Miejsce i rola bojaźni Bożej (φόβοϛ) na drodze dążenia do doskonałości chrześcijańskiej według Klemensa Aleksandryjskiego

Abstract

In his polemics with the anitinomiste, Clement of Alexandria defending the value of the fear of Goid, defined its rational character and high dignity (resulting from the relation of adoration and love, which exists between God, a good Father, and the redeemed people – God’s children); he also pointed to the important function which the fear of God has at the beginning of the process of Christian perfection as a factor keeping one back from the evil and as an indispensable stage on one’s way to achieving other merits. Approving of the objective value land educational qualities of the fear of God, at the same time be perceived its imperfection: the inability to completely remove the evil and unskillfulness in bringing one to the complete good. Referring to the teachings of St. John he stresse the fact, that as the perfection progresses, the meaning of the fear of God is gradually diminished, proportionally to the growth of agape, since „fear does not exist in love, but perfect love throws fear away from it” (1 John 4,18).