The Gnostic Christian: Clement of Alexandria’s Path of Illuminated Faith

Introduction

Alexandria was a bustling metropolis and multicultural city during the 2nd and 3rd centuries CE, where Greek philosophy merged with Eastern mysteries and Jewish wisdom traditions. In this dynamic setting, a significant figure emerged in the history of the church and the understanding of contemplative knowledge: Clement of Alexandria (c. 150-215 AD). He defined a vision of Christian faith that deeply engages the academic realm while maintaining the mystical experience of devotion.

Clement countered claims from certain gnostic heretics who believed they exclusively possessed secret knowledge; instead, he defined an authentic Christian gnosis available to everyone who pursues wisdom through faith, discipline, and contemplation.

Clement expressed a high level of spiritual maturity and intellectual challenge in his descriptions of mysticism, yet his writings remained deeply biblical and pastoral. He taught that the Christian path includes a movement from simple faith to gnosis (contemplative knowledge), from moral purification to mystical vision, and from the instruction of the Teacher (Christ as Pedagogos) to communion with the divine Logos.

A learned man who accessed wisdom from both Jerusalem and Athens, Clement cited Homer and Isaiah with equal facility, seeing no contradiction between loving God with the mind and loving God with the heart. Clement remains relevant today because he argued that the Christian experience must engage the entire individual—intellect, will, emotions, and body. His teachings serve as a balance to both anti-intellectual pietism and dry rationalism. Clement models a holistic approach to faith and devotion, whereby the mind engages God contemplatively, leading to union with the Divine and training believers to spiritually see God.

The Seeker: Philosophical Formation

Clement likely was born circa 150 CE in Athens (or possibly in Alexandria), to pagan parents. He received a very substantial education in Greek philosophy, literature, and rhetoric, which constituted the standard curriculum for educated men of his day. Before he converted to Christianity, he immersed himself in the philosophical schools of his day (Platonism, Stoicism, Pythagoreanism, and other religions) .

Clement’s experience of the various philosophical schools was an influence in his development of a spirituality. He did not, like some Christians, reject the value of pagan learning, but rather viewed philosophy as a pedagogos (the term to describe the household servant who escorted the child to the teacher). So too, in Clement’s view, philosophy of the Gentile world prepared them to receive the Gospel; just as the Law prepared Israel for the receipt of the Gospel .

After his conversion (the circumstances of which remain unknown), Clement traveled extensively in search of Christian teachers that could guide him to a higher understanding of the faith. He records: “I came upon the last [teacher]… but he was first in power. Having tracked him out concealed in Egypt, I found rest.” The teacher to whom Clement refers was Pantaenus, the head of the Catechetical School in Alexandria, under whom Clement studied and subsequently succeeded as teacher around 190 CE .

Clement’s searching spirit, or journeyed inquest, traveling to inquire, seeking out teachers, and pursuing wisdom wherever he could find it, was the persona of his spirituality. Clement embodies the proverb, “The heart of him who has understanding seeks knowledge” (Proverbs 15:14). To Clement, his faith was not merely a passive acceptance of a faith, but rather an active pursuit of that faith; therefore, his faith was not blind credulity but rather informed conviction. Jesus promised, “Seek, and you will find” (Matthew 7:7).

Alexandria: Crossroads of Wisdom

Clement ministered in Alexandria, the largest intellectual center in the ancient world. Alexandria was home to the Great Library and the Museum, the leading centers of learning and scholarship in the Mediterranean at the time. The city’s population comprised Greeks, Egyptians, Jews, and Romans, and its intellectual life was an amalgamation of Platonic philosophy, Stoic ethics, Jewish biblical exegesis (like Philo’s allegories), Egyptian mystery religions, and emerging Christian theology .

The cosmopolitan character of Alexandrian culture influenced Clement’s theological method. He could not merely produce scriptural quotations to convince people who did not accept the authority of Scripture to receive Christ. Likewise, he could not disregard the genuine philosophical questioning of intellectuals seeking to understand life and God through inquiry. Clement faced the unique challenge of convincing his audience that Christianity is an intellectual religion, maintaining its unique revelation found in Christ while also demonstrating its fulfillment of philosophy’s greatest longings through the engagement of wisdom .

The Catechetical School where Clement taught fulfilled many different purposes, such as preparing catechumens for baptism. Clement’s three largest surviving works roughly correspond with these activities: the Protrepticus (Exhortation) is directed toward pagans, urging conversion to Christ; the Paedagogus (Instructor) addresses new Christians, instructing them in moral development; and the Stromata (Miscellanies) is for mature Christians, providing theological reflections .

Thus, the context for Clement’s mysticism is tied directly to his role as a teacher. Clement was not a monk who spent his life in solitary contemplation; rather, he was a teacher leading students to a deeper knowledge of God. His contemplation was the product of pastoral experience—helping others develop from simple faith into the maturity of wisdom .

Being in Alexandria exposed him to gnostic teachers who made false claims of possessing the true gnosis. These gnostics claimed special knowledge revealed to a select spiritual elite; they looked down on the material world, denied the goodness of creation, and rejected the God of the Old Testament. In response, Clement developed a system of authentic Christian gnosis, stating that knowledge is achieved through faith in Christ and the Scriptures, ultimately developing a loving relationship, acknowledging the goodness of creation, and worshiping the one true God revealed in both Testaments

The True Gnostic: Reclaiming Knowledge for Faith

The true gnostic is defined as one who advances from simple faith to the fullness of contemplative wisdom. The boldness of Clement in using the term Gnostic (derived from the Greek word gnosis—meaning “knowledge”) to describe the Christian who has reached maturity in faith fully supports a provocative idea, as the Gnostics had previously used the term for themselves. However, Clement made it clear that Gnostic knowledge is not heretical—it is found only in the orthodox Christian faith and possesses the characteristics of the real Gnostics. Gnosis is received through faith in Jesus Christ and through the Apostolic Tradition. Gnosis does not involve esoteric knowledge or secret intuition.

