Author: Blake Leyerle
Publisher: Univ of California Press
ISBN: 9780520921634
Category : Antioch (Turkey)
Languages : en
Pages : 270
Book Description
This book provides an original and rewarding context for understanding the prolific fourth-century Christian theologian John Chrysostom and the religious and social world in which he lived. Blake Leyerle analyzes two highly rhetorical treatises by this early church father attacking the phenomenon of "spiritual marriage." Spiritual marriage was an ascetic practice with a long history in which a man and a woman lived together in an intimate relationship without sex. What begins as an analysis of Chrysostom's attack on spiritual marriage becomes a broad investigation into Chrysostom's life and work, the practice of spiritual marriage itself, the role of the theater in late antique city life, and the early history of Christianity. Though thoroughly grounded in the texts themselves and in the cultural history of late antiquity, this study breaks new ground with its focus on issues of rhetoric, sexuality, and power. Leyerle argues that Chrysostom used images and tropes drawn from the theater to persuade religious men and women that spiritual marriage was wrong. In addition to her analysis of the significance of the rhetorical strategies used by Chrysostom, Leyerle gives a thorough discussion of the role of the theater in late antiquity, particularly in Antioch, one of the gems among late antique cities. She also discusses gender in the context of late antique religion, shedding new light on early Christian attitudes toward sexuality. Throughout Leyerle weaves an ongoing conversation with contemporary theory in film and gender studies that gives her study an important analytic dimension.
Theatrical Shows and Ascetic Lives
Author: Blake Leyerle
Publisher: Univ of California Press
ISBN: 9780520921634
Category : Antioch (Turkey)
Languages : en
Pages : 270
Book Description
This book provides an original and rewarding context for understanding the prolific fourth-century Christian theologian John Chrysostom and the religious and social world in which he lived. Blake Leyerle analyzes two highly rhetorical treatises by this early church father attacking the phenomenon of "spiritual marriage." Spiritual marriage was an ascetic practice with a long history in which a man and a woman lived together in an intimate relationship without sex. What begins as an analysis of Chrysostom's attack on spiritual marriage becomes a broad investigation into Chrysostom's life and work, the practice of spiritual marriage itself, the role of the theater in late antique city life, and the early history of Christianity. Though thoroughly grounded in the texts themselves and in the cultural history of late antiquity, this study breaks new ground with its focus on issues of rhetoric, sexuality, and power. Leyerle argues that Chrysostom used images and tropes drawn from the theater to persuade religious men and women that spiritual marriage was wrong. In addition to her analysis of the significance of the rhetorical strategies used by Chrysostom, Leyerle gives a thorough discussion of the role of the theater in late antiquity, particularly in Antioch, one of the gems among late antique cities. She also discusses gender in the context of late antique religion, shedding new light on early Christian attitudes toward sexuality. Throughout Leyerle weaves an ongoing conversation with contemporary theory in film and gender studies that gives her study an important analytic dimension.
Publisher: Univ of California Press
ISBN: 9780520921634
Category : Antioch (Turkey)
Languages : en
Pages : 270
Book Description
This book provides an original and rewarding context for understanding the prolific fourth-century Christian theologian John Chrysostom and the religious and social world in which he lived. Blake Leyerle analyzes two highly rhetorical treatises by this early church father attacking the phenomenon of "spiritual marriage." Spiritual marriage was an ascetic practice with a long history in which a man and a woman lived together in an intimate relationship without sex. What begins as an analysis of Chrysostom's attack on spiritual marriage becomes a broad investigation into Chrysostom's life and work, the practice of spiritual marriage itself, the role of the theater in late antique city life, and the early history of Christianity. Though thoroughly grounded in the texts themselves and in the cultural history of late antiquity, this study breaks new ground with its focus on issues of rhetoric, sexuality, and power. Leyerle argues that Chrysostom used images and tropes drawn from the theater to persuade religious men and women that spiritual marriage was wrong. In addition to her analysis of the significance of the rhetorical strategies used by Chrysostom, Leyerle gives a thorough discussion of the role of the theater in late antiquity, particularly in Antioch, one of the gems among late antique cities. She also discusses gender in the context of late antique religion, shedding new light on early Christian attitudes toward sexuality. Throughout Leyerle weaves an ongoing conversation with contemporary theory in film and gender studies that gives her study an important analytic dimension.
