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John Chrysostom (from
André Thevet)
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John Chrysostom or 'golden-mouthed' has been called
"the greatest preacher in the early church".[1] He was born
in Syrian Antioch into a Christian family. His father Secundus, a civil
servant, died when John was only a few years old. His widowed mother, Anthusa
rejected any idea of a second marriage and devoted herself to raising her two
children.[2] John showed great promise and studied law under
the renowned pagan rhetorician Libanius.[3] According to the
church historian Socrates, John became disillusioned with a career as a lawyer
and decided to become a monk.[4] He was talked out of that
vocation by his mother[5] and instead John enrolled in the
Christian school of Diodore (d. c. 390), who later became bishop of Tarsus. In
his biblical exposition Diodore placed an emphasis on the literal and historic
sense of Scripture and opposed the use of allegory,[6] which
he used only when it appeared that it was the author's intention.[7] In his sermons and writings John Chrysostom followed the same
Antiochene hermeneutic. The ascetic side of fourth century Christianity was
very attractive to him and this, as we shall see, is also reflected in his
writings on Genesis
John was ordained as a priest in Antioch, were he
served for twelve years before being made archbishop of Constantinople. His
rhetorical background proved of great benefit to his ministry, even if his
linguistic education was limited to Greek.[8] That being
said, Chrysostom's Greek was the best produced by any of the early Christian
writers.9
Rob Bradshaw, Webmaster
References
[1] Robert Wilkin,
"John Chrysostom," Everett Ferguson, editor, Encylopedia of Early
Christianity. (New York: Garland, 1990), 495.
[2] Chrystomus Baur,
John Chrysostom and His Time, Vol. 1. trans. M. Gonzaga. (London: Sands
& Co., Ltd., 1959), 1-5; Wilkin, 495.
[3] Encyclopedia
Britannica Micropedia, Vol. 3, 291.
[4] Socrates,
History, 6.3 (NPNF, 2nd series, Vol. 2, 138).
[5] John Chrysostom,
De Sacerdocio 1.5; Donald Attwater, St John Chrysostom: Pastor and
Preacher. (London: Harvill Press, 1959), 24.
[6] Attwater,
25.
[7] Frances Young,
Nicaea To Chalcedon. (London: SCM, 1983), 156.
[8] Frederick H.
Chase, Chrysostom: A Study in the History of Biblical Interpretation.
(Cambridge: Deighton, Bell & Co., 1887), 28-38.
[9] Baur, Vol. 1,
305.
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D.C., Burger, A Complete
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John
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John
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University of America Press. Pbk. ISBN: 0813209714. pp.286. {Amazon.com} |
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John
Chrysostom, Homilies on Genesis 1-17, The Fathers of the Church, Vol.
74, Robert C. Hill, translator. Washington, D.C.: Catholic University of
America Press. Pbk. ISBN: 0813209722. pp.246. {Amazon.com} |
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82, Robert C. Hill, translator. Washington, D.C.: Catholic University of
America Press. Pbk. ISBN: 0813210879. pp.288. {Amazon.com} |
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John
Chrysostom, Homilies on Genesis 46-67, The Fathers of the Church, Vol.
87, Robert C. Hill, translator. Washington, D.C.: Catholic University of
America Press. Pbk. ISBN: 0813200873. pp.288. {Amazon.com} |
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John
Chrysostom, On the Incomprehensible Nature of God, The Fathers of the
Church, Vol. 72, Paul W. Harkins, translator. Washington, D.C.: Catholic
University of America Press. Pbk. ISBN: 0813210275. pp.357. {Amazon.com} |
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John
Chrysostom, On Marriage and Family Life. C.P. Roth & D. Anderson,
trans. Crestwood: St. Vladimir's Seminary, 1986. Pbk. ISBN: 0913836869.
pp.114. {Amazon.com} |
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 John Chrysostom, On Repentance and Almsgiving,
The Fathers of the Church, Vol. 96, Gus Goerge Christo, translator. Washington,
D.C.: Catholic University of America Press. Hbk. ISBN: 0813200962. pp.190.
{Amazon.com} |
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John
Chrysostom, Saint Chrysostom: On the Priesthood; Ascetic Treatises; Select
Homilies and Letters; Homilies on the Statues. Philip Schaff, translator.
Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1984. Hbk. ISBN: 0802881076. {Amazon.com} |
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John
Chrysostom, Homilies on Genesis 1-17, Fathers of the Church, Vol. 74.