Clement draws a careful distinction between faith (pistis) and gnosis (knowledge). Both are gifts of God and both are required, but neither can exist without the other. Faith provides the foundation for all knowledge, thus is the first step in establishing trust in God’s revelation through Christ even without complete comprehension. Knowledge is built upon the firm foundation of faith through successive steps of progressive understanding and ultimately leads to the wisdom of contemplative understanding.

Clement explains: “Faith is a compendious knowledge of essentials; knowledge is a sure demonstration of what has been received through faith, being itself built up by the Lord’s teaching upon the foundation of faith.” Therefore, faith is not irrational or blind, but is an expression of trusting what one does not yet fully understand. The completion of faith, through knowledge, allows for greater understanding and clarity of all that faith is.

The movement from faith in Christ to the completion of faith through Gnosis is parallel to the teaching of the Apostle Paul that describes the progression of believers from infancy to adulthood (1 Corinthians 3:1-2; Hebrews 5:12-14). The early believer begins their growth with the “milk” of basic doctrine or teaching given for infants and will be expected to continue growing—that is, the believer is expected to continue this growth to the stage of “solid food,” which consists of deeper doctrinal truths that require a more mature spiritual disposition. Therefore, Clement’s entire pedagogical program seeks to achieve this progression.

The “true gnostic” in Clement’s vision possesses several characteristics:

Grounded in apostolic faith. Unlike heretical gnostics who claimed secret traditions contradicting Scripture, the true gnostic receives teaching from the Church’s public tradition rooted in apostolic witness

Intellectually developed. Knowledge isn’t just emotional experience but involves understanding—grasping connections, perceiving patterns, comprehending mysteries progressively revealed.

Ethically transformed. True knowledge produces virtue. As James wrote, “Faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead” (James 2:17). Authentic gnosis necessarily manifests in holy living.

Contemplatively advanced. The gnostic practices prayer, meditation on Scripture, and ascetic disciplines that purify the soul and prepare it for mystical vision.

Characterized by love. The highest knowledge doesn’t produce pride but love. Paul taught that “knowledge puffs up, but love builds up” (1 Corinthians 8:1). Clement’s gnostic grows in charity as in wisdom, knowing that love is knowledge’s purpose and test.

Passionless (apatheia). Drawing from Stoic ethics, Clement taught that spiritual maturity involves freedom from disordered passions—not eliminating emotions but ordering them rightly, so reason and virtue govern rather than impulse and desire.

Prayerful and contemplative. The gnostic lives in continuous communion with God, practicing what Paul calls “unceasing prayer” (1 Thessalonians 5:17), maintaining awareness of divine presence throughout daily activities.

The Divine Pedagogy: Christ as Teacher

Clement saw Christ as a divine Pedagogos – as a teacher who leads humanity from ignorance (knowledge) to sin (virtue) to simple faith (mystical contemplation). Galatians 3:24 states that the Law was a “pedagogos” for humanity until Christ came. To illustrate the parallel between Jesus and Moses, Paul refers to the Law as a Pedagogue that would lead all people to Christ.

In ancient households, the Pedagogue was not the primary teacher but rather a servant in the home responsible for escorting children to school, supervising their behavior, and assisting parents in moral training of the children. Building on Paul’s illustration of the role of the Pedagogue, Clement described Christ as the ultimate teacher, through whom God leads humanity through the process of developing itself.

Clement understood that the way in which God teaches us through scripture is like a graded curriculum: The Old Testament teaches elementary principles through laws, stories, and types, and the New Testament teaches advanced principles, revealing the things foreshadowed in the Old Testament. Both the Old and New Testament are essential – both are from the same God (Christ as the ultimate teacher), and both teach the truths progressively as humans mature.

Clement wrote: “The Lord has taught us through His commandments and through His word, and He did so both in the Old Testament and in the New… First, He urges us to pursue righteousness; then He gives us the power to attain it.” God gives not just commandments; He gives us His power to carry out those commandments. The Pedagogue also does not only instruct but is himself changed, giving grace along with the commandments.

The teachings of the Pedagogue give rise to the following characteristics of spiritual growth:

Progressive revelation. God communicates truth gradually. The same God that spoke through Moses speaks through Christ, but God speaks through Christ in a fuller way and is more attuned to the receptiveness of the hearers of His word.

Active learning required. While the student receives divine instruction, they must be proactive; the student needs to put forth a genuine effort; he needs to focus intently and he needs to live a disciplined life.

Patience with process. This transformation of the student is a process, and we should not expect instantaneous maturity or be discouraged by slow spiritual growth. The Pedagogue is patient, and respects the limits of His creation.

Scripture as textbook. The Bible isn’t just history or rules but a curriculum designed by divine Wisdom to educate souls progressively toward truth and virtue.
Christ as both teacher and enabler. Christ does not simply show you the way; He also gives you the power to walk that path. His teaching includes the gift of grace that transforms you, giving you the ability to follow what He teaches.

Clement recognizes the tension between divine sovereignty and human responsibility, affirming the necessity of both. God acts as the Initiator, revealing truth to the human heart. As the Teacher, He empowers the believer, granting the judgment, authority, knowledge, and wisdom necessary to act. The Spirit provides the power to overcome sin. Consequently, God’s grace does not diminish human freedom; rather, it perfects that freedom through the gift of His power .

Three Stages: Purification, Illumination, Union

While Clement was not as systematic as later mystical theologians, he still describes the process of spiritual growth through the stages described by the Three-fold Path of Christian Spirituality – purgation (purification), illumination; union with God. Not sequentially but rather contemporaneously, or overlapping – but at different points the emphasis of each stage is slightly different.

Purification: Moral Formation

The first stage focuses on ethical transformation—turning from sin, developing virtue, and ordering desires rightly. This stage is laid out by Clement in his work The Paedagogus, which offers detailed practical guidance on Christian behavior, covering everything from proper eating and drinking to appropriate conduct in various social situations .

