...
But, as appears, many even down to our own time regard Mary, on account of the birth of her child, as having been in the puerperal state, although she was not. For some say that, after she brought forth, she was found, when examined, to be a virgin."
Now such to us are the Scriptures of the Lord, which gave birth to the truth and continue virgin, in the concealment of the mysteries of the truth. ...
Now all men, having the same judgment, some, following the Word speaking, frame for themselves proofs; while others, giving themselves up to pleasures, wrest Scripture, in accordance with their lusts. And the lover of truth, as I think, needs force of soul. For those who make the greatest attempts must fail in things of the highest importance; unless, receiving from the truth itself the rule of the truth, they cleave to the truth. But such people, in consequence of falling away from the right path, err in most individual points; as you might expect from not having the faculty for judging of what is true and false, strictly trained to select what is essential. For if they had, they would have obeyed the Scriptures.
...For we have, as the source of teaching, the Lord, both by the prophets, the Gospel, and the blessed apostles, "in divers manners and at sundry times," leading from the beginning of knowledge to the end. But if one should suppose that another origin was required, then no longer truly could an origin be preserved.
He, then, who of himself believes the Scripture and voice of the Lord, which by the Lord acts to the benefiting of men, is rightly [regarded] faithful. Certainly we use it as a criterion in the discovery of things....For we may not give our adhesion to men on a bare statement by them, who might equally state the opposite. But if it is not enough to state the opinion, but if what is stated must be confirmed, we do not wait for the testimony of men, but we establish the matter that is in question by the voice of the Lord, which is the surest of all demonstrations, in which knowledge those who have merely tasted the Scriptures are believers...
Those who would argue that scripture was not available are at odds with what Clement has written. Apparently scripture was available enough in 200AD that common believers could have access. It doesn't seem to be an issue with Clement.
Clement has far more to say in this chapter-these are only some brief highlights. As Clement points out from the above passage; 1) people were adding to the scripture (note with Mary), 2) people would take passages of scripture and frame heretical beliefs from them, or 3) they use scripture to justify their actions rather than letting scripture expose their corruption.
Most importantly, Clement makes very clear that a truly faithful person will be guided by scripture and the Holy Spirit.
I noticed your ellipses left out this little bit of the Stromata:
As, then, if a man should, similarly to those drugged by Circe, become a beast; so he, who has spurned the ecclesiastical tradition, and darted off to the opinions of heretical men, has ceased to be a man of God and to remain faithful to the Lord.This is exactly what I mean about cutting and pasting select bits of the Fathers and ignoring the entirety of their arguments and lives. In that very same passage you quoted to defend the reliance on Scripture, Clement states clearly that he who departs from ecclesiastical tradition has ceased to be a man of God.
We have never objected to Scripture being a rule of faith. We object to it being made the only rule of faith, because we have always maintained that Scripture and Apostolic tradition go hand in hand. Seems to me that is exactly what Clement is saying.
At least you're reading Clement though. That's promising, and it speaks very well of your intellect.
And here you are, bursting their bubble with those pesky facts again.
Thanks for that. Clement was also very critical of the idea of the pope of Rome being the head bishop of all the Christian churches.