Daughters of Hecate
Author: Kimberly B. Stratton
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
ISBN: 0195342712
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 553
Book Description
Daughters of Hecate presents a diverse collection of essays on the topic of women and magic in the ancient Mediterranean world. The book gathers investigations by leading scholars from the fields of Classics, Judaic Studies, and early Christianity, illuminating as well as interrogating the persistent associations of women with magic.
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
ISBN: 0195342712
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 553
Book Description
Daughters of Hecate presents a diverse collection of essays on the topic of women and magic in the ancient Mediterranean world. The book gathers investigations by leading scholars from the fields of Classics, Judaic Studies, and early Christianity, illuminating as well as interrogating the persistent associations of women with magic.
John Chrysostom on Divine Pedagogy
Author: David Rylaarsdam
Publisher: OUP Oxford
ISBN: 0191024597
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 344
Book Description
Contrary to the portrayals of Chrysostom as a theologically impaired, moralizing sophist, this book argues that his thinking is remarkably coherent when it is understood on his own terms and within his culture. Chrysostom depicts God as a teacher of philosophy who adaptably guides people toward salvation. Since the theme of divine adaptability influences every major area of Chrysostom's thought, tracing this concept provides a thorough introduction to his theology. It also explains, at least in part, several striking features of his homilies, including his supposed inconsistencies, his harsh rhetoric and apparent political naïveté, his intentionally abridged and exoteric theological discussions, and his lack of allegiance to an "Antiochene school." In addition to illuminating such topics, the concept of adaptability stands at one of the busiest intersections of Late Antique culture, for it is an important idea found in rhetoric and discussions about the best methods of teaching philosophy. Consequently, adaptability is an ingredient in the classical project of paideia, and Chrysostom is a Christian philosopher who seeks to transform this powerful tradition of formation. He gives his Christianized paideia a theological foundation by adapting and seamlessly integrating traditional pedagogical methods into his reading and communication of Scripture. David Rylaarsdam provides an in-depth case study of one prominent leader's attempt to transform culture by forming a coherent theological discourse that was adapted to the level of the masses.
Publisher: OUP Oxford
ISBN: 0191024597
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 344
Book Description
Contrary to the portrayals of Chrysostom as a theologically impaired, moralizing sophist, this book argues that his thinking is remarkably coherent when it is understood on his own terms and within his culture. Chrysostom depicts God as a teacher of philosophy who adaptably guides people toward salvation. Since the theme of divine adaptability influences every major area of Chrysostom's thought, tracing this concept provides a thorough introduction to his theology. It also explains, at least in part, several striking features of his homilies, including his supposed inconsistencies, his harsh rhetoric and apparent political naïveté, his intentionally abridged and exoteric theological discussions, and his lack of allegiance to an "Antiochene school." In addition to illuminating such topics, the concept of adaptability stands at one of the busiest intersections of Late Antique culture, for it is an important idea found in rhetoric and discussions about the best methods of teaching philosophy. Consequently, adaptability is an ingredient in the classical project of paideia, and Chrysostom is a Christian philosopher who seeks to transform this powerful tradition of formation. He gives his Christianized paideia a theological foundation by adapting and seamlessly integrating traditional pedagogical methods into his reading and communication of Scripture. David Rylaarsdam provides an in-depth case study of one prominent leader's attempt to transform culture by forming a coherent theological discourse that was adapted to the level of the masses.
