calls Clement “the most learned of men,” recording that his writings are “full of eloquence and learning, both in sacred Scripture and in secular literature.” The aforementioned Alexander of Jerusalem
1582-557: A thing and Allah makes therein much good. The levirate custom was revived in Scythia if there were shaky economic conditions in the decedent's family. Khazanov, citing [Abramzon, 1968, p. 289 - 290], mentions that during World War II , the levirate was resurrected in Central Asia. In these circumstances, adult sons and brothers of the deceased man held themselves responsible to provide for his dependents. One of them would marry
1695-520: A view to the salvation of the universe by the Lord of the universe, both generally and particularly." For Clement, disciplining the body would help the Christian discipline the soul; he gave detailed instructions on proper Christian conduct, decorum, and relationships in the second and third books of The Instructor . According to Clement, once the passions are subject to the authority of the Word (or reason),
1808-412: A work by Samuel-Auguste Tissot . In that writing, Wesley warned about "the dangers of self pollution", the bad physical and mental effects of masturbation, writes many such cases along with the treatment recommendations. According to some Bible critics who contextually read this passage, the description of Onan is an origin myth concerning fluctuations in the constituency of the tribe of Judah , with
1921-471: Is a type of marriage in which the brother of a deceased man is obliged to marry his brother's widow. Levirate marriage has been practiced by societies with a strong clan structure in which exogamous marriage (i.e. marriage outside the clan) is forbidden. The term levirate is derived from the Latin levir , meaning "husband's brother". Levirate marriage can, at its most positive, serve as protection for
2034-580: Is a common practice for a woman to marry her late husband's brother if she had children. This enabled the children to retain the father's family identity and inheritance. Although less common today, it is still practiced: Levirate marriage is considered a custom of the Yoruba , the Igbo , and the Hausa-Fulani ... . ... levirate marriages ... are commonest among the [I]gbo ... . ... Under customary law among
2147-786: Is also considered in the tradition of the Urhobo people , a major ethnic group in the Delta State. In Somalia , levirate marriage is practiced and is called Dumaal , and provisions are made under Somali customary law or Xeer with regard to bride price ( yarad ). The widow is usually given a choice in the matter. In the past few decades since the start of the Somali Civil War , this type of marriage has fallen out of favor due to strict Islamic interpretations that have been imported to Somalia. Levirate marriages are very common among South Sudan's Nilotic peoples , especially among
2260-477: Is ambivalent about whether any believing Christians can become martyrs by virtue of the manner of their death, or whether martyrdom is reserved for those who have lived exceptional lives. Marcionites cannot become martyrs, because they do not believe in the divinity of God the Father, so their sufferings are in vain. There is then a digression to the subject of theological epistemology . According to Clement, there
2373-579: Is an authentic letter from Clement, an ancient pseudepigraph , or a modern forgery. If authentic, its main significance would be in its relating that the Apostle Mark came to Alexandria from Rome and there, wrote a more spiritual Gospel, which he entrusted to the Church in Alexandria on his death; if genuine, the letter pushes back the tradition related by Eusebius connecting Mark with Alexandria by
SECTION 20
#17327823605812486-515: Is an innately true primitive philosophy that is complemented by human reason through the Logos. Faith is voluntary, and the decision to believe is a crucial fundamental step in becoming closer to God. It is never irrational, as it is founded on the knowledge of the truth of the Logos, but all knowledge proceeds from faith, as first principles are unprovable outside a systematic structure. The third book covers asceticism . He discusses marriage, which
2599-502: Is double monstrous." Methodism founder John Wesley , according to Bryan C. Hodge, "believed that any waste of the semen in an unproductive sexual act, whether that should be in the form of masturbation or coitus interruptus , as in the case of Onan, destroyed the souls of the individuals who practice it". He wrote his Thoughts on the Sin of Onan (1767), which was reproduced as A Word to Whom it May Concern on 1779, as an attempt to censor
2712-471: Is it to be damaged, nor is it to be wasted. To have coitus other than to procreate children is to do injury to nature. The papal encyclical Casti connubii (1930) invokes this Biblical text in support of the teaching of the Catholic Church against contracepted sex by quoting St. Augustine, "Intercourse even with one's legitimate wife is unlawful and wicked where the conception of the offspring
2825-406: Is limited to ensuring that the woman the seeming [ascetic] has seduced does not get pregnant—either so as not to cause child-bearing, or to escape detection, since they want to be honored for their supposed celibacy. In any case, this is what they do, but others endeavor to get this same filthy satisfaction not with women but by other means, and pollute themselves with their own hands. They too imitate
2938-432: Is more important to give up sinful passions than external wealth. If the rich are to be saved, all they must do is to follow the two commandments , and while material wealth is of no value to God, it can be used to alleviate the suffering of neighbors. Other known works exist in fragments alone, including the four eschatological works in the secret tradition: Hypotyposes , Excerpta ex Theodoto , Eclogae Propheticae , and
