David Rylaarsdam's monograph is a revision of his doctoral dissertation submitted to the University of Notre Dame in 1999. The book examines the theme of divine adaptability in John Chrysostom's preaching and explores its significance for his thought. The central argument of this work is that Chrysostom was an adept Christian philosopher who sought to transform classical paidea by integrating traditional pedagogical methods in the interpretation and communication of scripture. The author makes a compelling case that the theme of divine adaptability is integral to many aspects of Chrysostom's theology. Following a thorough introduction, the monograph is divided into two main parts – Divine Pedagogy and Imitation – each consisting of three chapters. The first chapter explores Chrysostom's depictions of God as a teacher and looks at how rhetorically trained Christian theologians employed the principle of adaptability in the development of theology in the church. Of particular interest in this section is Rylaarsdam's point that Chrysostom's vocabulary for divine adaptability was far more precise than his predecessors. Building on previous scholarship, the author argues that although Graeco-Roman and Christian writers occasionally used the term sugkatabasis, Chrysostom is the ‘principal owner’ of the term due to its predominance in his vocabulary and the way it is ‘self-consciously’ used for divine adaptation (p. 24). Rylaarsdam convincingly argues that, although the theme of adaptability is found in Origen, Athanasius and the Cappadocians, Chrysostom's use of this term is far more explicit compared to his predecessors. The second chapter focuses on Chrysostom's perspective of God as an adaptable guide for souls. The author asserts that, just as the goal of classical education was the development of an ethical ideal in people, Chrysostom likewise presents the central goal of divine pedagogy as redirecting human vision for the virtuous life. Rylaarsdam rightly notes that Chrysostom's portrayal of divine pedagogy not only echoes classical learning, but also shows how the Bible shaped the content of his theology in this context. The third chapter considers how God's adaptable guidance of humanity contributes to the coherence of Chrysostom's theology. Rylaarsdam avers that by contextualising the theme of divine pedagogy in Chrysostom's work, one can make better sense of his christology, soteriology, and even partially explain his harsh rhetoric against the Jews. The author appropriately highlights Chrysostom's recurring hermeneutical principle of akribeia, or the careful examination of scriptural texts, which in turn must be complemented with precision in spiritual and moral application. This is followed by a cogent presentation of the correspondence between Chrysostom's view of the ‘unequal union of natures’ in Christ, and his view of the unequal actions of the divine and human in salvation, pointing to the priority of grace in ethical living. In doing so, Rylaarsdam joins a growing number of recent scholars who have demonstrated this perspective in Chrysostom's biblical homilies.
As already noted, the monograph's last three chapters focus on the theme of imitation. The fourth chapter examines Chrysostom's perspective of Paul's imitation of divine pedagogy and adaptability. Since the goal of Christian paidea is to persuade individuals to follow Christ and be united to his virtuous life, Paul is depicted as a skilful teacher who employs classic means of persuasion and adapts to his audience's mindset. Further, according to the author, Paul's imitation of the divine teacher in Chrysostom's preaching serves as a mimetic representation of what Christian priests do in their ministries. The penultimate chapter continues with the broad theme of adaptation in Chrysostom's theology of the formational ministry of priests. The author helpfully points out how Chrysostom likens the church to a spiritual school, where priests guide the souls of people through spiritual philosophy reflecting classical paidea. Rylaarsdam underscores an important point here, that although the Christian body of literature greatly differed from classical tradition, its homiletical practices echoed familiar pedagogic methods found in the schools of late antiquity. While the point is well made that the church was more like a ‘spiritual school’ in the fourth century, some readers will find it difficult to accept the idea that the bishop's chair ‘became a stage for rhetorical performance’ (p. 199), particularly in Chrysostom's case, given that he loathed audience applause and often preached against vainglory. The final chapter focuses on Chrysostom's homiletical methods, especially his use of images to create visual realities in his listener's minds in order to lead them to greater faith. A surprising omission from the list of secondary literature consulted in this chapter is J. A. Sawhill's insightful study on Chrysostom's use of athletic metaphors.
The monograph ends with a brief but appropriate conclusion, which ties all the strands together, and the updated bibliography serves as a helpful resource on the topic of divine adaptability in the early church. In sum, Rylaarsdam has done a commendable job in showing how the concept of adaptability is foundational to Chrysostom's own homiletical practices, which essentially sought to transform classical pedagogy into Christian paidea. Overall, the monograph makes a splendid contribution to a growing body of scholarly literature on the coherence of John Chrysostom's theology.