This focus might seem mundane for a mystical treatise, but Clement understood that contemplative experience requires ethical foundations. As Jesus taught in the Beatitudes, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God” (Matthew 5:8). Moral purity prepares for mystical vision; disordered behavior blocks contemplative insight .

Purification involves both negative and positive dimensions. Negatively, it means abandoning sin, breaking destructive habits, controlling disordered passions. Positively, it means developing virtue, practicing temperance, cultivating holy habits. The goal is apatheia—not emotionlessness but freedom from slavery to disordered desires, so that reason enlightened by faith governs behavior.

Clement drew heavily on Stoic ethics here, adapting their teaching about mastering passions to Christian purposes. But unlike Stoics who relied on unaided reason, Clement emphasized that Christ the Pedagogue provides both teaching and power. We aren’t saved by achieving perfect virtue but by receiving grace—yet grace itself produces virtue as its natural fruit.

This stage also involves what Clement calls “practicing for death”—anticipating later Christian teaching about mortification. This doesn’t mean morbid preoccupation but proper ordering of priorities: recognizing that earthly things are temporary, that our citizenship is in heaven (Philippians 3:20), that we should hold material goods lightly. It’s psychological detachment enabling spiritual freedom.

Illumination: Growth in Knowledge

The growth of knowledge or “illumination” is the second phase, which emphasizes the knowledge of God and our understanding of God, both intellectually and spiritually. In this phase, believers are prepared for deeper insight into scripture’s meaning and to discern the connecting principles of theological doctrines and the ways in which God reveals his word to us through scripture. Much of the Stromata is devoted to this second phase and discusses the advanced theology that has been presented to the body of Christ for maturing believers .

According to Clement, there are multiple levels of meaning embedded in the scriptures, including a literal-historical level that serves as a basis for understanding the deeper spiritual meaning that is found in the scriptures when one reads and studies them prayerfully. The deeper spiritual meaning of scripture is similar to the gold that is hidden in a mine; you must dig it out, and as you dig deeper, the treasures of scripture are revealed .

Clement stated, “The Scriptures possess a veiled glory, this being the intention of the Lord, to exercise the mind of those who would draw out concealed truths.

Clement does not mean that the hidden meaning is arbitrary allegorization, although he does at times create allegories that an average person would consider excessive. He does intend to show that God's word has depths beyond a superficial understanding. Paul writes that the spiritual truths of God must be spiritually discerned.

1 Corinthians 2:14

There are several methods through which believers receive illumination:

Scripture study. Careful, prayerful reading of Scripture progressively reveals deeper meanings. The Holy Spirit illuminates what would otherwise remain obscure.

Philosophical inquiry. When used properly, philosophy may provide believers with sharpened thinking and help clarify their concepts of God and articulate their faith in a more precise manner. All truth, including that which is discovered through philosophy, ultimately comes from God, who is the Logos and, as such, provides light for all men (John 1:9).

Church teaching. According to the scriptures, the apostolic tradition as preserved by the Church serves as the “rule of faith” and provides the guidance for proper interpretation of scripture and safeguards against error.

Contemplative prayer. Knowledge is more than mental; it is also experiential. Praying with the scriptures, meditating on the divine mysteries and beholding the creation of God provides believers with the opportunity to grow in their knowledge of God.

Ascetic practice. The practice of self-discipline during asceticism cleanses one’s perception. With a pure heart, a believer will have the capacity to see God.

Illumination produces several fruits: doctrinal clarity, spiritual wisdom, ability to teach others, discernment of spirits, perception of God’s presence in Scripture and creation, and growing capacity for contemplation.

Union: Mystical Contemplation

The third phase is the ultimate stage of the believer’s union with God. This is, in later Christian terminology, the stage of “mystical union.” Clement writes circumspectly about the ultimate stage, recognizing the difficulty of describing mystical experiences and the fact that such experiences occur by God’s grace, not by human effort.

He states that the “gnosis” is a type of union with God, wherein the “gnostic” does not become God by essence, as Clement is careful to avoid pantheism; rather, the “gnostic” participates in God’s divine life, and through this union with God, he participates in God through His knowledge and love for man. Using language borrowed from the Platonic tradition, Clement describes how the believer’s soul ascends to the contemplation of God’s truth by contemplating God’s divine reality and seeing by spiritual vision what the physical eye cannot see.

He states:

Now contemplation is the soul's exercise in which the person becomes... wholly divine, by seeing and doing what is fit for a god. This language is bold. It is consistent with the Eastern Christian understanding of theosis, where man becomes by grace what God is by nature.

2 Peter 1:4

The contemplative experience involves multiple aspects of the believer’s life:

Immediate awareness of God. The contemplative becomes aware of the presence of God through faith, and this awareness often supersedes mere thought of God’s presence.

Apophatic knowing. Through contemplation, the contemplative recognizes that God surpasses all human concepts, language, and created categories. The highest form of knowledge is human awareness of God’s incomprehensibility, as demonstrated by Moses when he entered the “thick darkness where God was” (Exodus 20:21); therefore, the contemplative enters into the unimaginable divine mystery of God.

Love perfected. The ultimate form of knowledge is love. The gnosis has more than mere knowledge of God; he has a loving relationship with God. Therefore, the ultimate commandment is also the greatest commandment, to love God with all one’s heart, soul, mind, and strength (Mark 12:30).

Continuous prayer. The contemplative believer lives a life continuously in communion with God; therefore, he or she is able to fulfill Paul’s command to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). This does not refer to the need for a believer to be verbally praying constantly, but, rather, through a continual orientation of the soul towards God.

Impassibility (apatheia). The absence of disordered goals and desires allows the contemplative to pursue God’s work with a clear mind. Since the soul is free of the disorder created by uncontrolled passions, the soul is able to rest in peace with God.

Vision of truth. As the soul continues to be purified and illuminated, the intellectual capabilities of the contemplative are progressively evolved; therefore, the spiritual realities that the contemplative believes receive illumination and ultimately the experiential form of reality.