3051-462: Is no sin in itself, it is too likely to distract one from the infinitely more important spiritual wealth that is found in Christ. The work finishes with selections of scripture supporting Clement's argument, and following a prayer, the lyrics of a hymn . The contents of the Stromata , as its title suggests, are miscellaneous. Its place in the trilogy is disputed – Clement initially intended to write
3164-401: Is no way of empirically testing the existence of God the Father , because the Logos has revelatory, not analysable meaning, although Christ was an object of the senses. God had no beginning, and is the universal first principle. The fifth book returns to the subject of faith. Clement argues that truth, justice, and goodness can be seen only by the mind, not the eye; faith is a way of accessing
3277-402: Is prevented. Onan, the son of Juda [ sic ], did this and the Lord killed him for it." Making reference to Onan's offense to identify masturbation as sinful, in his Commentary on Genesis , John Calvin wrote that "the voluntary spilling of semen outside of intercourse between a man and a woman is a monstrous thing. Deliberately to withdraw from coitus in order that semen may fall on the ground
3390-1198: Is quoted by Jerome praising “the blessed presbyter Clement, a man illustrious and approved.” According to Theodoret (393–450), “he surpassed all others, and was a holy man.” Likewise, Cyril of Alexandria (376–444) says Clement was “a man admirably learned and skillful, and one that searched to the depths all the learning of the Greeks, with an exactness rarely attained before.” Maximus the Confessor (580–662) refers to him reverentially as “the great Clement.” More recently, scholars have acknowledged Clement's primacy and importance in various respects. He has been called “the first Christian scholar” (Shelley), “the first systematic teacher of Christian doctrine” (Patrick), “the first great teacher of philosophical Christianity” (Hatch), “the first self-conscious theologian and ethicist” (Backhouse), “the first great Christian teacher in Alexandria” (Needham), “the founder of Christian philosophical theology” (Bray), “the true creator of ecclesiastical theology” (DeFaye), “the first major commentator on
3503-546: Is the treatise Salvation for the Rich , also known as Who is the Rich Man who is Saved? written c. 203 AD Having begun with a scathing criticism of the corrupting effects of money and misguided servile attitudes toward the wealthy, Clement discusses the implications of Mark 10:25. The rich are either unconvinced by the promise of eternal life, or unaware of the conflict between the possession of material and spiritual wealth, and
Onan - Misplaced Pages Continue
3616-580: Is the true religion and states they should be an example of what a true Christian is, even saying they are "holy and pious" and "worships the true God in a manner worthy of him". Clement then gives a description of the nature of Christ, and that of the true Christian, who aims to be as similar as possible to both the Father and the Son. Clement then criticizes the simplistic anthropomorphism of most ancient religions, quoting Xenophanes ' famous description of African, Thracian, and Egyptian deities. He indicates that
3729-574: Is treated similarly in the Paedagogus . Clement rejects the Gnostic opposition to marriage, arguing that only men who are uninterested in women should remain celibate, and that sex is a positive good if performed within marriage for the purposes of procreation. He argues that this has not always been so: the Fall occurred because Adam and Eve succumbed to their desire for each other, and copulated before
3842-508: Is usually given a choice in the matter, as well as the widower. In the past few decades, this type of marriage has fallen out of favor due to increased rural-to urban migration as well as improved literacy for women and girls. Spanish chronicler, Juan de Betanzos , described the practice of levirate marriage which he saw observed in Peru in the early 16th-century by the people ruled by the Inca: "If
3955-618: Is usually regarded as a Church Father . He is venerated as a saint in Coptic Christianity , Eastern Catholicism , Ethiopian Christianity , and Anglicanism . He was revered in Western Catholicism until 1586, when his name was removed from the Roman Martyrology by Pope Sixtus V on the advice of Baronius . The Eastern Orthodox Church officially stopped any veneration of Clement of Alexandria in
4068-410: Is very often married by a younger sibling of the deceased." "Kirghiz ... followed levirate marriage customs, i.e., a widow who had borne at least one child was entitled to a husband from the same lineage as her deceased spouse." The Korean kingdom of Goguryeo also had a custom of levirate marriage. An example of this was king Sansang of Goguryeo marrying the queen of Gogukcheon of Goguryeo , who
4181-624: The Adumbraetiones . These cover Clement's celestial hierarchy, a complex schema in which the universe is headed by the Face of God, below which lie seven protoctists , followed by archangels , angels , and humans. According to Jean Daniélou , this schema is inherited from a Judaeo-Christian esotericism, followed by the Apostles, which was only imparted orally to those Christians who could be trusted with such mysteries. The proctocists are
