A letter from the church at Rome to the church at Corinth, traditionally attributed to Clement, the third bishop of Rome. Internal evidence dates it to roughly 95-96 AD — written while John may still have been alive on Patmos. It addresses a leadership crisis in Corinth, quotes Paul's 1 Corinthians by name, and is the earliest non-canonical Christian writing we possess.
Why this matters
Demonstrates that Pauline writings were already authoritative and recognized as scripture in churches Paul founded by the end of the 1st century. The earliest example of one church writing pastorally to another in the apostolic mode.
Scripture references
1 CorinthiansHebrews 11
Location
British Library / Vatican