Clement and the Early Church of Rome: On the Dating of Clement's First Epistle to the Corinthians

Clement of Rome's First Epistle to the Corinthians is a supremely valuable historical document.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...