To the Newly Baptized

Clement of Alexandria. Butterworth, G.W., editor. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press; London: William Heinemann, 1919.

Perseus Digital Library · CC BY-SA 4.0

Cloned and adapted by Humanitext, with ongoing edits.

This work is a hortatory treatise addressed to newly baptized Christians or monastics, expounding the ethical way of life and the ideal state of the soul for a believer. It emphasizes the importance of maintaining introspective silence and exercising moderation in one's words and attitude. Furthermore, the author urges the readers to constantly pray to and trust in God, while disciplining themselves by suppressing physical desires. It highlights the need for a steadfast, unwavering soul when facing trials such as illness or adversity, and exhorts them to show compassion toward others. Through these teachings, the work provides practical moral guidelines for daily life and spiritual attitudes directed toward God.