Welcome back to the St. Shenouda Podcast as we continue our Early Christian Text Series. In this episode, we dive into one of the most intriguing documents of the sub-apostolic age: the Second Epistle of Clement, or 2 Clement.

While traditionally attributed to Pope Clement I of Rome and believed to be a letter to the Corinthians from the late 1st century, modern scholarship and historical records tell a more complex story. Even the 4th-century historian Eusebius expressed doubt regarding its authenticity, noting that it was not widely used by ancient writers. Today, scholars generally agree that 2 Clement is not a letter at all, but rather the earliest surviving Christian sermon (outside of the New Testament), likely delivered by an anonymous preacher between AD 120 and 140.

Despite its modern classification as New Testament apocrypha and its inclusion in the Apostolic Fathers collection, this text holds a special place in history. At various points, it was considered canonical by the Coptic Orthodox Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church, and it even appears in esteemed biblical manuscripts like the Codex Alexandrinus.

What will we explore in this episode?

• A "High Christology": We examine how the author exhorts the "Brethren" to think of Jesus Christ as God and as the Judge of the living and the dead.

• The Conversion from Paganism: The sermon addresses an audience that once worshipped "sticks and stones" and "gold and silver," providing a fascinating window into the lives of early converts in the Hellenized Mediterranean.

• Unique Sayings of Jesus: 2 Clement contains mysterious quotations of Jesus not found in the canonical Gospels, including a famous dialogue with Peter about lambs and wolves, and a cryptic saying about the Kingdom of God coming "when the two shall be one". These may stem from lost sources like the Gospel of Peter or oral traditions.

• The "Incorruptible Contest": We discuss the preacher’s call to view life as a spiritual race, urging believers to keep their "baptism pure" and their "flesh holy" in anticipation of the resurrection.

• The Pre-existent Church: The text offers a profound ecclesiology, describing the Church as a spiritual entity created before the sun and the moon, which was made manifest in the flesh of Christ.

Join us as we unpack this "Ancient Christian Homily" to understand how the early Church navigated the path of righteousness, the necessity of repentance, and the hope of the immortal fruit of the resurrection.

Whether you are a scholar of the Apostolic Fathers or simply a believer looking to connect with the roots of our faith, this episode offers a rare glimpse into the pulpit of the 2nd-century Church.

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Analogy for Understanding: Think of 2 Clement like a "time-capsule recording" found in the ruins of an ancient church. Although it was filed under the wrong name (Clement) for centuries, opening it allows us to hear the actual voice of an early preacher. It isn't just a dry historical document; it is the "transcript" of a living moment where a community was being encouraged to finish their spiritual race.