4294-483: The Didasculus , a work that would complement the practical guidance of the Paedagogus with a more intellectual schooling in theology. The Stromata is less systematic and ordered than Clement's other works, and it has been theorized by André Méhat that it was intended for a limited, esoteric readership. Although Eusebius wrote of the eight books of the work, only seven undoubtedly survive. Photius , writing in
4407-556: The Dinka and Nuer people . An alternate form, the ghost marriage, occurs when a groom dies before marriage. The deceased groom is replaced by his brother who serves as a stand in to the bride; any resulting children are considered children of the deceased spouse. In Zimbabwe , levirate marriage is practiced amongst the Shona people, and provisions are made under Zimbabwe customary law , with regard to bride price ( roora ). The widow
4520-460: The Epicurean belief that relationships between words are deeply reflective of relationships between the objects they signify. Clement argues for the equality of sexes , on the grounds that salvation is extended to all humans equally. Unusually, he suggests that Christ is neither female nor male, and that God the Father has both female and male aspects: the eucharist is described as milk from
4633-658: The Hebrew Bible , a form of levirate marriage, called yibbum , is mentioned in Deuteronomy 25:5–10 , under which the brother of a man who dies without children is permitted and encouraged to marry the widow. Either of the parties may refuse to go through with the marriage, but then both must go through a ceremony, known as halizah , involving a symbolic act of renunciation of a yibbum marriage. Sexual relations with one's brother's wife are otherwise forbidden by Leviticus 18 and Leviticus 20 . Jewish custom has seen
Onan - Misplaced Pages Continue
4746-677: The Meiji period . Levirate marriages among the Kurds are very common and also among the Kurds in Turkey , especially in Mardin . Levirate is practised in Kurdistan : a widowed woman stays with her husband's family. If she is widowed when her children are young, she is obliged to marry her deceased husband's brother. This form of marriage is called levirate. Sororate marriage is another custom: When
4859-703: The Protrepticus on the basis that its deities are both false and poor moral examples. He attacks the mystery religions for their ritualism and mysticism. In particular, the worshippers of Dionysus are ridiculed by him for their family-based rituals (such as the use of children's toys in ceremony). He suggests at some points that the pagan deities are based on humans, but at other times he suggests that they are misanthropic demons, and he cites several classical sources in support of this second hypothesis. Clement, like many pre-Nicene church fathers, writes favourably about Euhemerus and other rationalist philosophers, on
4972-412: The Protrepticus , he devotes the Paedagogus to reflections on Christ's role in teaching humans to act morally and to control their passions. Despite its explicitly Christian nature, Clement's work draws on Stoic philosophy and pagan literature ; Homer, alone, is cited more than sixty times in the work. Although Christ, like a human, is made in the image of God , he alone shares the likeness of God
5085-537: The Quran does not prohibit a man from marrying his brother's widow, it does insist that if it were to be done, it should be treated as a normal marriage with the wife's consent and a mahr . O you who have believed, it is not lawful for you to inherit women by compulsion. And do not make difficulties for them in order to take [back] part of what you gave them unless they commit a clear immorality. And live with them in kindness. For if you dislike them – perhaps you dislike
5198-428: The book of Leviticus , whether as a result of sexual intercourse or not, merely prescribe a ritual washing and becoming ritually impure until the following evening. Early Christian writers have sometimes focused on the spilling seed , and the sexual act being used for non-procreational purposes. This interpretation was held by several early Christian apologists . Jerome , for example, argued: But I wonder why he
5311-452: The gymnosophists is pointless. Clement begins the fourth book with a belated explanation of the disorganized nature of the work, and gives a brief description of his aims for the remaining three or four books. The fourth book focuses on martyrdom . While all good Christians should be unafraid of death, Clement condemns those who actively seek out a martyr's death, arguing that they do not have sufficient respect for God's gift of life. He
5424-501: The 10th century. Nonetheless, he is still sometimes referred to as "Saint Clement of Alexandria" by both Eastern Orthodox and Catholic authors. Neither Clement's birthdate or birthplace is known with any degree of certainty. It is speculated that he was born sometime around 150 AD. According to Epiphanius of Salamis , he was born in Athens, but there is also a tradition of an Alexandrian birth. His parents were pagans and Clement
5537-473: The 17th century Clement was venerated as a saint in the Catholic Church . His name was to be found in the martyrologies, and his feast fell on the fourth of December, but when the Roman Martyrology was revised by Pope Clement VIII his name was dropped from the calendar on the advice of Cardinal Baronius . Benedict XIV maintained this decision of his predecessor on the grounds that Clement's life
5650-422: The 9th century, found various text appended to manuscripts of the seven canonical books, which led Daniel Heinsius to suggest that the original eighth book is lost, and he identified the text purported to be from the eighth book as fragments of the Hypotyposes . The first book starts on the topic of Greek philosophy. Consistent with his other writing, Clement affirms that philosophy had a propaedeutic role for
