The Young against the Old: Generational Conflict in First Clement by L. L. Welborn

Abstract

Reviewed by: The Young against the Old: Generational Conflict in First Clement by L. L. Welborn David L. Eastman L. L. Welborn The Young against the Old: Generational Conflict in First Clement Lanham, MD: Lexington Books/Fortress Academic, 2018 Pp. 276. $110.00. In this volume Welborn attempts to reconstruct the historical and ecclesiastical contexts for the writing of 1 Clement. Chapter One ("Prolegomena") critiques previous scholarship and sets forth Welborn's hermeneutical principles. He rejects suggestions that the author did not know the situation in Corinth, that the author misrepresented the situation, or that the letter was not written in response to a real situation. Instead, he believes the letter can and should be read in light of a particular historical circumstance. His reconstruction will seek to address "the context of the conflict, the object of strife, the motives of the rebels, and the identities of the instigators" (3–4). Failure to deal with these details has characterized previous scholarship and led to overly generalized results. In addition, he argues that the context for the letter should first be reconstructed from internal evidence, rather than from theorized models of early Christian history (e.g., debate over charismatic authority or controversy over the developing role of the bishop). The best theory should explain the greatest number of features of the text. Although critical of some aspects of previous scholarship, Welborn agrees that certain historical elements have been definitively established: the author's [End Page 153] heavy reliance on the Old Testament but complex use of Paul; governance of the church by a group of presbyter-bishops appointed by the church body, not by a single bishop; organization of the church in Corinth into house churches led by wealthy patrons; and the relevance of the leadership structures of Greek and Roman private associations. The letter is not from a monarchical Roman bishop, and the date and authorship remain uncertain. In Chapter Two ("Hypothesis"), Welborn examines theories about the instigators of the uprising. Although Hans Lietzmann is typically credited with the hypothesis that the conflict involves young men rising up against older men, Adolf von Harnack had suggested this idea earlier. Most scholars have taken the generational conflict for granted (based on 1 Clem. 3.3), yet no one has engaged in a full study to confirm this hypothesis. This is part of Welborn's project. He also finds evidence in the text to suggest that women may have played a role in the uprising. Chapter Three ("Context") is the longest chapter in the book. Welborn explores numerous aspects and examples of intergenerational conflict from the Greco-Roman world. He pays particular attention to legal and cultural evidence of conflict between young and old and fathers and sons involving access to power and control of property. Welborn presents an impressive array of evidence from authors that include Xenophon, Plato, Cicero, and Sallust. He also suggests that the Pastoral Epistles support a traditional ideology of respect for the elders. However, certain texts—including Plutarch, Musonius Rufus, and the biblical examples of Timothy and Titus—might suggest a more egalitarian view of power allocation among different generations. In Chapter Four ("Application"), Welborn explores a number of motifs used by the author of 1 Clement: charges of sedition, jealousy, and envy; and appeals for obedience, humility, and piety. He characterizes the letter as "a deliberative discourse on concord" that is designed to "reinforce the hierarchical structure of the ecclesia under the rule of the appointed elders" (129). The author juxtaposes the current sedition with a previous golden age in which young men and women knew their place. Welborn suggests that 1 Clement's emphasis on concord is comparable to speeches by Dio Chrysostom and Aelius Aristides on the topic of homonoia. In the final chapter ("Reconstruction"), Welborn presents his picture of the situation. It must account for four factors: 1) The setting was house churches, and the owner of the house would have served as the patron of the assembly, as was the case in private associations. 2) The church was governed by a college of presbyter-bishops, not a single bishop. In keeping with New Testament usage, these figures are best described in English...