Politics in the Pulpit
Author: Eric Ayala
Publisher: Wipf and Stock Publishers
ISBN: 1666766666
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 133
Book Description
Our nation is becoming ever more politicized. Everything from the environment to human gender have become political issues. While the old sentiment of not preaching politics from the pulpit may have once been good advice, it is increasingly more difficult not to. The problem preachers have is knowing how to wade through political issues without becoming a political pundit. A preacher can end up either merely repeating party talking points, or retreating into avoiding biblical topics to avoid dealing with political hot button issues. Thankfully, our age is not the only one to have ever suffered political crises and we can learn from the preachers of the past. One such preacher was John Chrysostom. He was not just a preacher, but also a man steeped in a sensitive political climate. Through the work of a dedicated sermon series, Chrysostom was able to calm tensions in a city who had rioted and destroyed statues of the emperor. These Homilies on the Statues proved to be a pivotal and powerful example of political preaching. By examining the homiletical methods of John Chrysostom's Homilies on the Statues we can learn how to responsibly and powerfully engaging political topics in our own day.
Publisher: Wipf and Stock Publishers
ISBN: 1666766666
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 133
Book Description
Our nation is becoming ever more politicized. Everything from the environment to human gender have become political issues. While the old sentiment of not preaching politics from the pulpit may have once been good advice, it is increasingly more difficult not to. The problem preachers have is knowing how to wade through political issues without becoming a political pundit. A preacher can end up either merely repeating party talking points, or retreating into avoiding biblical topics to avoid dealing with political hot button issues. Thankfully, our age is not the only one to have ever suffered political crises and we can learn from the preachers of the past. One such preacher was John Chrysostom. He was not just a preacher, but also a man steeped in a sensitive political climate. Through the work of a dedicated sermon series, Chrysostom was able to calm tensions in a city who had rioted and destroyed statues of the emperor. These Homilies on the Statues proved to be a pivotal and powerful example of political preaching. By examining the homiletical methods of John Chrysostom's Homilies on the Statues we can learn how to responsibly and powerfully engaging political topics in our own day.
Consolation to Stagirius
Author: Saint John Chrysostom
Publisher: CUA Press
ISBN: 0813239222
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 177
Book Description
John Chrysostom (d. 407) was first a priest in Antioch and later the short-lived archbishop of Constantinople. Although best known as a preacher, throughout his career he also wrote a number of letters and treatises, primarily to ascetic and clerical audiences. The Consolation to Stagirius is one of these treatises, written early in his career. Over three books, Chrysostom seeks to comfort his acquaintance, Stagirius, both for the suffering experienced at the hands of a demon ? manifesting in nightmares and seizures ? and for the melancholy he was experiencing due to estrangement with his father. The sources that Chrysostom draws on for this consolation are primarily biblical narratives: the lives of the scriptural saints. The first book comprises mainly arguments for God's providence over Stagirius' life and the lives of all the saints. Stagirius is to find comfort in the fact that God directs all things?including those that seem evil?for the benefit of those whom he loves. The second and third books are then extended narrations of the sufferings of the patriarchs and the prophets and, much more briefly, the apostles. Stagirius is to compare his sufferings to those who went before and to learn that suffering is no indication of a lack of God's providential care. This treatise thus contributes to our understanding of early Christian attitudes towards the problem of suffering and the means of God's providence in the lives of the saints.
Publisher: CUA Press
ISBN: 0813239222
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 177
Book Description
John Chrysostom (d. 407) was first a priest in Antioch and later the short-lived archbishop of Constantinople. Although best known as a preacher, throughout his career he also wrote a number of letters and treatises, primarily to ascetic and clerical audiences. The Consolation to Stagirius is one of these treatises, written early in his career. Over three books, Chrysostom seeks to comfort his acquaintance, Stagirius, both for the suffering experienced at the hands of a demon ? manifesting in nightmares and seizures ? and for the melancholy he was experiencing due to estrangement with his father. The sources that Chrysostom draws on for this consolation are primarily biblical narratives: the lives of the scriptural saints. The first book comprises mainly arguments for God's providence over Stagirius' life and the lives of all the saints. Stagirius is to find comfort in the fact that God directs all things?including those that seem evil?for the benefit of those whom he loves. The second and third books are then extended narrations of the sufferings of the patriarchs and the prophets and, much more briefly, the apostles. Stagirius is to compare his sufferings to those who went before and to learn that suffering is no indication of a lack of God's providential care. This treatise thus contributes to our understanding of early Christian attitudes towards the problem of suffering and the means of God's providence in the lives of the saints.