Scripture: The Text of Divine Pedagogy

Clement believed that scripture was the greatest source of accessibility to God, through the Logos. But he did not simply read the Old and New Testaments of the Bible, historically, and use the scriptures as a guide for moral behavior; he recognized the mystical nature of the scriptures and the multiple layers of meaning within the text. Clement wrote extensively about the significance of the Old and New Testaments as the foundation of the development of culture; thus, the understanding of God’s creation through scripture and culture has a critical correlation between them; this relationship determines the understanding of the relationship of humanity and God through the Scriptures.

Clement affirmed multiple views on the interpretation of Scripture:

Historical/Literal. Identifying what actually took place in real time. He was not one who interpreted sacred Scripture as completely allegorical. Every historical event in the Scriptures actually happened.

Moral/Tropological. The stories of the Sacred Scriptures serve as models of good virtue to emulate and the absence of virtue to avoid. Thus, the moral question to be answered is: “How should I live?”

Typological/Allegorical. He sees that Old Testament events, persons, and objects foreshadow New Testament realities. Adam foreshadowed Jesus, the Exodus foreshadowed baptism, the descent into the promised land foreshadowed heaven, etc. The typology was God-given and was not created by mere human invention.

Anagogical/Mystical. The highest level of understanding of the created spiritual world that leads us toward God. This level requires a significant amount of spiritual maturity to perceive, and one receives it through a direct experience with the Holy Spirit.

Clement’s allegorical method, influenced by Philo’s Jewish interpretation and Platonic philosophy, sometimes strikes modern readers as excessive. He could find Christ prefigured in obscure Old Testament details that seem to us arbitrary. Yet his underlying principle remains valid: Scripture contains depths beyond surface meaning, revealing progressively more to those who seek prayerfully.

He wrote:

The Scriptures possess, we may say, a body of their own, and are like a tabernacle or temple. But, understanding the Scriptures spiritually, we behold the Truth itself, as it were, face to face.

Using an allegorical method allows one to see beyond the physical body of Scripture, to understand and experience the spiritual inspiration and to gain insight into the mysteries of God and Jesus through the lens of the Holy Spirit. When using prayerful discernment one will understand the Scriptures as they allow one to meet the person of God through a written text that contains the truth about God. Therefore, the aim of using the Scriptures is not simply to gain knowledge, but rather through genuine prayerfully spiritual reading the insights contained within the Sacred Scriptures interrogate and transform each reader.

The Logos: Mediator and Revealer

Central to Clement’s mysticism is his doctrine of the Logos—the divine Word who is both God (equal to the Father in divinity) and mediator between God and creation. Drawing on John’s Gospel (“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God,” John 1:1) and Johannine theology, Clement develops a sophisticated understanding of how the transcendent God becomes knowable.

The Logos performs multiple functions:

Creative principle. Through the Logos, the Father creates all things. “All things were made through him” (John 1:3). The Logos is divine reason ordering chaos into cosmos, divine wisdom shaping creation according to perfect patterns.

Revealer of the Father. The invisible God becomes known through the visible Logos. Jesus declared, “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father” (John 14:9). The Logos doesn’t just tell us about God but manifests God, making the unknowable known.

Teacher of humanity. The same Logos who created humanity guides it toward its destiny. He taught through the prophets, through philosophy (giving Greeks partial truth), and fully in the Incarnation.

Sanctifier and transformer. The Logos doesn’t just instruct externally but indwells believers, transforming them from within. Through the Logos, we participate in divine life and are progressively conformed to divine likeness.

Bridge to contemplation. Since God the Father transcends all conception, we cannot contemplate Him directly in this life. But we can contemplate the Logos, and through the Logos ascend toward the Father. As Jesus said,

I am the way... No one comes to the Father except through me.

John 14:6

This Logos-centered mysticism has profound implications. It means that contemplation isn’t leaving behind the historical Jesus to reach some abstract divinity. Rather, the Incarnate Word remains forever the means of communion with God. The humanity Christ assumed doesn’t obscure divinity but reveals it. As Irenaeus taught and Clement affirmed, we encounter God precisely through the God-man Jesus Christ.

It also means that the same Logos active in creation speaks in Scripture and dwells in believers. Reading Scripture isn’t just studying an ancient text but encountering the living Word. Prayer isn’t speaking into emptiness but communing with the indwelling Logos. Creation itself becomes sacramental—everywhere we look, the creative Word speaks.

Clement writes: “The Word of God became man that you might learn from man how man may become God.” This stunning statement expresses the “wonderful exchange”—God became what we are so we might become (by grace, not nature) what He is. This is the goal of contemplative life: progressive transformation into divine likeness through union with the Logos.

Prayer: Continuous Communion

Clement emphasizes that prayer is about developing our relationship with God rather than how we do this. For Clement, the interior attitude towards prayer should take precedence over formalities or methods. He viewed Paul’s command to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17) as a practical representation of mature Spiritual growth, not merely a remote possibility.

For Clement, prayer is “keeping company with God.” It’s conversation with our Divine friend and interpersonal connections, or communion, with the Logos within us, and elevating the entire being in a godward direction. While set prayers should still be presented to God periodically, they are only the starting point. Ultimately, prayer is meant to encompass every aspect of our daily lives, directing our hearts upward.

He wrote: “Prayer is conversation with God. Though we speak in a whisper, without opening our lips, and keep silence, yet do we cry inwardly.” This interior prayer—heart speaking to Heart—continues even during external activities. The gnostic maintains awareness of God’s presence while working, eating, conversing with others, or resting.

Clement identified several dimensions of authentic prayer:

Gratitude and praise. Beginning from recognition of God’s goodness and gifts. The Psalmist’s call to “give thanks to the LORD, for he is good” (Psalm 107:1) characterizes mature prayer.

Petition for spiritual goods. We petition God for spiritual blessings such as knowledge of Him, the ability to grow in love, and wisdom, as opposed to asking for material goods. We should “seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness” (Matthew 6:33).

