Relevant
books
available at Amazon
STUDIES
 
J.N.D. Kelly
The Story of John Chrysostom
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Hagit Amirav
Rhetoric and Tradition: John Chrysostom on Noah and the Flood (Traditio Exegetica Graeca, 12)
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Chrysostomus Baur
John Chrysostom and His Time: Volume 1: Antioch
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Chrysostomus Baur
John Chrysostom and His Time, Vol. 2: Constantinople
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Duane A. Garrett
An Analysis of the Hermeneutics of John Chrysostom's Commentary on Isaiah 1-8 With an English Translation (Studies in the Bible and Early Christianity)
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Blake Goodall
Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Letters of St.Paul to Titus and Philemon (University of California publications : Classical studies ; v. 20)
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Peter Gorday
Principles of Patristic Exegesis: Romans 9-11 in Origen, John Chrysostom, and Augustine (Studies in the Bible and Early Christianity)
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Aideen M. Hartney
John Chrysostom and the Transformation of the City
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Robert Allen Krupp
Shepherding the Flock of God: The Pastoral Theology of John Chrysostom (American University Studies. Series VII. Theology and Religion)
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Mel Lawrenz
The Christology of John Chrysostom
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Blake Leyerle
Theatrical Shows and Ascetic Lives: John Chrysostom's Attack on Spiritual
Marriage
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Jaclyn LaRae Maxwell
Christianization and Communication in Late Antiquity: John Chrysostom and
his Congregation in Antioch
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Margaret Mary Mitchell
Heavenly Trumpet: John Chrysostom and the Art of Pauline Interpretation
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Robert Louis Wilken
John Chrysostom and the Jews: Rhetoric and Reality in the Late 4th Century
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TRANSLATIONS
 
Gus George Christo
On Repentance and Almsgiving (The Fathers of the Church)
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Thomas Aquinas Goggin
Commentary on Saint John the Apostle and Evangelist: Homilies 48-88 (The Fathers of the Church, 41)
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Robert C. Hill
Eight Sermons on the Book of Genesis
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David G. Hunter
A Comparison Between a King and a Monk/Against the Opponents of the Monastic Life (Studies in the Bible and Early Christianity, Vol 13)
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M.C.W. Laistner
Christianity and pagan culture in the later Roman Empire: Together with an English translation of Johan Chrysostom's Address on vainglory and the right ... bring up their children (Cornell paperbacks)
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Wendy Mayer
John Chrysostom (The Early Church Fathers)
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Mayer and Bronwen
The Cult of the Saints (St. Vladimir's Seminary Press Popular Patristics)
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Graham Neville
Six Books on the Priesthood (St. Vladimir's Seminary Press Popular
Patristics Series)
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? Catherine P. Roth
On Wealth and Poverty
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? David Anderson
On Marriage and Family Life
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Margaret A Schatkin
John Chrysostom as apologist: With special reference to De incomprehensibili, Quod nemo laeditur, Ad eos qui scandalizati sunt, and Adversus oppugnatores vitae monasticae (Analecta VlatadoÌ?n)
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Sally Shore
On Virginity Against Remarriage (Studies in Women and Religion, V. 9)
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The Urgent Need for Action
To my Lord the reverend and most holy Bishop Innocent, John sends greetings in
the Lord.
"Your piety has doubtless heard, before the receipt of this letter, of the
daring illegalities committed here; for the magnitude of the crime has left no
part of the world in ignorance of the cruel tragedy. Rumour has carried the news
to the furthest bounds of the earth, and caused everywhere much grief and
sorrow. But as the circumstances call not only for lamentation, but for remedial
action, and consideration of the steps to be taken to stay this furious tempest
raging within the Church, we thought it necessary to instruct my most honoured
and devout lords, the Bishops Demetrius, Pansophius, Pappus, and Eugenius, to
leave their own Churches, and to face the dangers of a long sea voyage, and set
out for a lengthy absence from home; to fly to your love, and explain all the
facts clearly, so as to arrange for the speediest possible redress. With them we
have sent the most honoured and well-beloved deacons Paul and Cyriacus. These
persons shall take the place of a letter, and quickly inform your love of what
has happened. Theophilus reveals his Hostility
The fact is, that Theophilus, to whose hands has been entrusted the bishopric of
the Church of Alexandria, on representations made against him to our most pious
king, was commanded to appear before him alone; but he arrived with a large
company of Egyptians, as if anxious to show, from the very beginning, that he
came for war and conflict. Next, on landing at the great and godly city of
Constantinople, he did not go to Church, according to the rule which has
prevailed from ancient times, or have any dealings with us, or join with us in
conversation, in prayer, or in communion, but came off the ship, hurried past
the porch of the Church, and went somewhere outside of the city to lodge. We
repeatedly invited both him and his companions to make their stay with us
(indeed, we had everything ready, including rooms and all proper accommodation);
but both they and he refused the offer. We were much perplexed at this conduct,
as we could not find any reason for such undeserved enmity; none the less, we
did all that could be required of us, and acted correctly, continually inviting
him to confer with us, and to say why he, at the very outset, kindled such a
conflict, and caused offence to so important a city. But as he still persisted
in refusing to state his reason, and his accusers were urgent, the most pious
king commanded us to go across to his lodging, and hear his statement of his
case; for he was charged with violence and murder, and countless other crimes.
