Review of St John Chrysostom's Homilies on Acts and Romans This review will differ from a normal review because

it is reviewing, not a tightly argued treatise, but a collection of sermons preached on the books of Acts and Romans. One will briefly note Chrysostom's style, address a series of themes and interesting insights from the ancient world and conclude with final observations on the book. Chrysostom's style in the book of Acts is more marked than in Romans. Of course, one should keep in mind that these sermons (in print) are probably a collection of the best that an ancient stenographer could do. Chrysostom briefly introduces the text as a whole, explicates a few verses, and then concludes in a fashion where he recapitulates the whole text and focuses it on a moral application in conclusion. This is the case in his sermons on Acts; it is not so much the case in Romans. Observations from Chrysostom Protestants, Catholics, and Orthodox want to claim Chrysostom as their guy. When I was reading through this volume I noticed Chrysostom say a few things that help identify with whom he would today identify (hint: it's the latter two groups). (The references will be in the page numbers in the Schaff volume, and not the Homily number itself.) Tradition: In fact, there are many things which they have delivered by unwritten tradition (2). Ascetism: (I remember in some groups ascetism was evil medieval monkery and that in our dominon mindset we should engage in biblical feasting (e.g., drunkeness and gluttony). At this point I don't want to quote Chrysostom on asceticism, in which his opinion is well-known, but the editor's response to Chrysostom: The ascetic principles is of heathen origin (4). Note the irony: at the end of the footnote the editor says Chrysostom quotes no passage to justify his argument. I note that the editor quotes no passage to justify his per heathen origin. Economcis: This was an angelic commonwealth, not to call anything of theirs their own...No talk of 'mine' and 'thine' then (47). Justification and baptism: Now he justified them by the regeneration of the laver (453). On this note one should mention, as Thomas Torrance argues, that nowhere in Scripture is regeneration (palingenesis) ever referred to as an inward conversion process. It is always referred to as the final product of creation or something baptism does. Back to Chrysostom: in case I have misinterpreted Chrysostom's argument here, the editor notes on the same point in another passage that Chrysostom cannot mean the gift of faith in regard to baptism (45). Ancient Practices of the Church: Then let us rid ourselves of this demon (passion), at its first beginning let us quell it, let us put the sign of the Cross on our breast (111). Praying for the recently departed: This is the greatest memorial...bid them all make for him their prayeres (140; the rest of th sentence is quite shocking). Communing with the saints: Let us keep the saints near us (319). Angels: There is actually too much on angels. I will simply cite the page numbers: 171, 198, 366, 450,510. In short, each man has his own angel (171).

Sin and Nature: Chrysostom famously rejects original sin in his homily on Romans 5:12. Elsewhere he notes that sin does not have a substance (423). Therefore, it cannot be equated with nature. Sin, like everyone in the ancient church taught, is an evil operation of the will. Natures, by contrast, do not change. That is the very definition of nature. Therefore, a nature cannot change from good in the garden to evil later in life, otherwise it wouldn't be a nature. Conclusion Reading this volume is certainly a healthy exercise in the Fathers. The sermons on Acts are particularly good because they give us a snapshot of what church life was like in the early church (and by contrast what it is not like today. People who prat about wanting to go early church never consult the writings of the guys on this topic who, like Chrysostom, were much closer to this reality than we are today). Still, there are a number of flaws in this volume that will keep it from being re-read. Like any volume of sermons, it cannot be structured around a theme and thus makes for hard reading. Secondly, the editor feels the need to add his own opinions and latest thoughts to the text when they are almost never needed.