Customer Reviews

St John Chrysostom: Six Books on the Priesthood (St. Vladimir's Seminary Press Popular Patristics Series)

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As a pastor who has been exposed to models of ministry based upon modern psychology and business management, St. Chrysostom's treatise is refreshing. Being famed as a preacher, I especially appreciated the "Golden-Mouth's" chapters on preaching and teaching. At one point, he compares the priest's work to the doctor. Whereas the doctor has a variety of medicines and treatments available,

"there is only one means and only one method of treatment available [to the priest], and that is teaching by word of mouth. That is the best instrument, the best diet, and the best climate. It takes the place of medicine and cautery and surgery. When we need to cauterize or cut, we must use this. Without it all else is useless." (pg 115)

That being said, the modern reader will probably not be happy with the entire work. The whole treatise is a dialogue between St. Chrysostom with and Basil, a friend whom he has deceived into the priesthood while avoiding it himself. That deception casts a shadow over the whole book, making the reader less than sympathetic toward St. Chrysostom. Nonetheless, the author forces the modern pastor to wrestle with the possibility that deception can be a useful tool of the ministry.

Graham Neville's translation is extremely readable, especially compared to older English translations. Moreover, his introduction is very helpful not only as a introduction to the book but also to ministry in the early church. He surveys pastoral works by Gregory of Nazianzus and Pope Gregory the Great as well as Chrystostom. The modern pastor must never forget that he or she is surrounded by a "great cloud of witnesses" whose advice is as timely as when it was written.

St. John Chrysostom in this dialog set out to prove why he is not worthy of being a priest much less a bishop, yet his writing shows not only the depth of understanding and reverence he has for this office, but moreso how qualified he is for it, because of the love he has for Christ and His Church. While some of the rhetorical style is grating to modern sensibilities, this work still has much fodder to be pondered in considering the priesthood and it's significance in the light of Christ.

This book is good to challenge the priest to a higher way of living within the priesthood. However, it doesn't touch much on the nature of the priesthood itself. So if you're looking for sacramental theology - this isn't what you want. But if you're looking for a spiritual kick in the pants - this is exactly what you want.

The correct price and how many volumes. The price was listed at $43.00 which was incorrect. The book cost less than $20.00. I returned the book and is awaiting my refund