Gender Differences and the Making of Liturgical History
Author: Teresa Berger
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 135193466X
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 253
Book Description
Mapping uncharted territory in the study of liturgy's past, this book offers a history to contemporary questions around gender and liturgical life. Teresa Berger looks at liturgy's past through the lens of gender history, understood as attending not only to the historically prominent binary of "men" and "women" but to all gender identities, including inter-sexed persons, ascetic virgins, eunuchs, and priestly men. Demonstrating what a gender-attentive inquiry is able to achieve, Berger explores both traditional fundamentals such as liturgical space and eucharistic practice and also new ways of studying the past, for example by asking about the developing link between liturgical presiding and priestly masculinity. Drawing on historical case studies and focusing particularly on the early centuries of Christian worship, this book ultimately aims at the present by lifting a veil on liturgy's past to allow for a richly diverse notion of gender differences as these continue to shape liturgical life.
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 135193466X
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 253
Book Description
Mapping uncharted territory in the study of liturgy's past, this book offers a history to contemporary questions around gender and liturgical life. Teresa Berger looks at liturgy's past through the lens of gender history, understood as attending not only to the historically prominent binary of "men" and "women" but to all gender identities, including inter-sexed persons, ascetic virgins, eunuchs, and priestly men. Demonstrating what a gender-attentive inquiry is able to achieve, Berger explores both traditional fundamentals such as liturgical space and eucharistic practice and also new ways of studying the past, for example by asking about the developing link between liturgical presiding and priestly masculinity. Drawing on historical case studies and focusing particularly on the early centuries of Christian worship, this book ultimately aims at the present by lifting a veil on liturgy's past to allow for a richly diverse notion of gender differences as these continue to shape liturgical life.
Pastoral Leadership
Author: Won Sang Lee
Publisher: Wipf and Stock Publishers
ISBN: 1625643632
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 293
Book Description
In ascending to heaven, Jesus Christ gave the church the Great Commission to expand the gospel to all nations. Despite this biblical commission, it is still an unfinished task. As leaders of local churches, pastors play a crucial part in this endeavor. Pastoral leadership principles have varied widely throughout history, yet it is interesting to discover the similarities between pastoral leadership principles practiced by John Chrysostom (AD 347-407) in Antioch and Constantinople, and Won Sang Lee (1937-) in Washington, DC. Despite ministering 1600 years apart, both pastors share the same core values: care for people, Christ-like character, biblical preaching, and world missions. This suggests that continued emphasis on these principles will play a significant role in fulfilling the Great Commission, independent of time and place.
Publisher: Wipf and Stock Publishers
ISBN: 1625643632
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 293
Book Description
In ascending to heaven, Jesus Christ gave the church the Great Commission to expand the gospel to all nations. Despite this biblical commission, it is still an unfinished task. As leaders of local churches, pastors play a crucial part in this endeavor. Pastoral leadership principles have varied widely throughout history, yet it is interesting to discover the similarities between pastoral leadership principles practiced by John Chrysostom (AD 347-407) in Antioch and Constantinople, and Won Sang Lee (1937-) in Washington, DC. Despite ministering 1600 years apart, both pastors share the same core values: care for people, Christ-like character, biblical preaching, and world missions. This suggests that continued emphasis on these principles will play a significant role in fulfilling the Great Commission, independent of time and place.
