Quis dives salvetur

Abstract

Clement of Alexandria explains the concept of "koinonia" and closely connects it with the Divine philanthropy, thereby laying the foundations of the Christian understanding of social service, which is different from the Jewish immanent eschatology, according to which the reward for a righteous life comes during a person's life, as well as different from the Greco-Roman tradition of protectorate, according to which the welfare of the poor was a way to emphasize their superiority over others. On the contrary, sincere service of brothers and sisters, according to Clement, God rewards a person with joy and love, and most importantly - the eternal dwelling place in heaven. Such views on the question of koinonia, as well as wealth and poverty remain relevant to this day, despite the fact that the next Christian generations developed other models, such as the model of St. John Chrysostom, with his complete renunciation of wealth.