Chrysostom’s Correct Attitude
We, however, had too much respect and honour for the laws laid down by the
fathers, and for Theophilus himself; and we had in our possession his own
letter, in which he said that cases ought not to be taken beyond the boundaries
[of a province], but the affairs of each province should be dealt with in that
province. We therefore declined to try the case, and even protested most
vigorously. Theophilus Secures his Expulsion
But Theophilus seemed to think he was dealing with his old enemies; he summoned
my archdeacon in a very high-handed manner, as if the Church was already a
widow, and had no bishop, and through him brought all the clergy over to his
side. Thus the Churches were in a state of disorder; the clergy attached to them
were led astray, and persuaded to present memorials against us, and egged on to
become our accusers. Having succeeded so far, he sent and called us to come
before him for judgment, although he had not cleared himself of the charges
brought against him; a thing distinctly contrary to the canons and all the laws
of the Church. But as we were aware that we were not to come before a judge (we
would have appeared ten thousand times before a judge!), but before an enemy and
a foe, as his actions before and afterwards showed, we sent to him the Bishops
Demetrius of Pisinum, Eulysius of Apameia, and Luppicianus of Appiaria, and the
priests Germanus and Serus; we answered with becoming moderation, and said that
we raised no objection to a trial, but to trial by an open enemy and foe. Seeing
that he had as yet received no charges against us, and had from the first acted
as he had, and dissociated himself from Church, and communion, and prayer, and
was bribing accusers, winning over our clergy, and leaving Churches without
shepherds, how could he with justice mount the judge’s throne, which in no sense
belonged to him? For it was out of order for an Egyptian bishop to act as judge
in Thrace, when he himself was under accusation, and an enemy and foe of the
accused. Yet he was unabashed by all these considerations, and persevered in his
design; when we declared that we were ready to clear ourselves of the charges in
the presence of a hundred or of a thousand bishops, and to prove our innocence,
shown by the very fact of our offer, he would not allow it. In our absence, in
spite of our appeal to a synod, and our request for a trial (it was not a fair
hearing, but open hostility, that we wished to avoid), he admitted our accusers,
and set free offenders whom I had placed in confinement, and without waiting for
them to clear themselves of the charges against them, accepted their memorials,
and drew up minutes. All this was contrary to rule, and canon, and order. In
fact, to make a long story short, he left no stone unturned, until by sheer
force and tyrannical action he drove us from the city and the Church.
Chrysostom’s Expulsion and Return
Late one evening, when I was being escorted through the streets by the whole of
the populace, I was arrested by the city governor’s agent in the middle of the
city, dragged away by force, and put on board a ship, which set sail by night;
when I was summoning a synod for a just trial. Who could hear of these doings
without shedding tears, though he had a heart of stone? But, as I said before,
they call not only for lamentation, but for redress; I therefore appeal to your
love, to arise and grieve with me, and do all you can to stay these evils. For
there is more yet. Even after my departure, Theophilus did not put a stop to the
lawless doings of his party, but girded himself for further action. Our most
pious king expelled those who had so shamelessly and unrighteously intruded
themselves upon the Church, and many of the bishops, when they observed the
lawlessness of my opponents, retired to their own homes, so as to avoid their
attacks, as they would an universal conflagration; while we were recalled to the
city and to the Church, from which we had been unrighteously expelled, thirty
bishops introducing us, and our most reverent king sending a notary for the
purpose. Then Theophilus, for no rhyme or reason known to us, at once went off
like a runaway slave. The Emperor summons a Synod
Upon our re-entry into the city, we petitioned the most reverent king to summon
a synod to exact retribution for all that had been done. Conscious of his guilt,
and afraid of conviction, when the royal letters had been issued throughout the
realm and gathered the whole episcopate from every quarter, at dead of night he
secretly flung himself into a boat, and so made off, taking all his party with
him. Even so, we could not let the matter drop, in the confidence our good
conscience gave us, but renewed our request to the most pious king. He did as
became his piety, sending a despatch to Theophilus, requiring him to return at
once from Egypt, with all his followers, to give an account of what had taken
place, and not to think that his unrighteous proceedings, conducted in our
absence, with one side only heard, and contrary to so many canons, were
sufficient to exculpate him. Chrysostom’s Second
Expulsion
But he paid no attention even to the royal letters, but stayed at home, pleading
in excuse a possible uprising of the people and an unfortunate outburst of zeal,
on the part, presumably, of some of his supporters; although before the king’s
letter was issued this same people had loaded him with abuse. But we will not
labour this point now; we only mention it to show that his actions proved his
guilt. However, even after this we did not rest, but persisted in our claim for
a trial, with proper inquiry and response; for we were ready to prove our
innocence, and their outrageous lawlessness. Now he had left behind some
Syrians, who had accompanied him, his fellow-actors in the whole drama. We were
ready to face these before a judge, and repeatedly pressed our application,
claiming that either minutes of the proceedings should be given us, or the
memorials of our accusers, or at least that the nature of the charges, or the
accusers themselves, should be made known to us; we were granted none of these
requests, but were again expelled from the city.
