Ante-Nicene Fathers/Volume VIII/Pseudo-Clementine Literature/The Clementine Homilies/Homily IV/Chapter 8

Chapter VIII.&#8212;A Challenge.

I answered:&#160; &#8220;I accept, indeed, your kindly affection towards me, but I take exception to your ignorance.&#160; For your affection is kindly, because you wish to continue in those customs which you consider to be good.&#160; But your inaccurate knowledge strives to lay a snare for me, under the guise of friendship.&#8221;&#160; Then said Appion:&#160; &#8220;Does it seem to you to be ignorance, that one should observe the customs of his fathers, and judge after the manner of the Greeks?&#8221;&#160; Then I answered:&#160; &#8220;It behoves one who desires to be pious not altogether to observe the customs of his fathers; but to observe them if they be pious, and to shake them off if they be impious.&#160; For it is possible that one who is the son of an impious father, if he wishes to be pious, should not desire to follow the religion of his father.&#8221; &#160; Then answered Appion:&#160; &#8220;What then?&#160; Do you say that your father was a man of an evil life?&#8221;&#160; Then said I:&#160; &#8220;He was not of an evil life, but of an evil opinion.&#8221;&#160; Then Appion:&#160; &#8220;I should like to know what was his evil apprehension.&#8221;&#160; Then said I:&#160; &#8220;Because he believed the false and wicked myths of the Greeks.&#8221;&#160; Then Appion asked:&#160; &#8220;What are these false and evil myths of the Greeks?&#8221;&#160; Then I said:&#160; &#8220;The wrong opinion concerning the gods, which, if you will bear with me, you shall hear, with those who are desirous to learn.