5763-543: The Bible” (Bray), “the founder of Christian literature” (ANF), “the great founder of the Alexandrian School” (Coxe), a “pioneer of Christian scholarship” (ACCS), “an intellectual giant in the early church” (Kruger), “that man of genius who introduced Christianity to itself, as reflected in the burnished mirror of his intellect” (Coxe), and “the most inquisitive and independent spirit that has perhaps ever appeared in
SECTION 50
#17327823605815876-407: The Christian can embark on an advanced course of philosophical study and contemplation. Clement adopted a position that gave rise to a whole stream of later Christian thought : true philosophy and authentic human knowledge have their origin in the Logos, which is the unique source of all truth. He accepts the conception of παιδεία as he conducts the wisdom taught by the Logos through education in
5989-489: The Christian in reverence for the Creator. Following Socrates , he argues that vice arises from a state of ignorance, not from intention. The Christian is a "laborer in God's vineyard", responsible both for one's own path to salvation and that of one's neighbor. The work ends with an extended passage against the contemporary divisions and heresies within the church. Besides the great trilogy, Clement's only other extant work
6102-474: The Christian king Stephen I and claim to marry Sarolt , the widow of his relative Géza , was qualified as an incestuous attempt by 14th-century Hungarian chronicles, but was fully in line with the pagan custom. In 2017, the Indian Army removed a rule which restricted payment of monetary allowances to widows of gallantry awardees if she marries someone other than the late husband's brother. Previously,
6215-462: The Church of Antioch , which may imply that Clement was living in Cappadocia or Jerusalem at that time. He died c. 215 AD at an unknown location. Three of Clement's major works have survived in full and they are collectively referred to as a trilogy: The Protrepticus ( Greek : Προτρεπτικὸς πρὸς Ἕλληνας : "Exhortation to the Greeks") is, as its title suggests, an exhortation to
6328-469: The Church” (DeFaye). Stylistically, it has been noted that “his writings shine with a happy, peaceful, optimistic spirit; reading them can be a remarkably uplifting experience” (Needham). “He loves God’s creation and sees it as good; he gives us a warm, joyous picture of life; he is richly human, sane, and moderate” (Ferguson). Additionally, Clement's works “are a storehouse of curious ancient lore—a museum of
6441-426: The Father. Christ is both sinless and apathetic , and thus by striving to imitate Christ , one can achieve salvation. To Clement, sin is involuntary, and thus irrational ( άλογον ), removed only through the wisdom of the Logos. God's guidance away from sin is thus a manifestation of God's universal love for mankind. The word play on λόγος and άλογον is characteristic of Clement's writing, and may be rooted in
6554-480: The Gnostics that faith , not esoteric knowledge ( γνῶσις ), is required for salvation. According to Clement, it is through faith in Christ that one is enlightened and comes to know God. In the second book, Clement provides practical rules on living a Christian life. He argues against overindulgence in food and in favour of good table manners . While prohibiting drunkenness, he promotes the drinking of alcohol in moderation following 1 Timothy 5:23. Clement argues for
6667-462: The Greek deities may also have had their origins in the personification of material objects: Ares representing iron, and Dionysus wine. Prayer, and the relationship between love and knowledge are then discussed. Corinthians 13:8 seems to contradict the characterization of the true Christian as one who knows; but to Clement knowledge vanishes only in that it is subsumed by the universal love expressed by
6780-469: The Greeks, similar to the function of the law for the Jews . He then embarks on a discussion of the origins of Greek culture and technology, arguing that most of the important figures in the Greek world were foreigners, and that Jewish culture was the most significant influence on Greece. In an attempt to demonstrate the primacy of Moses , Clement gives an extended chronology of the world, wherein he dates
6893-522: The Logos, which is universal truth. The title of Paedagogus , translatable as "tutor", refers to Christ as the teacher of all humans, and it features an extended metaphor of Christians as children. It is not simply instructional: Clement intends to show how the Christian should respond to the Love of God authentically. Following Plato ( Republic 4:441), he divides life into three elements: character, actions, and passions. The first having been dealt with in
SECTION 60
#17327823605817006-465: The Moon, and other heavenly bodies to be deities. The next developmental stage was the worship of the products of agriculture, from which he contends the cults of Demeter and Dionysus arose. Humans then paid reverence to revenge and deified human feelings of love and fear , among others. In the following stage, the poets Hesiod and Homer attempt to enumerate the deities; Hesiod's Theogony giving
7119-473: The Onan story. The word onanism is not based on the biblical story of Onan itself but on an interpretation of that biblical story, nor is the word onanism found in any form in the biblical texts. Thus the etymological connection of onanism (in the sense of masturbation) with Onan's name is misleading. The Merriam-Webster online dictionary defines onanism as: Levirate marriage Levirate marriage