Intercession for others. As Paul continually prayed for the growth and salvation of both churches and individuals (Ephesians 1:16; Philippians 1:4), we are to also do the same: Ask God for the salvation and spiritual growth of another person.

Contemplation. Moving from words to silence in our prayer and becoming absorbed in God’s presence so that we can be “silent” with God. This represents the highest form of prayer.

Integration with life. Every action performed for God’s glory becomes prayer. Paul’s teaching to “do all to the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31) means that eating, drinking, working—everything—can be prayerful when offered to God.

According to Clement, a prepared heart receives strength to pray. A person who does not have a pure heart cannot expect to Pray sincerely when they need to pray sincerely. Conversely, for those who continue to practice virtue while recognizing God, and strive for purity of heart, they are ready to pray at any time. Developing a character suitable to be used in contemplation assists with developing a character created by God’s love.

He emphasized praying “in the Spirit” (Ephesians 6:18)—not just human words ascending but the Holy Spirit interceding within us “with groanings too deep for words” (Romans 8:26). This recognition that effective prayer requires divine assistance prevents pride (as if our eloquence earns hearing) while encouraging confidence (God Himself enables our approach).

The Gnostic’s Virtues: Marks of Spiritual Maturity

Clement described the gnostic as a model believer who lived in accordance with Spirit, which shows the level to which he/she was spiritually advanced. These virtues are not mere moral achievements, but are actual results of a contemplative union with God and demonstrate that a transformation has occurred within the gnostic’s spirit.

Faith perfected by knowledge. A gnostic has a greater belief and that belief is based upon a complete understanding of the scriptures, experiences of difficulty during life, and consequently the belief is strengthened. It is the type of faith that Hebrews describes as “the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1), but now enriched by enhanced by the experience of contemplative prayer.

Perfect love. The gnostic’s relationship with God is based on love for God, not fear of punishment. This fulfills 1 John 4:18: “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear.” The mature gnostic serves God out of joy, rather than anxiety about judgement.

Apatheia (freedom from disordered passions). The gnostic experiences proper order and moderation in their emotions. The gnostic does not allow anger, lust, greed or fear to control them. Rather, their emotions are properly managed by the Spirit of GodThis echoes Paul’s description of self-control as fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:23).

Magnanimity (greatness of soul). The gnostic’s view of life is influenced by a contemplation of God’s greatness and beauty. Consequently, the gnostic views others as having worth, creating an atmosphere of forgiveness and grace, which is reflected in the gnostic’s actions.

Unwavering hope. The gnostic possesses an unshakable confidence in the salvation he/she has received through Jesus. The gnostic’s hope “does not put us to shame” (Romans 5:5) nor disappoint.
Simplicity and guilelessness. The gnostic has no secrets or hidden agendas and therefore lives his life openly. The gnostic possesses a simplicity of heart, which Jesus praises, “Unless you turn and become like children…” (Matthew 18:3).

Liberality and mercy. Generous toward others materially and spiritually, quick to forgive, patient with weakness. Having received abundant mercy, the gnostic shows mercy. As Jesus taught, “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy” (Matthew 5:7).

Continuous communion with God. The defining mark—the gnostic lives consciously in God’s presence, conversing with Him throughout daily activities, quick to turn thoughts godward, maintaining what Brother Lawrence would later call “the practice of the presence of God.”

Readiness for martyrdom. The gnostic gives generously to others materially and spiritually. He/she forgives wrongs quickly and exercises patience toward the faults and weaknesses of others. The gnostic prayed for and received God’s mercy. The gnostic continually demonstrates mercy because, “To live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21).

These virtues aren’t achieved through self-improvement programs but grow organically from contemplative union with Christ. As branches draw life from the vine (John 15:5), believers draw virtue from union with the Logos. The more we abide in Him, the more His character manifests in us.

Asceticism: Discipline for Freedom

Asceticism is used to develop the character of a Christian into one of discipline upon their establishment and salvation; Asceticism is not self-inflicted punishment as is often exhibited in a great number of Christian sects, nor is it self-indulgence or self-gratification, as exhibited in the earthly way. Clement promoted moderate asceticism; In fact, he sought an Aristotelian mean, when viewed from a Christian perspective: to use the good things given to creation temperately, not to despise them as the Gnostics do and do not to allow them to master us as the hedonists do.

In opposition to the Gnostic doctrine of dualism, which condemned material creation as evil, Clement embraced the goodness of material creation. God made food, drink, marriage, property, etc., and all of these things are good and to be received with thanksgiving (1 Timothy 4:4). Thus, the wrongness is not in the things themselves but in how they are improperly used or overly attached to them. They can become, for example, a master over us instead of remaining a blessing that we have used properly.

Against Christian libertines who believe that being spiritually free means they have a right to do anything they desire, Clement asserted that being truly free in Christ means having discipline in your life. Just as an athlete, in order to compete at a high level must train hard (1 Corinthians 9:24-27) so as to be able to perform in a race, Christians must discipline bodies and souls for spiritual “competition”—the race toward holiness.

Clement’s teaching regarding asceticism covers a variety of areas of one’s life including:

Food and drink. Eat for sustenance and reasonable pleasure, not gluttony. Drink water or wine moderately, avoiding drunkenness. Practice periodic fasting to cultivate self-control and create space for prayer.

Sleep. Necessary for health but shouldn’t be excessive. Early rising allows more time for prayer before daily duties.

Speech. Control the tongue (James 3:1-12), avoiding gossip, vulgarity, and excessive talkativeness. Cultivate silence, which creates interior space for listening to God.

Possessions. Use material goods without being possessed by them. Practice generosity, remembering Jesus’s teaching about treasures in heaven (Matthew 6:19-21). Simplicity frees attention for spiritual goods.

Sexuality. Within marriage, sexual union is good, blessed by God (Hebrews 13:4). Outside marriage, celibacy is appropriate. Either way, sexuality should be governed by temperance, not lust.

Social interaction. Engage with others charitably but avoid worldly entertainment that coarsens the soul or social situations that tempt toward sin.