Staging the Sacred
Author: Laura S. Lieber
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 019006546X
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 425
Book Description
"In this volume, Christian, Jewish, and Samaritan liturgical poetry from Late Antiquity (ca. 3rd-4th c. CE) is examined not only from within the context of religious traditions of biblical interpretation and conventions of prayer but also through the lenses of performance, entertainment, and spectacle. Recognizing that liturgical poets were as invested engaging their listeners as orators and actors were, this study analyses hymnody as a performative genre akin to oratory and theatre, the two primary modes of public performance from the wider societal context. Attention to liturgical poetry's "theatricality" draws our attention to a range of subjects, from how biblical stories were adapted to the liturgical stage, much in the way that the classical works of Greco-Roman antiquity were themselves popularized in this Late Antique period; to the adaptation of physical techniques and material structures to augment the ability of performers to engage their audiences. Specific techniques associated with both oratory and acting in antiquity will offer concrete means for elucidating the affinities of liturgical presentations and other modes of performance: indications of direct address, for example, and apostrophe, as well as the creation of character through speech (ethopoeia); and appeals to the audience's senses, including vivid descriptions (ekphrasis), a technique especially popular in antiquity. A serious consideration of performance also demands that we make the difficult leap to imagining the world beyond the page. While Late Antique hymnody has come down to the present primarily in textual form, the written word constitutes something quite remote from the actual experience these scripts reflect. We will thus attempt to consider more speculative but recognizably essential elements of these works' reception, including ways in which liturgical poetry could have borrowed from the gestures and body language of oratory, mime, and pantomime, and how poets may have used the physical spaces of performance and accelerated changes visible in the archaeological record"--
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 019006546X
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 425
Book Description
"In this volume, Christian, Jewish, and Samaritan liturgical poetry from Late Antiquity (ca. 3rd-4th c. CE) is examined not only from within the context of religious traditions of biblical interpretation and conventions of prayer but also through the lenses of performance, entertainment, and spectacle. Recognizing that liturgical poets were as invested engaging their listeners as orators and actors were, this study analyses hymnody as a performative genre akin to oratory and theatre, the two primary modes of public performance from the wider societal context. Attention to liturgical poetry's "theatricality" draws our attention to a range of subjects, from how biblical stories were adapted to the liturgical stage, much in the way that the classical works of Greco-Roman antiquity were themselves popularized in this Late Antique period; to the adaptation of physical techniques and material structures to augment the ability of performers to engage their audiences. Specific techniques associated with both oratory and acting in antiquity will offer concrete means for elucidating the affinities of liturgical presentations and other modes of performance: indications of direct address, for example, and apostrophe, as well as the creation of character through speech (ethopoeia); and appeals to the audience's senses, including vivid descriptions (ekphrasis), a technique especially popular in antiquity. A serious consideration of performance also demands that we make the difficult leap to imagining the world beyond the page. While Late Antique hymnody has come down to the present primarily in textual form, the written word constitutes something quite remote from the actual experience these scripts reflect. We will thus attempt to consider more speculative but recognizably essential elements of these works' reception, including ways in which liturgical poetry could have borrowed from the gestures and body language of oratory, mime, and pantomime, and how poets may have used the physical spaces of performance and accelerated changes visible in the archaeological record"--
Orthodox Tradition and Human Sexuality
Author: Thomas Arentzen
Publisher: Fordham Univ Press
ISBN: 0823299694
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 216
Book Description
Sex is a difficult issue for contemporary Christians, but the past decade has witnessed a newfound openness regarding the topic among Eastern Orthodox Christians. Both the theological trajectory and the historical circumstances of the Orthodox Church differ radically from those of other Christian denominations that have already developed robust and creative reflections on sexuality and sexual diversity. Within its unique history, theology, and tradition, Orthodox Christianity holds rich resources for engaging challenging questions of sexuality in new and responsive ways. What is at stake in questions of sexuality in the Orthodox tradition? What sources and theological convictions can uniquely shape Orthodox understandings of sexuality? This volume aims to create an agora for discussing sex, and not least the sexualities that are often thought of as untraditional in Orthodox contexts. Through fifteen distinct chapters, written by leading scholars and theologians, this book offers a developed treatment of sexuality in the Orthodox Christian world by approaching the subject from scriptural, patristic, theological, historical, and sociological perspectives. Chapters devoted to practical and pastoral insights, as well as reflections on specific cultural contexts, engage the human realities of sexual diversity and Christian life. From re-thinking scripture to developing theologies of sex, from eschatological views of eros to re-evaluations of the Orthodox responses to science, this book offers new thinking on pressing, present-day issues and initiates conversations about homosexuality and sexual diversity within Orthodox Christianity.
