Wpływ starożytnej myśli greckiej na kształtowanie się koncepcji roztropności (φρόνησις) u Klemensa z Aleksandrii

Abstract

Clement of Alexandria was one of the first old-Christian writers who in his works fully expressed his respect for ancient Greek philosophers by way of using their conclusions. That is why, we find in the teaching of Clement many references to ancient thinkers, but also accommodations of their concepts into Christianity. An interesting example here is the Christian conception of practical wisdom (φρόνησις) which stemmed from the earlier accomplishments of ancient philosophy. Clement was not systematic in his lecture, therefore we should not expect any consistent conception of practical wisdom (φρόνησις). Nevertheless, an analysis of the three excerpts taken from the Stromata (II 24, 1-2; I 176, 3-179, 4; VI 154, 1-155, 4) has proved that Clement accepted the definitions of practical wisdom (φρόνησις) from all philosophical schools (especially, the Platonic, Aristotelian, and Stoic influences) and subordinates them to the goals he intends to accomplish. One can approach only superficially a certain basic conception and recognize in it that φρόνησις as a cognitive virtue has with Clement both theoretical and practical significance. There are few quotations from the Bible, all of them deliberately used, and they put the philosophical definitions accepted by Clement in a new light. Thus dialectic, critical practical wisdom is brought to existence in moralreligious vigilance required from the Christian in the light of his expectations for the end of the times. In the doctrine of Clement of Alexandria, the conception of universal practical wisdom is incorporated within the universal Divine pedagogy, as it was solved by him in the first book of the Pedagogue.