All the above disciplines provide no punishment or attaining of salvation; rather, the purpose of providing these disciplines is to create an environment whereby we can contemplate God. Disordered passions prevent us from concentrating on prayer; A life of excessive indulgence prevents our ability to see him spiritually; Undisciplined living causes our attention span to become fragmented. Orderly ascetic practices discipline a person’s life to create healthy environments conducive to developing a deeper communion with God.

Clement also understood that the Ascetic Practice will be different depending on one’s vocation. The married person living in the world experiences a different kind of challenge than does one living a celibate contemplative life in a Monastery. However, both groups can be Gnostic, which means spiritual maturity is not exclusive to one vocation. The point is, no matter what circumstances you find yourself in, regardless of what vocation you hold; you must order them toward God, and practice temperance appropriate for your dominion.

The Church: Context for Contemplation

While some mystics held a belief that spiritual growth should be explored through individual spiritual experiences, apart from being a part of organized religion, Clement stated that all authentic knowledge of God ultimately comes through the church. The body of Christ collectively provides a context in which a person grows contemplatively by way of the scriptures, the sacraments, the teaching office, and mutual encouragement .

Clement taught that the church preserves the authentic teaching of Christ by maintaining the apostolic tradition; this tradition is the basis of the “rule of faith” and the standard for interpreting the scriptures and discerning authenticity regarding a person’s spirit. Therefore, any form of private revelation which does not agree with the apostolic tradition is false, regardless of how persuasive and compelling the private revelation may appear .

For Clement, the sacraments, especially baptism and the Eucharist, are two of the most important means of grace that a person has to help them grow spiritually. Baptism marks an individual entering from darkness to light, from a state of ignorance to a state of knowledge, from a state of sin to a state of righteousness. Baptism is the seal of illumination and the beginning of the journey toward being gnostic; the Eucharist continually nourishes the spirit with the body and blood of the Logos and nourishes the individual to finish their journey .

Clement said regarding baptism: “Being baptized, we are illuminated; illuminated, we become sons; becoming sons, we are made perfect; being made perfect, we are made immortal.” Thus, baptism not only marks an initial phase of entering a relationship with God through Christ but also outlines a lifelong process of continual transformation. Accordingly, the illumination produced from baptism does not result in instantaneous or complete knowledge; rather, it represents the initial phase of initiating a life-long progression toward achieving complete knowledge of God through continual transformation .

Additionally, Clement viewed the teaching office held by bishops and presbyters, who safeguard the apostolic doctrine and are responsible for providing spiritual guidance to the church, as a means of preventing an individual’s error. Clement regarded the teaching office with appreciation while, at the same time, encouraged individuals to pursue intellectual inquiry and to be curious regarding their faith. True teachers assist students in their discovery of personal truth versus creating a dependency of their students. Like Socrates, true educators are midwives and assist students in giving birth to truth rather than transferring information .

Furthermore, the community provides a context in which all believers are encouraged to share experiences, provide one another with examples of growth, and to support each other. The church community provides accountability and provides a means of allowing for proper perspective within the church .

Clement appreciated the value of gathering with others in the church for corporate time to read scriptures, offer prayer, hear preaching, and partake in the Eucharist together. To Clement, the act of gathering together for church provides more than just a multiplication of personal prayer but provides an experience of coming together with the entire body of Christ to encounter the Head of the body. As Jesus stated:

Where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.

Matthew 18:20

Philosophy: Handmaid to Theology

Clement specifically taught that Greek Philosophy had positive value because it was utilized as a preparation leading to the Gospel and not as a replacement for the true faith. He recognized the limiting factors and the potential for errors when using Philosophy. Nonetheless, Clement believed that truth can ultimately be traced back to the Logos who illuminates every man (John 1:9).

He wrote: “Philosophy was a preparation, paving the way towards perfection in Christ… Philosophy was given to the Greeks directly and primarily, until the Lord should call the Greeks. For this was a schoolmaster to bring the Hellenic mind to Christ, as the law brought the Hebrews.” Philosophy played for Gentiles the role the Law played for Jews—preparing for Christ’s coming, teaching partial truths, raising questions that only the Gospel fully answers.

Clement particularly valued:

Platonic metaphysics: The distinction of Plato’s philosophy regarding eternal forms and temporary shadows requires Christian corrective, but the distinction points the Hellenic mind to the spiritual (reality) based on the eternal. Plato has taught that true knowledge comes from illuminating your mind by turning from shadows back unto light. This teaches about enlightenment by the Word of Christ .

Stoic ethics: Stoic philosophy teaches about virtue—reasonable self-control—living according to nature (properly known as the Logos) presents a moral ethical framework compatible to Christian morality.

Socratic method: The practice of teaching through questioning was an example of good pedagogy. Truth cannot be transferred from one to another; rather, it must be discovered through awakening insight .

Pythagoreanism: The Pythagorean view on harmony, proportion, and the mathematical structure of the universe points to the divine order of creation.

Clement identified philosophical limitation in terms of philosophy cannot produce spiritual reality in and of itself; it can only begin to address realities, raise questions, and indicate identification with truth, which is fully realized in Christ the Incarnate Logos .

This philosophical approach allowed Clement to connect and communicate respectfully with educated Greeks while nonetheless illustrating that Christ is unique exceptionally. Philosophy serves as the precursor and Christ completes the journey to Elohim and all things being created by Elohim through his youthfulness, his reasoning, and his law to guide within the New Testament .

Likewise, in fulfilling Clement’s example for Christians today would be to engage with the culture (intellectually) and provide a voice for Christ, while still holding true to our faith. When we experience questions and intellectual curiosity, we must recognize these are good gifts from God, therefore nothing to be fearful of pursuing honest inquiry. Finally, all men seek to find God through their facility of wisdom and God reveals through divine revelation in Christ .

The Darkness of Divine Mystery

Although Clement stressed enlightenment and understanding, within his mysticism he has both an apophatic (negative) aspect, and acknowledgment that God necessarily surpasses our human abilities to know and understand Him. The highest level of knowledge is the acknowledgement of God as inherently unknowable. To be most enlightened is also to have an understanding of how much of God is beyond our ability to comprehend.