7232-458: The Yoruba, ... A brother or son of the deceased husband ... was traditionally allowed to inherit the widow as a wife ... . The inheritance of the youngest wife of the deceased by the eldest son ... continues to be practiced in Yoruba land ... . ... Under Igbo customary law, ... a brother or son of the deceased Igbo husband ... was traditionally allowed to inherit the widow as a wife. Levirate marriage
7345-472: The act of Onan the son of Judah. For as Onan coupled with Tamar and satisfied his appetite but did not complete the act by planting his seed for the God-given [purpose of] procreation and did himself harm instead, thus, as [he] did the vile thing, so these people have used their supposed [female monastics], committing this infamy. For purity is not their concern, but a hypocritical purity in name. Their concern
7458-484: The allotted time. He argues against the idea that Christians should reject their family for an ascetic life, which stems from Luke , contending that Jesus would not have contradicted the precept to "Honour thy Father and thy Mother", one of the Ten Commandments . Clement concludes that asceticism will only be rewarded if the motivation is Christian in nature, and thus the asceticism of non-Christians such as
7571-634: The area of education, at least within the context of Christian spirituality and ethics. He wrote, "Let us recognize, too, that both men and women practice the same sort of virtue; surely, if there is but one God for both, then there is but one Educator for both." Clement opposed a literal interpretation of the command "sell what you have and give to the poor," and argued that the Bible does not command every person to renounce all property, and that wealth can be used either for good or evil. Yet he seems to have done so tentatively (and perhaps reluctantly), to address
7684-455: The birth of Christ to 25 April or May, 4–2 BC, and the creation of the world to 5592 BC. The books ends with a discussion on the origin of languages and the possibility of a Jewish influence on Plato. The second book is largely devoted to the respective roles of faith and philosophical argument . Clement contends that while both are important, the fear of God is foremost, because through faith one receives divine wisdom. To Clement, scripture
7797-416: The breast (Christ) of the Father. Clement is supportive of women playing an active role in the leadership of the church and he provides a list of women he considers inspirational, which includes both Biblical and Classical Greek figures. It has been suggested that Clement's progressive views on gender as set out in the Paedagogus were influenced by Gnosticism , however, later in the work, he argues against
7910-481: The concerns of upper-class converts, while simultaneously warning of the dangers of wealth. Clement believed that the days mentioned in Genesis are allegorical . Clement assumed a double creation, one of an invisible world and the second being material creation. He believed that formless matter existed before the creation of the world, being influenced by Plato . Clement tried to interpret Genesis 6 in harmony with
8023-578: The death of Onan reflecting the dying out of a clan ; Er and Onan are hence viewed as each being representative of a clan, with Onan possibly representing an Edomite clan named Onam, mentioned by an Edomite genealogy in Genesis. Biblical scholars universally agree that the biblical story of Onan is not about masturbation nor about contraception per se or the "wasting of semen" but his refusal to fulfill his obligation of levirate-marriage with Tamar by committing coitus interruptus . The text emphasizes
8136-403: The earth; that is, angels, and men, and souls departed this life." "God's punishments are saving and disciplinary, leading to conversion; choosing rather the repentance than the death of a sinner." "I will grant that He punishes the disobedient, for punishment is for the good and advantage of him who is punished, for it is the correction of a refractory subject." "For all things are arranged with
8249-421: The east, he was taught by an Assyrian, sometimes identified with Tatian , and a Jew, possibly Theophilus of Caesarea . In around 180 AD, Clement reached Alexandria , where he met Pantaenus , who taught at the Catechetical School of Alexandria . Eusebius suggests that Pantaenus was the head of the school, but controversy exists about whether the institutions of the school were formalized in this way before
8362-553: The first beings created by God, and act as priests to the archangels. Clement identifies them both as the "Eyes of the Lord" and with the Thrones . Clement characterizes the celestial forms as entirely different from anything earthly, although he argues that members of each order only seem incorporeal to those of lower orders. According to the Eclogae Propheticae , every thousand years every member of each order moves up
8475-446: The first husband of a woman died and the woman wanted to marry, she would be married to the closest relative of her husband. If children remained from her first husband, she should rear them as her own. If the first husband left no children, the second should be from the same lineage and the lineage would continue and the blood of those of Cuzco would not be mixed with that of some other nation or disappear." Levirate marriages serve as
8588-424: The fossil remains of the beauties and monstrosities of the world of pagan antiquity, during all the epochs and phases of its history” (Wilson). “His prodigious erudition was unsurpassed even by that of Origen” (Cayre). “I do not know where we shall look for a purer or a truer man than this Clemens of Alexandria; he seems to me one of the old fathers whom we should all have reverenced most as a teacher, and loved best as
