Clement and the Early Church of Rome

by Thomas J. Herron

Clement of Rome's First Epistle to the Corinthians is a supremely valuable historical document. It is one of the very few Christian texts that have survived from the first century. The early Christians took utmost care to preserve the letter, copying it out by hand and even risking their lives in order to hide it from persecutors. Some local churches kept it for proclamation as part of the New Testament. The Church Fathers indicated that Clement was a direct disciple of the Saints Peter and Paul. Modern scholars, however, called this into question, arguing that he lived and wrote many decades after the martyrdom of the Apostles.

Msgr. Thomas Herron's painstaking research led him to conclude that the Epistle to the Corinthians was composed very early indeed before 70 A.D. He was not the first scholar to argue for an early date, but he was the first to undertake a thorough study of the matter. His methods are rigorous. His writing is clear and honest. His tone is modest.

Nevertheless, his conclusions are stunning. He argues persuasively for the earlier dates and then proceeds to sketch out the significance of the early dating for history, theology, and apologetics.

Clement's Epistle stands as an early example of the exercise of hierarchical and Roman authority in the Church. It is a disciplinary letter addressed with confident authority to a distant church.

Genres: Christianity

130 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2010

Reviews

[Glenn Crouch · Rating 5 out of 5]

For those like me who are quite interested in the development of the early Church, the dating of 1 Clement to the end of the 1st Century, has been a cornerstone on which most authors assume. Not only does this author give good arguments for an early date (around 70AD), I found that he gives good “pros and cons” for both arguments. I also found his examination of the consequences of an early date to be quite fascinating - and the Appendix is particularly a good read in this regard.

Excellent Bibliography and well referenced.

It is worth noting that Bernier’s more recent book that includes looking at a date for 1 Clement, comes to a similar conclusion as this author.

Thanks to William Varner for recommending this book!

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Convincing and well-written (overall); too bad he did not translate his quotations from Greek, Latin, French, or German sources or scholars. Also could have used a careful proofreader, and I would gladly read a longer treatment of his topic — but, a fascinating book for sure. Anyone interested in New Testament/Biblical source studies, Patristics, or the Early Church more generally should give it a read.

[Nicolas Barbeito · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author gets 5 stars for this book. Not for the brilliance of his writing, for that at times is less than ideal, but for the excellent and thorough job that he does. He presents a theory contrary to the almost universal opinion as to the dating of 1 Clement and sets the opposition on its head.
Well worth a read for anyone wanting to know more about 1 Clement.

[Joseph Adelizzi, Jr. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.

I found “Clement and the Early Church of Rome” by Reverend Thomas J. Herron to be a rare scholarly work in that in addition to being well researched, copiously documented and obviously written by someone well versed in the subject at hand the work was also difficult for a novice like me to put down. This book had a feel more akin to a detective story than to a dry, dusty research paper on some esoteric topic with narrow appeal. However, that is not to say that Father Herron ever treats the subject matter with anything less than scholarly seriousness and respect, and he seems to take great pains in presenting well-balanced points and counterpoints throughout this work.

This honest study concerns an anonymous letter presumed to be written by one “Clement” in Rome to address a situation in the church at Corinth wherein several presbyters, possibly appointed by the Apostles, had been ousted from their office; the author of the letter argues that these presbyters must be allowed to resume their offices. This letter to the church of Corinth has been presumed for some time to date from the late first century AD, specifically 95-96 AD. However, Reverend Herron posits that this letter may have been written as early as 70 AD. Uninitiated minds such as mine may think that this 25 year difference may be much ado about nothing, but in addition to presenting justification for his belief in the earlier date of the letter, Reverend Herron also explains the significance such a recalibration holds for the early church.

Herron begins his treatise with a respectful presentation of previous scholars' justification for the 96 AD dating and then uses well-explained references taken from 1 Clement itself to cast doubt on this dating in favor of his earlier estimate. He then goes on to cite archaeological evidence in support of his theory, clearly explaining his thought processes. Additionally, he references other written sources of the time, clearly explaining how each supports his earlier date. Finally, as I said, he goes on to explain the significance this recalibration has for the early church. All in all the work proves to be an interesting glimpse into the very earliest days of the church.

Admittedly, one aspect of the work which kept me riveted was the connection with first century Rome and her emperors (specifically the Flavians - Vespasian, Titus, and Domitian), a place and period in history which has fascinated me for years. So I found myself captivated by various primary sources alluding to events and historical figures of that time, dealing with the early days of a faith the framework of which has largely shaped my life. It felt like a perfect storm when I read in the Introduction that Reverend Herron served as a pastor in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia – my home.

There are two minor faults I find with the work. First, many of the quotations are given in their original language and no translation is provided. Such an approach left me feeling I was definitely not part of the intended audience. The second minor blemish in the otherwise excellent work was a brief mix-up which left me questioning my math abilities regarding which century Ignatius of Antioch wrote letters cited by Reverend Herron – first or second century AD.

Overall “Clement and the Early Church of Rome” is an excellent scholarly presentation of evidence for and against Reverend Herron's belief that 1 Clement was written not in 96 AD but rather in 70 AD. That evidence is nicely analyzed, and his conclusions are rationally defended and reasonable. Reverend Herron admits within his work that no definitive conclusion can be reached either for or against either of the two posited dates, but his interesting arguments and insights made the journey through the evidence a fascinating experience.

[Sasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

First I would like to state that I received this book through goodreads giveaway. I received this book and began reading it and could not put it down. I found “Clement and the Early Church of Rome” by Reverend Thomas J. Herron to be a very well written greatly researched book that gave you the feel more of a detective novel than anything else. It still had the seriousness of the subject matter but made it much easier to read. It was very informative and full of great information.
The author is a wonderful writer. I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in reading and learning more on the Early Church of Rome and the historical documentation. I highly recommend this book it was a great read.

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well-reasoned defense for dating the letter of 1 Clement about 70 A.D. rather than the commonly held mid-90s. There are theological effects to this dating--the reinforcement of the early presbyterate rather than a monepiscopate.