The Place of the Hypotyposeis in the Clementine Corpus: An Apology for "The Other Clement of Alexandria"

Abstract

The received scholarly view on Clement of Alexandria's Excerpta ex Theodoto, Eclogae propheticae, Adumbrationes , and Hypotyposeis dismisses these writings as inferior in style, dubious in content, and certainly marginal in importance for Clementine studies. This article follows the path suggested by Christian von Bunsen, Theodor von Zahn, André Méhat, and Pierre Nautin, and argues that the Excerpta, Eclogae , and Adumbrationes represent, on the contrary, the pinnacle of Clement's exposition of doctrine. Consequently, further research should pay special attention to the theological speculations contained in these writings, as they are likely to lead to significant insights into Clement's theology.