As Clement noted: “The first cause is not in space, but above both space, and time, and name, and conception.” Thus, God is not a thing that we can grasp or contain through our minds; He can never be understood by us in logical terms, nor by theologians. Therefore the language we as human beings will ever use to describe God will always fail to capture Him, as God exists far beyond the capacity of our understanding.

This truth is echoed in biblical literature: When Moses first saw God, he saw Him as being surrounded by “thick darkness” (Exodus 20:21). Isaiah saw the “glory of God” but also heard the song of the Seraphim acknowledging that “the whole earth is full of his glory” (Isaiah 6:3)—the omnipresence of God is accompanied by His lack of knowledge of being bounded by time and space. After Job demanded answers from God, he acknowledged that “I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you; therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes” (Job 42:5-6)—to come face-to-face with God calls for humility through the realization of our limitations as created beings.

Clement’s use of apophatic theology serves a number of purposes:

Humility. By creating an awareness of God’s inherent unknowability, it promotes humility by preventing arrogance as we come to know God through enlightenment. Through all of our knowledge of God, we cannot become masters of God; we will always remain as students in front of Him—an infinite mystery of glory.

Wonder. Mystery creates wonderment, which does not conclude inquiries made to God but creates additional inquiries and inspires new inquiries as we learn more about who God is, which will create an endless exploration of who God is, thus leading to an everlasting state of continual development and growth.

Worship. The appropriate response to God’s exceeding greatness (the incomprehensibility of God) is to worship God rather than to analyze what we know about Him. As in the case of Moses, God’s glory is too great for any person to analyze; thus, we need to take off our sandals as an acknowledgment that we’re standing on holy ground (Exodus 3:5).

Protection from idolatry. When we give God a specific definition, we risk having a “mental idol” of God by giving God a personality or image we can interpretively relate to, but which does not reflect what God truly is. Apophatic theology allows us to know that God is limitless, and thus can never be captured or contained by intellect.

Proper theological method. There are limitations in all theological constructs of God. Although we speak correctly about God, all of our language is lacking; therefore, our language is only an analogy of God; the words we speak can reflect back toward the true nature of God, but they are still inadequate in comprehending God.

This tension between cataphatic (affirmative) theology, which speaks positively about God’s attributes, and apophatic (negative) theology, which emphasizes God’s incomprehensibility, characterizes mature mysticism. We say God is good, but immediately recognize that divine goodness infinitely transcends human goodness. We call God Father, but immediately acknowledge that divine fatherhood differs from human fatherhood. All language limps; all concepts fail; yet we speak truly if inadequately.

For prayer and contemplation, this means progression toward simpler, wordless attention. The beginner needs many words, detailed meditations, concrete images. The advanced contemplative moves toward silence, beyond concepts, into the “darkness” that is actually divine light too bright for human eyes. As Dionysius the Areopagite would later write (drawing on Clement’s tradition), the soul ascends through knowledge into “unknowing”—not ignorance but knowledge transcending ordinary knowing.

The Imitation of God: Becoming Divine by Grace

Clement boldly taught that Christianity’s goal is “assimilation to God” or “becoming like God”—what Eastern Christianity calls theosis (divinization). This isn’t pantheistic absorption into divinity or claim to become God by nature, but participation in divine life by grace, progressive transformation into divine likeness.

The biblical foundation is clear. Humans are created in God’s image and likeness (Genesis 1:26-27). We’re called to “be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:48). Peter writes that believers become “partakers of the divine nature” (2 Peter 1:4). Paul teaches progressive transformation “into the same image from one degree of glory to another” (2 Corinthians 3:18).

Clement understood this transformation occurring through several means:

Union with the Logos. Christ assumed humanity so humanity might assume divinity—not in essence but in participation. United to Christ through faith and sacraments, we share His divine life.

Virtue development. As we become more virtuous, we become more like God who is perfect goodness. Moral transformation is theological transformation—growing in holiness means growing in likeness to the Holy One.

Contemplative knowledge. Knowing God changes us into what we know. Beholding divine glory, we’re “transformed into the same image” (2 Corinthians 3:18). The more we contemplate God, the more we become like God.

Action of the Spirit. The Holy Spirit dwelling within progressively conforms believers to Christ’s image. This isn’t self-improvement but divine work in us. As Paul wrote, “It is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13).

Liturgical participation. In worship, especially Eucharist, believers participate in divine life. Receiving Christ’s body and blood, we’re united to Him bodily and spiritually.

Clement held that this transformation of believers reflects their freedom as human beings. God does not force us to do anything; he invites us to cooperate with him in the transformation of ourselves. The believer must make a willful decision to follow the Pedagogue, to engage in virtue, and to participate in prayer and to remain open to God’s grace. While God’s divine work provides the initiative for transformation, the believer’s human experience must respond to what God has already done. Without God’s divine work, the believer could not achieve transformation, and without the believer’s efforts, God’s divine work would not have effect.

Ultimately, the goal of the transformation is perfection—this is not to say that we will reach sinless perfection, although that is the ultimate direction of the process—but rather it’s to achieve maturity, completeness, and full development. As Jesus said, “Be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:48). This perfection is demonstrated by loving God with one’s whole being and neighbours as oneself. It involves perfect knowledge, which can only occur as the creature sees God to the extent permitted by its limitations. It is habitual righteousness formed from the transformed character of the believer rather than the result of external compulsion.

Clement believed that this transformation would not be completed until after the resurrection of the dead, at which time “we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is” (1 John 3:2). However, it begins now during our earthly life, continues through life after death, and concludes when we are fully glorified.

Suffering and Martyrdom: Conformity to Christ

Clement lived during periods of Christian persecution. He himself did not experience martyrdom (presumably because he fled from Alexandria during the persecution in 202-203 A.D.), but he reflected extensively on the spiritual significance of suffering. He teaches that martyrdom is the greatest manifestation of love and the highest demonstration of imitation of Christ through suffering (that is, martyrdom).

