ABSTRACT
Among the earliest Christian documents outside the New Testament canon, this letter from the Roman church to the church in Corinth provides a valuable witness to Christian life and practice in these two important cities in the latter part of the first century. On the basis of both internal and external evidence, 1 Clement can be securely dated between c. 80 and 120 ce, 1 with a date around the turn of the century the most likely. The occasion which prompted these Roman Christians to write to Corinth was the report that had reached Rome (1 Clem. 47.7) of the renewed outbreak of factions and divisions in Corinth. These had been triggered by the deposition of some of the Corinthian presbyters (44.6). In keeping with acceptable rhetorical strategy, the author(s) provides only vague allusions to the exact nature of the dispute and to its cause. However, he considers its effects serious enough to warrant some response from the Roman community in the form of an appeal for the restoration of peace and concord (63.2). The letter was carried to Corinth by couriers from Rome (63.3; 65.1) who no doubt acted as mediators in the dispute. Rome, however, had no power or authority to impose its will on Christians in Corinth, but the letter does offer strong advice and warning should the dispute go unresolved.