Publisher: Fordham Univ Press
ISBN: 0823299694
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 216
Book Description
Sex is a difficult issue for contemporary Christians, but the past decade has witnessed a newfound openness regarding the topic among Eastern Orthodox Christians. Both the theological trajectory and the historical circumstances of the Orthodox Church differ radically from those of other Christian denominations that have already developed robust and creative reflections on sexuality and sexual diversity. Within its unique history, theology, and tradition, Orthodox Christianity holds rich resources for engaging challenging questions of sexuality in new and responsive ways. What is at stake in questions of sexuality in the Orthodox tradition? What sources and theological convictions can uniquely shape Orthodox understandings of sexuality? This volume aims to create an agora for discussing sex, and not least the sexualities that are often thought of as untraditional in Orthodox contexts. Through fifteen distinct chapters, written by leading scholars and theologians, this book offers a developed treatment of sexuality in the Orthodox Christian world by approaching the subject from scriptural, patristic, theological, historical, and sociological perspectives. Chapters devoted to practical and pastoral insights, as well as reflections on specific cultural contexts, engage the human realities of sexual diversity and Christian life. From re-thinking scripture to developing theologies of sex, from eschatological views of eros to re-evaluations of the Orthodox responses to science, this book offers new thinking on pressing, present-day issues and initiates conversations about homosexuality and sexual diversity within Orthodox Christianity.
Jews and Entertainment in the Ancient World
Author: Loren R. Spielman
Publisher: Mohr Siebeck
ISBN: 3161550005
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 322
Book Description
Countering the traditional belief that Jews in antiquity were predominantly disinterested in the popular entertainments of the Greek and Roman world, Loren R. Spielman maps the varieties of Jewish engagement with theater, athletics, horse racing, gladiatorial, and beast shows in antiquity. The author argues that Jews from Hellenistic Alexandria to late antique Sepphoris enjoyed and exploited, or alternatively resisted and scorned, popular forms of public entertainment as they adapted to the political, social, and religious realities of imperial rule. Including references to ancient Jewish actors, athletes, promoters, and plays alongside analysis of rabbinic and other early Jewish critique of sport and spectacle, Loren R. Spielmandescribes the different ways that attitudes towards entertainment might have played a role in shaping ancient Jewish identity.
Publisher: Mohr Siebeck
ISBN: 3161550005
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 322
Book Description
Countering the traditional belief that Jews in antiquity were predominantly disinterested in the popular entertainments of the Greek and Roman world, Loren R. Spielman maps the varieties of Jewish engagement with theater, athletics, horse racing, gladiatorial, and beast shows in antiquity. The author argues that Jews from Hellenistic Alexandria to late antique Sepphoris enjoyed and exploited, or alternatively resisted and scorned, popular forms of public entertainment as they adapted to the political, social, and religious realities of imperial rule. Including references to ancient Jewish actors, athletes, promoters, and plays alongside analysis of rabbinic and other early Jewish critique of sport and spectacle, Loren R. Spielmandescribes the different ways that attitudes towards entertainment might have played a role in shaping ancient Jewish identity.