St. John Chrysostom: Baptismal Instructions
Overview
This series of eight instructions on baptism were given by St. John Chrysostom, probably at Antioch about AD 390. They describe Chrysostom’s activity as a mystagogue for baptismal candidates, as their instructor in Christian doctrine, and in postbaptismal morality.
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Key Features
- The finest writing from a giant of Christian spirituality
- Fully integrates and cross references with other resources from your Logos library
- A primary source that is useful for research and historical study of ancient and early medieval Christian thought
Top Highlights
“And He was right in saying before men. Let your light be so bright, He says, that it not only illumines yourselves but shines before men who need it to guide them. Just as light for the bodily eyes puts the darkness to flight and keeps on the right path those who travel a material road, so the light for the mind which comes from the excellence of your conduct lights the way for those whose mental vision is so muddled by the darkness of error that they cannot see the path of virtue. This light clears away the mist from the spiritual eyes of these travelers, puts them on the right road, and makes them walk thenceforth on the path of virtue.” (Page 74)
“You have seen how numerous are the gifts of baptism. Although many men think that the only gift it confers is the remission of sins, we have counted its honors to the number of ten.11 It is on this account that we baptize even infants, although they are sinless,12 that they may be given the further gifts of sanctification, justice, filial adoption, and inheritance, that they may be brothers and members of Christ, and become dwelling places for the Spirit.” (Page 57)
“Let there be from our part no worldly, vain, and unprofitable conversation. We have chosen henceforth a new and different way of life, and our actions must fit this new life, in order that we may not become unworthy of it.” (Page 75)
“To increase man’s pain and to make him feel his fall to the full, God did not settle man at any great distance from Paradise, but nearby.13 However, He blocked off the entrance to it, so that man might see each hour the joys of which he had deprived himself by his failure to obey; thus might man profit from this constant admonition and in the future be more careful to keep the commandments God had given to him. When we enjoy blessings without perceiving the manner of the benefaction as we should, and then are deprived of them, we get a fuller perception of these blessings, and we also endure a greater pain of loss. This is what happened in the case of the first man.” (Page 45)
Product Details
- Title: St. John Chrysostom: Baptismal Instructions
- Author: John Chrysostom
- Translator: Paul W. Harkins
- Series: Ancient Christian Writers
- Publisher: Paulist Press
- Publication Date: 1963
- Pages: 384
- Christian Group: Catholic
- Resource Type: Ancient Texts
- Topic: Theology
About John Chrysostom
John Chrysostom, Archbishop of Constantinople, was an important Early Church Father. He is known for his preaching and public speaking, his denunciation of abuse of authority by both ecclesiastical and political leaders, the Divine Liturgy of Saint John Chrysostom, and his ascetic sensibilities.