8701-425: The generation of legitimate offspring. In his third book, Clement continues along a similar vein, condemning cosmetics on the grounds that it is one's soul, not the body, one should seek to beautify. Clement also opposes the dyeing of men's hair and male depilation as being effeminate . He advises choosing one's company carefully, to avoid being corrupted by immoral people, and while arguing that material wealth
8814-471: The good Christian has a duty to guide them toward a better life through the Gospel. Jesus' words are not to be taken literally — the supercelestial ( ὑπερουράνιος ) meanings should be sought in which the true route to salvation is revealed. The holding of material wealth in itself is not a wrong, so long as it is used charitably, but Christians should be careful not to let their wealth dominate their spirit. It
8927-486: The ground" thus committing coitus interuptus , since any child born would not legally be considered his heir. The next statement in the Bible says that Onan displeased Yahweh, so the Lord slew him. Onan's crime is often misinterpreted to be masturbation but it is universally agreed among biblical scholars that Onan's death is attributed to his refusal to fulfill his obligation of levirate marriage with Tamar by committing coitus interruptus. However, Onan‘s reluctance to give
9040-509: The grounds that they at least saw the flaws in paganism. However, his greatest praise is reserved for Plato, whose apophatic views of God prefigure Christianity. The figure of Orpheus is prominent throughout the Protrepticus narrative, and Clement contrasts the song of Orpheus, representing pagan superstition, with the divine Logos of Christ. According to Clement, through conversion to Christianity alone can one fully participate in
9153-637: The heretic Jovinianus set Judah and Tamar before us for an example, unless perchance even harlots give him pleasure; or Onan, who was slain because he begrudged his brother his seed. Does he imagine that we approve of any sexual intercourse except for the procreation of children? Epiphanius of Salamis wrote against heretics who used coitus interruptus , calling it the sin of Οnan: They soil their bodies, minds and souls with unchastity. Some of them masquerade as monastics, and their woman companions as female monastics. And they are physically corrupted because they satisfy their appetite but, to put it politely, by
9266-730: The later views of Augustine , such as just war theory and the theory of the two cities . Clement is often regarded as one of the first Christian universalists ; he espoused a belief in the eventual salvation of every person (though not with the level of systematic clarity of his disciple Origen ). Clement believed divine punishment to be corrective and remedial rather than merely retributive or destructive. He writes, "[God] destroys no one but gives salvation to all." "He bestows salvation on all mankind." "He indeed saves all universally—some as converted by punishments, others by voluntary submission with dignity of honor—that to Him every knee shall bow, both of beings in heaven, and on earth, and under
9379-564: The levirate survived into " ethnographic modernity" (from the context, probably 1950s). Kalankatuatsi describes the form of levirate marriage practised by the Huns. As women had a high social status , the widow had a choice whether to remarry or not. Her new husband might be a brother or a son (by another woman) of her first husband, so she could end up marrying her brother-in-law or stepson; the difference in age did not matter. Hungarians also practiced levirate marriages. Koppány 's rebellion against
9492-426: The narrative is, thus, as the brother abusing his obligations by agreeing to sexual intercourse with his dead brother's wife, but refusing to allow her to become pregnant as a result. Emerton regards the evidence for this to be inconclusive, although classical rabbinical writers argued that this narrative describes the origin of levirate marriage. John M. Riddle argues that " Epiphanius (fourth century) construed
9605-468: The number of twelve. Finally, humans reached a stage when they proclaimed others, such as Asclepius and Heracles , as deities. Discussing idolatry , Clement contends that the objects of primitive religion were unshaped wood and stone, and idols thus arose when such natural items were carved. Following Plato , Clement is critical of all forms of visual art, suggesting that artworks are but illusions and "deadly toys". Clement criticizes Greek paganism in
9718-449: The pagans of Greece to adopt Christianity. Within it, Clement demonstrates his extensive knowledge of pagan mythology and theology. It is chiefly important due to Clement's exposition of religion as an anthropological phenomenon. After a short philosophical discussion, it opens with a history of Greek religion in seven stages. Clement suggests that at first, humans mistakenly believed the Sun,
9831-524: The payment of an allowance was continued until her death or until she re-married, unless the new husband was the late husband's brother. The most famous instance of levirate marriage in India was the wedding of the Panchala princess Draupadi to the five Pandava brothers. It is a main plot point of the epic Mahabharata , though heavily discussed in the text as being controversial. ( Polygamy , however,
9944-454: The picking of the flowers ultimately kills a beautiful creation of God, and the garland resembles the crown of thorns . Clement treats sex at some length. He argues that both promiscuity and sexual abstinence are unnatural, and that the main goal of human sexuality is procreation. He argues that adultery , sex with pregnant women, concubinage , homosexuality , and prostitution all should be avoided as they will not contribute toward
