[John Chrysostom’s Early Byzantine Treatise on Education (Peri kenodoxias kai hopos dei tous goneas anatrephein ta tekna) and Its Historical and Educational Context]

Abstract: The aim of the paper is to show the educational concepts of John Chrysostom contained in his treatise in several contexts. (1) Cultural context: tensions and conflicts between Christianity in the second half of the 4th century AD and traditional Hellenic culture (criticism of leiturgia and euergetism). (2) Educational context: the traditional ancient educational system (grammatistes, grammatikos, rhetor/sophistes) and Chrysostom’s parallel concept of Christian home education (oikos). (3) Biographical context: Chrysostom’s sources of inspiration based on his own educational experiences. (4) Philological context: the modern discovery of Chrysostom’s treatise and the long-standing discussions about its authenticity. John Chrysostom saw the cause (aitia) and origin (arche) of all evil in wrong education. His goal was to raise “athletes of Christ”, philosophers and “citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven”. This was to be achieved through meticulously planned educational measures involving the entire family household (oikos): father, mother, nanny, guardians, paidagogoi (slaves). The main educational method is to keep children and young people in fear – of God and their educators. Chrysostom uses the metaphor of the soul (psyche) as a city (polis) in educational planning. He discusses the “gates of the city”, i.e. the individual senses (aisthesis) together with the ways of controlling them, and then the interior of the city with its “inhabitants”. These “inhabitants” of the city-soul are: thymos, epithymia and logistikon. Each element of the soul corresponds to a specific virtue (arete) and vice, which require specific educational measures: isolation from harmful factors and positive exercise (askesis) and teaching (didaskalia) in accordance with Christian doctrine.

Author: Wasilewski, Marcin

DOI: 10.17846/CL.2025.18.2.11-20

Publication order reference: prof. AJP dr hab. Marcin Wasilewski; Jacob of Paradies University, Gorzów Wielkopolski, Faculty of Humanities, ul. Chopina 52, 66-400 Gorzów Wielkopolski, Poland; email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; ORCID ID: 0000-0002-3039-2020

Source: Konštantínove listy, 2025, vol.: 18, issue: 2, pages: 11-20 (PDF file)

Keywords: JOHN CHRYSOSTOM, PAGANS VERSUS CHRISTIANS, ANCIENT EDUCATION, LATE ANTIQUE CULTURE, PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION

Language: POLISH

Recommended Citation:
Wasilewski, Marcin. 2025. Wczesnobizantyński traktat Jana Chryzostoma o wychowaniu dzieci (peri kenodoxias kai hopos dei tous goneas anatrephein ta tekna) i jego historyczno-edukacyjny kontekst [John Chrysostom’s Early Byzantine Treatise on Education (Peri kenodoxias kai hopos dei tous goneas anatrephein ta tekna) and Its Historical and Educational Context]. In Konštantínove listy [Constantine’s Letters] 18/2, 11-20.