School of Antioch (Part 2)

Questions to think about during this lesson…

  • Why are we spending so much time talking about the Church Fathers?
  • In our last lesson, School of Antioch (Part 1), Dr. Jeannie told us about how St. John Chrysostom was condemned at the Synod of the Oak. Why is it called the Synod of the Oak?
  • Why did the Empress call for St. John Chrysostom to come back after he was exiled?
  • Why was St. John Chrysostom put under house arrest in the Bishop’s residence?
  • Why was St. John Chrysostom sent out into exile a second time?
  • How did St. John Chrysostom die and in what year was this?
  • What were St. John Chrysostom’s last words?
  • Who were the Johnites and what happened to them after St. John Chrysostom died?
  • What do we know about St. John Chrysostom’s relics?
  • Historically, St. John Chrysostom has not been regarded as the greatest example of exegetical skill for the School of Antioch. Why is this?
  • Why can’t we determine the skill level of St. John Chrysostom as an interpreter of the Scriptures by what he says in Church? (Hint: Think about who his audience would have been compared to the audience of Theodore of Mopsuestia, who was known as “the exegete.”)
  • St. John Chrysostom often complained that he was forced to preach on the lowest level and on the most basic subjects of the Bible.  Why was this?
  • Dr. Jeannie says that your Priest knows a lot more than you’ve ever heard him preach about – but he’s not going to show off what he knows. What does she mean by this?
  • What was St. John Chrysostom’s objective in biblical interpretation? (Hint: It’s a direct reflection of what he believed the purpose of the Bible was.)
  • How do we have so many of St. John Chrysostom’s sermons?
  • Dr. Jeannie advises us to be very careful before we give our opinions about a passage without really studying it. Why is this – and can you think of any personal experiences you’ve had related to her advice?
  • Who was St. John Chrysostom’s favorite Saint?
  • St. John Chrysostom’s methodology was to take an entire book of the Bible and go through it verse by verse. Why was he able to do this? (Hint: Was there a lectionary at the time?)
  • We have more writings by St. John Chrysostom than by any other Greek Father. He has the largest number of surviving manuscripts (hand copies of his sermons exist in Greek in 2,000 different copies). By comparison, there are only 180 manuscripts for the Iliad – the most important writing in Greek antiquity. What does this say about the importance of St. John Chrysostom’s works?
  • Although Calvin admired St. John Chrysostom, he criticized him a lot. Why?
  • Why did St. John Chrysostom end the practice of applauding in church?
  • What kind of influence did St. John Chrysostom have on our liturgy?
  • What do we know about the end of St. John Chrysostom’s life?

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