10057-414: The sacred letters: on the one hand, the Greek παιδεία prepares the mind of the Christian to distinguish and defend the truth, and, on the other, the liberal arts help the new Christian to direct all his efforts towards the truly useful of each particular discipline, geometry, music, grammar and philosophy. Notably (considering the time period), Clement seemed to advocate for the equality of women and men in
10170-606: The sake of fulfilling the mitzvah, the Sages say, The mitzvah of performing ḥalitza takes precedence over the mitzvah of consummating the levirate marriage" (Babylonian Talmud, Yevamot 39b). In Yemen , however, the practice of Levirate marriage was observed by the Jewish community there until their immigration to the Land of Israel. Islamic law ( sharia ) clearly lays down rules for marriage, including who may marry whom , and although
10283-423: The sight of Lord". Onan's crime is often misinterpreted to be masturbation but it is universally agreed among biblical scholars that Onan's death is attributed to his refusal to fulfill his obligation of levirate marriage with Tamar by committing coitus interruptus . After Yahweh slew Onan's oldest brother Er , Onan's father Judah told him to fulfill his duty as a brother-in-law to his brother Er by entering into
10396-442: The sin of Onan as coitus interruptus ". John T. Noonan Jr. says that "St. Epiphanius gave a plain interpretation of the text as a condemnation of contraception, and he did so only in the context of his anti-Gnostic polemic". Bible scholars maintained that the story does not refer to masturbation , but to coitus interruptus . Bible scholars even maintain that the Bible does not claim that masturbation would be sinful. Although
10509-413: The social and legal situation, with Judah explaining what Onan must do and why. A plain reading of the text is that Onan was killed because he refused to follow instructions. Scholars have argued that the secondary purpose of the narrative about Onan and Tamar, of which the description of Onan is a part, was to either assert the institution of levirate marriage or present a myth for its origin; Onan's role in
10622-408: The son of Judah, soil the ground with their forbidden practices and drops of filthy fluid and rub their emissions into the earth with their feet Clement of Alexandria , while not making explicit reference to Onan, similarly reflects an early Christian view of the abhorrence of spilling seed : Because of its divine institution for the propagation of man, the seed is not to be vainly ejaculated , nor
10735-587: The story of Onan does not involve masturbation, according to Peter Lewis Allen , some theologians found "a common element" in both coitus interruptus (also known as onanism) and masturbation, as well as anal intercourse and other forms of nonmarital and nonvaginal sexual acts, which are considered wrongful acts. The term onanism has come to refer to " masturbation " in many modern languages – for example Hebrew (אוננות, onanút ), German ( Onanie ), Greek (αυνανισμός, avnanismós ), Japanese (オナニー, onanī ), and Swedish ( onani ) – based on an interpretation of
10848-467: The subject of sin and hell , arguing that Adam was not perfect when created, but given the potential to achieve perfection. He espouses broadly universalist doctrine, holding that Christ's promise of salvation is available to all, even those condemned to hell. The final extant book begins with Clement arguing that his version of Gnosticism (what he calls the ‘Christian gnostic’ earlier in Stromata )
10961-463: The time of Origen . Clement studied under Pantaenus, and was ordained to the priesthood by Pope Julian before 189. Otherwise, virtually nothing is known of Clement's personal life in Alexandria. He may have been married, a conjecture supported by his writings. During the Severian persecution of 202–203, Clement left Alexandria. In 211, Alexander of Jerusalem wrote a letter commending him to
11074-572: The tribe". As among the Maragoli of western Kenya , likewise "in the Luo case widows become mostly remarried to the deceased husband's brother". In the highlands of Kenya, it is "Nandi custom for a widow to be 'taken over' ... by a brother ... of her deceased husband." "According to customary law, it is tantamount to adultery for a widow to be sexually involved with a man other than a close agnate of her late husband." In some parts of Nigeria , it
11187-422: The unseeable. He stresses that knowledge of God can only be achieved through faith once one's moral faults have been corrected. This parallels Clement's earlier insistence that martyrdom can only be achieved by those who practice their faith in Christ through good deeds, not those who simply profess their faith. God transcends matter entirely, and thus the materialist cannot truly come to know God. Although Christ
11300-484: The widow and adopt her children, if there were any. The levirate custom survived in the society of Northeastern Caucasus Huns until the 7th century CE . The Armenian historian Movses Kalankatuatsi states that the Savirs , one of Hunnish tribes in the area, were usually monogamous , but sometimes a married man would take his brother's widow as a polygynous wife. Ludmila Gmyrya, a Dagestani historian, asserts that
11413-461: The widow and her children, ensuring that they have a male provider and protector. Levirate marriage can be a positive in a society where women must rely on men to provide for them, especially in societies where women are under the authority of, dependent on, in servitude to or regarded as possessions of their husbands, and to ensure the survival of the clan. The practice of levirate marriage is strongly associated with patriarchal societies . The practice
