An Introduction to 1 Clement

Have you heard of the Apostolic Fathers? A collection of Christian writings that emerged both during and after the time of the apostles. These texts are among our earliest sources for learning about the history and world of Christians in the first century.

Among the Apostolic Fathers is a letter that we call 1 Clement, written by Clement, the fourth bishop of Rome, ca. 95-96 AD. In this letter, Clement tries to intervene in a conflict among the Corinthians who have recently deposed their presbyters and Clement urges them to restore the deposed leaders to their original positions.

1 Clement is a great letter that tells us a lot about leadership structures, use of Scripture, atonement theology, veneration of the words of Jesus, and incorporation of philosophy in the early church.

So, in this 12-minute video, I offer an introduction to 1 Clement: