St. Clement of Alexandria, Pope Benedict, and Catholic gnostic philosophy

[Jonathan_Cid]

Pope Benedict reconciled my gnosticism, “authentic gnosticism” as he called it, using the gnosticism of St. Clement of Alexandria. While I can’t do whatever I want, this strengthened my faith and showed me that it’s absolutely possible to be a gnostic Catholic! Notice the small “g”.

It means I won’t panic about sin, or fall into scrupulosity, I can explain my faith through the indwelling Holy Spirit and the call to Truth, and I have a better understanding of hell now.

Does anyone know where I can learn more about Clementine theology?

Here is the article:

On Clement of Alexandria

“One of the Great Promoters of Dialogue Between Faith and Reason”

…This knowledge, Clement tells us, becomes for the soul a lived reality: It is not just a theory. Rather, it is a life force, a union with a transforming love. The knowledge of Christ is not just a thought, but a love that opens the eyes, transforms the person and creates communion with the “Logos,” the divine Word that is truth and life. In this communion, which is the perfect knowledge and is love, the perfect Christian reaches contemplation and union with God.

In this way, on the journey to perfection, Clement gives the same importance to moral requirements as to the intellectual ones. The two go together because it is not possible to know the truth without living it, nor to live the truth without knowing it. It is not possible to make oneself like God and contemplate him simply with a rational knowledge: In order to achieve this objective, it is necessary to live according to the “Logos,” a life according to truth. And, therefore, good works have to accompany intellectual knowledge, as the shadow accompanies the body.

There are two virtues which particularly adorn the soul of the “authentic gnostic.” The first is freedom from passions (“apátheia”); the second is love, the true passion, which ensures intimate union with God. Love gives perfect peace, and enables the “authentic gnostic” to confront the greatest sacrifices, including the supreme sacrifice in the following of Christ, and brings him to rise to the level of living virtue. In this way, the ethical ideal of ancient philosophy, that is, the freedom from passions, is redefined by Clement and complemented by love, in the unending process which leads to being like God…

((…See link for rest…))

© Copyright 2007 – Libreria Editrice Vaticana

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[Goblin_Taters]

I’m not aware of any specific books, but any book on the Alexandrian school of theology would help, as that’s where valid Christian gnosticism was found.