Clement stated,

Martyrdom is perfection not because the man comes to the end of his life as others do, but because he has exhibited the perfect work of love. The martyr displays a love greater than death, one that will give up everything rather than deny Christ. Thus, they demonstrate the greatest love possible; as quoted by Jesus: Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.

John 15:13

But Clement also taught that not all Christians are called to physical martyrdom, yet all are called to “daily martyrdom”—dying to sin, taking up the cross daily (Luke 9:23), living as “living sacrifice” (Romans 12:1). This spiritual martyrdom involves:

The denial of worldly pleasures that would take the believer away from God. The denial of pleasures for their own sakes, but the ordering of desires to the proper end.

The acceptance of lesser suffering—including illness, poverty, persecution, and misunderstanding—all offered to God while uniting ourselves with Christ’s sufferings.

Moral courage to testify about Christ in environments that are hostile to him. To testify to the truth while standing firm against social pressure is an act of martyrdom.

Interior crucifixion of pride, selfishness, and disordered loves of the believer. The spiritual battle Paul speaks of in(Ephesians 6:10-18) involves genuine suffering.

Clement believes that all forms of suffering can be sanctified by being offered up together with the sufferings of Christ. When St. Paul teaches: “fill up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions” (Colossians 1:24) he is not teaching that Christ’s sacrifice is insufficient, but that Christians are part of the process of God’s redemption through their sufferings offered together with Christ’s.

Contemplation helps transform suffering’s meaning. The soul that has gazed upon Christ crucified can accept its own crosses more readily. The mind illuminated by knowledge of resurrection hope endures present difficulties more patiently. The heart inflamed with divine love finds suffering for the Beloved almost sweet.

This teaching challenges contemporary culture’s avoidance of all suffering. While we rightly seek to alleviate unnecessary suffering, Clement reminds us that some suffering is inevitable, potentially sanctifying, and even necessary for spiritual growth. As the author of Hebrews wrote,

For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

Hebrews 12:11

Legacy: The Learned Mystic

Clement of Alexandria, a prominent early Christian philosopher, made a major contribution to Christianity by providing a framework that synthesizes how faith, reason, intellectual devotion, and mysticism are in single comprehensive unity. He offered an understanding of “gnosis” (knowledge) contrary to the heretical teachings of Gnosticism. Clement also laid the groundwork for the subsequent development of Christian “gnosis” as an affirmation of Christian faith and the purpose for which Christians exist—the knowledge of God in Jesus Christ.

Clement’s contributions to the early development of Christian spirituality are as follows:

Positive appreciation for learning. By allowing the Christian community to place value on logical inquiry into the truth, Clement demonstrated to his audiences that honest inquiry and deep thought are not contradictory to faith, but complementary. Faith seeks understanding and understanding leads to a deeper faith. A properly oriented intellectual life allows one to contemplate the deeper meaning of life.

Progressive spiritual development. Clement’s description of a three-stage development from faith to knowledge, purification to illumination, to contemplation provided a foundational understanding of spiritual growth.

Scriptural depth. Clement insisted that Scripture is composed of many layers of meaning, which opens an avenue for meditating on Scripture. Thus, Scripture becomes more than simply informational; it becomes an avenue for believers to experience the person of God.

Incarnational mysticism. Clement affirmed that all matter is created good; therefore, we shall meet God, not in the total isolation of the material world, but through the Incarnate Word who became a part of that world.

Church-centered spirituality. Gnosis will only be complete as it unfolds within the context of apostolic tradition and under the authority of Scripture and the Church. The greatest means of grace and spiritual nourishment will be the sacraments and the Church community.

Balance in asceticism. The extremes of either unqualified self-denial or unqualified self-indulgence are not acceptable; rather, our ascetic lives should be marked by moderation, directing our lives to contemplation.

Goal of deification. By identifying the destiny of humanity to ultimately be with God through the grace of deification, we have a comprehensive view of the purpose of spiritual transformation.

Conclusion: Faith Seeking Vision

Clement of Alexandria is not only inviting Christians today to be as mystical as Clement was, through loving God with all of our intellect, emotion, will, and body. His invitation is also a challenge to those who would discard their intellect when pursuing spirituality, as well as to those who would discard their spirituality in pursuit of their intellect. Authentic spiritual maturity comes from the unified integration of the two: knowing God through informed faiths and faith-encouraged knowledge of God’s will, culminating in one’s contemplation of the Logos.
For all those who love learning, Clement assures those individuals that their intellectual gifts can serve their contemplative life. As a philosopher, he demonstrated that, when done correctly, philosophy prepares one to study theology. Rigorous analytical thinking provides a sharper perception of what is true. In the same way that prayerful study becomes prayerful contemplation, the life of the mind, presented to God, becomes a form of worship.

For those who are serious about their prayer life, Clement provides the framework of theology and the depth of understanding necessary to lead one into contemplative prayer. Contemplation leads us through and beyond reason towards a vision that exceeds comprehension or human understanding. Both mystical experience and theological interpretation must coexist and will create mature Christians.

“The glory of God is man fully alive, and the life of man is the vision of God”—Irenaeus’s words capture what Clement taught: we become fully human through contemplating the divine, fully alive through knowing the God who is Life itself. This understanding of Christian faith; grows in knowledge, culminates in divine contemplation, and represents the ultimate and final promise of Christianity—both for the future and for those faithful today.

As stated by Paul,

We are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Ephesians 2:10

May the example of Clement of Alexandria encourage all believers to follow the path of spiritual growth—progressively developing from simple belief into illuminated knowledge and from moral purification into the vision of divine contemplation and from being a student of the divine Teacher into an intimate relationship with the Logos, from being made into the image of God into the likeness of God and from glory to glory, until we behold Him face to face.

To know God is eternal life; and to be known by God is to participate in being made equal to God... So that we are co-workers with God, through whom God does all things, without there being any distinction.

Clement of Alexandria