Acts of Sacrilege at Constantinople
How can I tell you what followed, a tale more harrowing than any tragedy? What
words can express it? What ears can hear it without a shudder? While we were
pressing the requests I have mentioned, a strong body of soldiers invaded the
Church, on the Great Sabbath, when evening was fast closing in, forcibly
expelled all the clergy who were with us, and surrounded the chancel with arms.
Women who were in the houses of prayer, unrobed in readiness for baptism on that
day, fled naked in face of this savage attack, not even allowed to clothe
themselves as womanly decency requires. Many of these were even thrown outside
injured, and the fonts were filled with blood, and the holy water dyed red from
their wounds. Even this was not the end of the horror; the soldiers then entered
the chamber in which the sacred vessels were kept, some of them, we know, being
unbaptized, and saw all that was within; in the turmoil the most holy blood of
Christ was poured out upon the garments of the women of whom I spoke. It was
exactly like a barbarian man-hunting raid. The people were driven out into the
country, and all the laity fled from the city; high festival though it was, the
churches were emptied of their congregations, and more than forty bishops, in
communion with us, were driven out, with the laity, for no possible reason.
Everywhere, in the marketplaces, the houses, the country districts, were cries,
groans, wailings, lamentations, and streams of tears; no part of the city
escaped these calamities. Lawlessness reached such a pitch, that not only the
actual victims, but even those who had not actually suffered as we did, were
distressed in sympathy with us, including not only our fellow-believers, but
heretics, Jews, and Greeks, as well; everything was in a state of disturbance,
and confusion, and lamentation, as if the city had been captured by force of
arms. And all this wickedness was done against the wishes of the most pious
king, under cover of night, at the instigation of bishops, who were not ashamed
to have corporals marching in front of them, instead of deacons.
The Injury to the whole Church
When day came, the whole city moved outside the walls, and kept the feast under
trees and thickets, like sheep scattered abroad. I leave you to imagine all that
followed; for, as I said, it is impossible to go into all the details in words.
It is especially hard, that even now we have not seen the end of all this long
series of crying evils, or even any prospect of it; on the contrary, the evil
spreads every day, and we are a laughing-stock to every one----though it would
be more true to say that no one, even the most hardened offender against law,
laughs----but, as I said, every one laments this new form of lawlessness, the
very crown of evils. Who can tell the disorders of the other Churches? For the
trouble has not been confined to Constantinople, but has extended into the east.
When some evil matter discharges from the head, all the limbs are corrupted; in
the same way, now that the evil has begun in this great city, disorder has made
its way everywhere, like water from a spring. Everywhere clergy are in revolt
against bishops, and as for the lay congregations, some are split up into
factions, others arc likely to be so; everywhere we find the throes of evil, and
the undoing of the whole world. An Appeal for Help
With the whole of the facts before you, my most learned and reverent lords,
show, we pray you, the courage and zeal which we expect of you, so as to check
this flood of lawlessness which has burst upon the Churches. For if these
proceedings become a precedent; if it come to be within the powers of all who
wish, to invade other provinces, however distant from their own, and expel whom
they will, and to do on their own authority whatever they will; be sure that
everything will go by the board, and implacable war will overrun the whole
world. Every one will expel his neighbour, and be expelled in turn. To prevent
such universal confusion, I beg you to declare in writing, that these lawless
proceedings, transacted in our absence, and with only one side heard, while we
raised no objections to a fair trial, have no force (as indeed, from their very
nature, they cannot), and that those who have been guilty of such lawlessness
lie under penalty for breach of ecclesiastical law; while to us, "who have not
been arrested, nor convicted, nor shown to be guilty, grant that we may have the
benefit of your customary good services, and of your love, and your help in
every way, as heretofore. Request for a Trial
But if these grievous law-breakers, even now, are willing to declare the charges
on the strength of which they undeservedly expelled us, let the documents be
presented to us, the memorials of our accusers be produced, and an unprejudiced
court sit; so let us be tried, and make our defence, and let us show ourselves
guiltless, as indeed we are, of the allegations brought against us. For their
present proceedings are beyond all order, and all ecclesiastical law and canon.
Such outrages have never been known even in heathen courts of justice, or even
in a barbarian court. Scythians and Sarmatians would never have decided a case
after hearing one side only, in the absence of the accused, when he raised no
objections to a trial, but only to personal hatred, and when he asked for judges
to any number, declaring himself to be innocent, and was ready in the presence
of the whole world to clear himself of the charges, and to show himself to be
absolutely guiltless. Take all these points, I pray you, into consideration, and
make full inquiries of our most reverent brother lord bishops; and take such
steps as commend themselves to you. In so doing you will render service not only
to us, but to the general welfare of the Churches, and you will receive your due
reward from God, Who unceasingly works for the good of the Churches. I address
this letter also to Venerius, Bishop of Milan, and to Chromatius, Bishop of
Aquileia. Farewell in the Lord.
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