11526-526: The word in a more Christian manner. He distinguished between two kinds of Christians: the pistic Christian who lives according to God's law, and the Christian gnostic who lives on the level of the gospel and responds by discipline and love. Clement's views of gnosis can be considered a forerunner of the Christian monastic movement that began in Egypt after his death. Clement suggested that philosophy
11639-555: Was God incarnate, it is spiritual, not physical comprehension of him that is important. In the beginning of the sixth book, Clement intends to demonstrate that the works of Greek poets were derived from the prophetic books of the Bible . In order to reinforce his position that the Greeks were inclined toward plagiarism, he cites numerous instances of such inappropriate appropriation by classical Greek writers, reported second-hand from On Plagiarism , an anonymous 3rd-century BC work sometimes ascribed to Aretades . Clement then digresses to
11752-634: Was a convert to Christianity. In the Protrepticus he displays an extensive knowledge of Greek religion and mystery religions , which could have arisen only from the practice of his family's religion. Having rejected paganism as a young man due to its perceived moral corruption, he travelled in Greece , Asia Minor , Palestine , and Egypt . Clement's journeys were primarily a religious undertaking. In Greece, he encountered an Ionian theologian, who has been identified as Athenagoras of Athens ; while in
11865-419: Was a preparatory discipline to the Greek world preceding its wide acceptance of Christianity and often sought to harmonize insights of Greek philosophy with biblical teaching. He defined philosophy as "the desire for true being and the studies which lead to it." Clement has been described as "the founder of what was to become the great tradition of Christian philosophical theology." He was a forerunner to some of
11978-660: Was an educated man who was familiar with classical Greek philosophy and literature . As his three major works demonstrate, Clement was influenced by Hellenistic philosophy to a greater extent than any other Christian thinker of his time, and in particular, by Plato and the Stoics . His secret works, which exist only in fragments, suggest that he was familiar with pre-Christian Jewish esotericism and Gnosticism as well. In one of his works he argued that Greek philosophy had its origin among non-Greeks, claiming that both Plato and Pythagoras were taught by Egyptian scholars. Clement
12091-546: Was common at the time.) According to the adat (customary practice) of the Karo people in North Sumatra , Indonesia, polygyny is permitted. A study of Kutagamber, a Karo village in the 1960s, noted one instance of the practice, as a result of levirate. The Indonesian term for it is " turun ranjang " (lit.: get down off one's bed). The Japanese had a custom of levirate marriage called aniyome ni naosu (兄嫁に直す) during
12204-454: Was displeased with Onan and slew him also (Gen 38:10). The implication from the narrative is that Onan's act as described is what gave rise to divine displeasure. One opinion expressed in the Talmud argues that this was where the death penalty 's imposition originated. The Talmud also likens emitting semen in vain to shedding blood. However, the regulations concerning ejaculation in
12317-553: Was extremely important in ancient times (e.g., Ancient Near East ), and remains so today in parts of the world. Having children enables the inheritance of land, which offers security and status. A levirate marriage might only occur if a man died childless, in order to continue his family line. The anthropologist Ruth Mace also found that the practice of widow inheritance by younger brothers, common in many parts of Africa , serves to reduce population growth, as these men will be forced to marry older (and hence, less fertile) women. In
12430-527: Was highly syncretic, featuring ideas of Hellenistic, Jewish, and Gnostic origin, unfavorably against the prevailing orthodoxy of the 9th century. Amongst the particular ideas Photios deemed heretical were: However, it is not clear that these are accurate representations of Clement's actual beliefs, since his extant writings appear to be mostly in line with what would come to be considered orthodox Christian theology. It has been suggested that Photios may have misunderstood Clement to be speaking for himself when he
12543-644: Was his older brother's wife. The existence of levirate marriage is supported by the case of Korean Princess Uisun who was brought to the Later Jin dynasty to marry the Manchu prince Dorgon and married his nephew after he died. Levirate marriage is commonly practiced among Goula who mostly live in northern part of Central African Republic . Among the Mambila of northern Cameroon , in regard to "Inheritance of wives: both levirates are practised throughout
12656-631: Was little known, that he had never obtained public cultus in the Church, and that some of his doctrines were, if not erroneous, at least suspect. Although Clement is not widely venerated in Eastern Christianity , the Prologue of Ohrid repeatedly refers to him as a saint, as do various Orthodox authorities including the Greek Metropolitan Kallinikos of Edessa. The Coptic tradition considers Clement
12769-466: Was often quoting from Gnostics and other sects without agreeing with their teachings. As one of the earliest of the Church fathers whose works have survived, he is the subject of a significant amount of recent academic work, focusing on, among other things, his exegesis of scripture, his Logos-theology and pneumatology, his belief in apokatastasis , the relationship between his thought and non-Christian philosophy, and his influence on Origen . Up until
#580419