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The work is, as its title suggests, an exhortation to the pagans of Greece to adopt
Christianity, and 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
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on the basis that its deities are both false and poor moral examples, and he attacks the mystery religions for their obscurantism and trivial rituals. In particular, the worshippers of
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and other rationalist philosophers, on the grounds that they at least saw the flaws in paganism. However, his greatest praise is reserved for Plato, whose
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demons, and he cites several classical sources in support of this second hypothesis. Clement, like many pre-Nicene fathers, writes favourably about
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philosophical discussion, it opens with a history of Greek religion in seven stages. Clement suggests that at first, men mistakenly believed
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of Christ. According to
Clement, through conversion to Christianity alone can man fully participate in the Logos, which is universal truth.
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is prominent throughout the narrative, and
Clement contrasts his song, representing pagan superstition, with the divine
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to be gods. The next development was the worship of the products of agriculture, from which he contends the cults of
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Homer or Moses?: early
Christian interpretations of the history of culture
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arose. Man then paid reverence to revenge, and deified human feelings of
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giving the number of twelve. Finally, men proclaimed other men, such as
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are used as an example of the false cults of Greek paganism in the
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Biography of
Clement, with short commentary on the Protrepticus
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70:the Sun, the Moon and other heavenly bodies
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377:translated by George William Butterworth,
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96:attempt to enumerate the Gods; Hesiod's
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143:views of God prefigure Christianity.
339:de Jáuregui, Miguel Herrero (2010).
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475:3rd-century Christian texts
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252:de Jáuregui (2010), p. 132
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365:Προτρεπτικὸς πρὸς Ἕλληνας
297:Droge, Arthur J. (1989).
278:Late Ancient Christianity
274:Burrus, Virginia (2010).
243:Ferguson (1974), pp. 55–6
164:Protrepsis and paraenesis
49:Προτρεπτικὸς πρὸς Ἕλληνας
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383:Harvard University Press
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316:Ferguson, John (1974).
379:Loeb Classical Library
261:Sharkey (2009), p. 159
234:Ferguson (1974), p. 50
216:Ferguson (1974), p. 48
108:, deities. Discussing
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423:Clement of Alexandria
375:Greek/English edition
320:Clement of Alexandria
225:Burrus (2011), p. 101
53:Clement of Alexandria
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202:Droge (1989), p. 131
190:Droge (1989), p. 130
181:Droge (1989), p. 138
59:of the 2nd century.
57:Christian theologian
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387:Archive.org
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63:Description
469:Categories
446:Paedagogus
268:References
141:apophatic
137:Euhemerus
102:Asclepius
453:Stromata
158:See also
125:Dionysus
110:idolatry
106:Heracles
98:Theogony
78:Dionysus
148:Orpheus
74:Demeter
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90:Hesiod
170:Notes
152:Logos
114:Plato
94:Homer
45:Greek
345:ISBN
326:ISBN
303:ISBN
284:ISBN
129:toys
104:and
92:and
86:fear
84:and
82:love
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