Talks by Carl Vennerstrom
A Conversation between graduate students of CUA, DHS, and the JPII Institute and Professor Robert... more A Conversation between graduate students of CUA, DHS, and the JPII Institute and Professor Robert Louis Wilken on Henri de Lubac's Medieval Exegesis
A meeting of students from CUA, DHS, and JP II Institute to discuss 20th Century Patristic Recept... more A meeting of students from CUA, DHS, and JP II Institute to discuss 20th Century Patristic Receptions
Articles by Carl Vennerstrom
Open Theology, Jul 2021
This article addresses the topic of parables in the Stromateis of Clement of Alexandria. The broa... more This article addresses the topic of parables in the Stromateis of Clement of Alexandria. The broad thesis is that New Testament scholarship can help clarify early Christian interpretation of the New Testament. Clement of Alexandria has a very precise definition of the genre of parable. This definition is compared with various literary definitions found in the work of the grammarian Trypho of Alexandria and with one modern definition. Both of these comparisons bring out the precision, clarity, and usefulness of Clement's definition for understanding the function of parables. The discussion then turns to the grounding of Clement's definition in the saving mission of the Son. Since Clement closely links parables with prophecy and redemptive suffering, John Meier's exposition of the Parable of the Wicked Tenants is introduced to show how parables can concretely express the redemptive suffering of the Son. Meier also demonstrates how the disciples were themselves involved in writing and completing this parable, so the article closes with an analysis of one of Clement's interpretations of a parable, his own contribution to the tradition of parabolic speech.
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Talks by Carl Vennerstrom
Articles by Carl Vennerstrom