Robert C. Hill, trans. Washington , D.C.: Catholic University Press of America,
1999. Pbk. ISBN: 0813209722. pp.246. {Amazon.com} |
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John
Chrysostom, Homilies on Genesis 18-45, Fathers of the Church, Vol. 82.
Robert C. Hill, trans. Washington , D.C.: Catholic University Press of America,
2002. Pbk. ISBN: 0813210879. pp.288. {Amazon.com} |
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Isidore of Pelusium, Epistulae
2.42. |
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 Palladius, Dialogue on the Life of John
Chrysostom. Ancient Christian Writers, Vol. 45. New York: Paulist Press,
1955. Hbk. ISBN: 0809103583. pp.249. {Amazon.com} |
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P. Schaff et al, Nicene and
Post-Nicene Fathers, 1st Series, Vols. 9-14. Edinburgh: T & T Clark,
1887-1894. |
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Sozomen, Church History
8.2-8. |
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Theodoret, Church History
5.27-36. |
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Pauline Allen & Wendy Mayer,
"Chrysostom and the Preaching of Homilies in Series: A Re-Examination of the
Fifteen Homilies In Epistulam ad Philippenses (CPG 4432)," Vigiliae
Christianae 49.3 (1995): 270-289. |
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Pauline Allen & Wendy Mayer, "The
Thirty-Four Homilies on Hebrews: The Last Series Delivered by Chrysostom in
Constantinople," Byzantion 65 (1995): 309-48. |
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M.A. Aucoin, "Augustine and John
Chrysostom: Commentators on St. John's Prologue," Science et esprit 15
(1963): 123-31. |
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St.
John Chrysostom (C. Baur) |
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George S. Bebis, "Saint John
Chrysostom: On Materialism and Christian Virtue," Greek Orthodox Theological
Review 32.3 (1987): 227-237. |
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Stephen D. Benin, "Sacrifice as
Education in Augustine and Chrysostom," Church History 52.1 (1983):
7-20. |
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Allen Dwight Callahan, "John Chrysostom
on Philemon: A Response to Margaret M. Mitchell," Harvard Theological
Review 88.1 (1995): 149-156. |
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R. Carter, "The Chronology of St. John
Chrysostom's Early Life," Traditio, Vol. 18 (1962): 357-364. |
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R.E. Carter, "The Future of Chrysostom
Studies," Studia Patristica 10. (1970): 14-21. |
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Frederick H. Chase, Chrysostom: A
Study in the History of Biblical Interpretation. Deighton, Bell & Co.,
1887. (Out of Print). |
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Elizabeth A. Clark, "Sexual Politics in
the Writings of John Chrysostom," Anglican Theological Review 59.1
(1977): 3-20. |
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Elizabeth A. Clark, "John Chrysostom
and the Subintroductae," Church History 46.2 (1977):
171-185. |
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Elizabeth
A. Clark, Jerome, Chrysostom and Friends: Essays and Translations. New
York: Mellen, 1979. Hbk. ISBN: 088946541X . pp.254. {Amazon.com} |
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The John Chrysostom
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A.M. Devine, "The Manuscripts of John
Chrysostom's Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles. A Preliminary Study, a
Critical Edition," The Ancient World (Chicago) 20 (1989):
111-25. |
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Gordon D. Fee, "The Text of John and
Mark in the Writings of Chrysostom," New Testament Studies 26.4
(1979-1980): 525-547. |
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Everett Ferguson, "Preaching at
Epiphany: Gregory of Nyssa and John Chrysostom on Baptism and the Church,"
Church History 66.1 (1997): 1-17. |
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J. Fotopoulos, "John Chrysostom: On
Holy Pascha," Greek Orthodox Theological Review 37 (1992):
123-34. |
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Peter Gorday, The Place of Chapters
9-11 in the Argument of the Epistle to the Romans: a Study of the Romans
Exegesis of Origen, John Chrysostom and Augustine:
dissertation...Vanderbilt University. Nashville, TN: Vanderbilt University,
1980. pp. ix + 372. |
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A. Gelston, "Notes on a Citation of
Chrysostom by Severus," Journal of Theological Studies 50.1 (1999):
162-163. |
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Vigen Guroian, "Family and Christian
Virtue in a Post-Christendom World: Reflections on the Ecclesial Vision of John
Chrysostom," St. Vladimir's Theological Quarterly 35.4 (1991):
327-350. |
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Tolvo Harjunpaa, "St. John Chrysostom
in the Light of his Catechetical and Baptismal Homilies," Lutheran
Quarterly 29.2 (1977): 167-195. |
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R. Hill, "Chrysostum as Old Testament
Comentator," Estudios biblicos 46 (1988): 61-77. |
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Robert C. Hill, "St. John Chrysostom's
Teaching on Inpiration in 'Six Homilies on Isaiah'," Vigiliae
Christianae 22.1 (1968): 19-37. |
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Robert C. Hill, "St. John Chrysostom
and the Incarnation of the Word in Scripture," Compass 14.3 (1980):
34-38. |
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Robert C. Hill, "Chrysostomas Old
Testament Commentator," Estudios biblicos 46.1 (1988):
61-77. |
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Robert C. Hill, "The Spirituality of
Chrysostom's Commentary on the Psalms," Journal of Early Christian
Studies 5.4 (1997): 569-579. |
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P. Jackson, "John Chrysostom's Use of
Scripture in Initiatory Preaching," Greek Orthodox Theological Review 35
(1990): 345-66. |
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Anthony Kenny, "Was Chryssostom a
Semi-Pelagian?" Irish Theological Quarterly 27 (1960):
16-29. |
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R.A.
Krupp, Saint John Chrysostom: A Scripture Index. New York & London,
1984. Hbk. ISBN: 0819143804. pp.270. {Amazon.com} |
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J.T. Lienhard, "On 'Discernment of
Spirits' in the Early Church (1 Cor 12:10 for Chrysostom, Origen, Athanasius;
Cassian," Theological Studies 41 (1980): 505-29. |
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Blake Leyerle, "John Chrysostom on
Almsgiving and the Use of Money," Harvard Theological Review 87.1
(1994): 29-47. |
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Joseph Lupi, "Liturgical Symbolism in
the Baptismal Homilies of St. John Chrysostom and Theodore of Mopsuestia,"
Melita Theologica 29.1/2 (1977): 29-42. |
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Amy Smyth McCormick, "John Chrysostom's
Homily No. 50 as an Example of the Antiochene Exegetical Tradition,"
Patristic and Byzantine Review 12.1-3 (1993): 65-82. |
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Thomas R. McKibbens, "The Exegesis of
John Chrysostom: Homilies on the Gospels," Expository Times 93.9 (1982):
264-270. |
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W.A. Markowicz, "Chrysostom's Sermons
on Genesis. A Problem," Theological Studies 24 (1963):
652-64. |
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Wendy Mayer, "Constanopolitan Women in
Chrysostom's Circle," Vigiliae Christianae 53 (1999):
265-288. |
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Chrysostom Preach? Recovering a Late Fourth-Century Preacher's Audience,"
Ephemerides Theologicae Lovanienses 76.1 (2000): 73-87. |
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Document: Some Problems in Relation to John Chrysostom," Lutheran
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 Wendy Mayer & Pauline Allen, John Chrysostom.
Paperback - 256 pages 1 (15 January, 2000) Routledge, 2000. Pbk. ISBN:
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on Philemon: A Second Look," Harvard Theological Review 88.1 (1995):
135-148. |
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Ivor Moody, "Catching Chrysostom: An
Ancient Ministry for a Modern World," Modern Believing 43.4 (2002):
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John J. O'Brien, "Initiation,
Chrysostom, and the Moral Life," Liturgical Ministry 8.2 (1999):
91-99. |
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Chrysostom, The Homilies on the Statues: An Introduction. Orientalia
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A Comparative Study of the Interpretation of the Baptismal Liturgy in the
Mystagogical Writings of Cyril of Jerusalem, John Chrysostom. Washington,
D.C.: Catholic University of America Press, 1974. ISBN: 081320531X. {Amazon.com} |
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L. Wilken, John Chrysostom and the Jews: Rhetoric and Reality in the Late
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the Centuries 3. John Chrysostom," Expository Times 109.2 (1997):
38-41. |
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Pastor and Preacher. London: Harvill Press, 1959. (Out of
print). |
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Time, 2 Vols. London: Sands, 1960. |
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John
Chrysostom, Bishop of Constantinople (James E. Kiefer) |
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N. D. Kelly, Golden Mouth: The Story of John Chrysostom, Ascetic, Preacher,
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{Amazon.com} |
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Palladius
of Helenopolis, Dialogue on the life of John Chrysostom
(Tertullian.org) |
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Alexander of 
