John Chrysostom Provides Wisdom on The Soul as City

     John Chrysostom (345-407 A.D. ) is most often thought of as a first rate theologian and preacher of Sacred Scripture.  In addition, he reflected on the nature of education and the best way for parents to prepare the souls of their children for education.  The three writings that we should meditate on for his insights on these matters are "Against the Detractors of Monastic Life" and "Address on Vainglory".  

     The moral purpose of education for John was of the utmost importance, as a result of this conviction he emphasized the moral quality of stories.  John also placed a great deal of stress on the essential role of the best models for imitation as children learn most profoundly by what they see and hear from the example of people.  The notion that virtues are best caught, not taught is echoed in John.  He urges parents to banish evildoers from the city of the child's soul and prevent the evildoers from rising up.

     It is the metaphor of the soul as a city that is most illuminating in "Address on Vainglory".  With rhetorical flare and theological formation, John describes the gates are the eyes, tongue, ears, nose and sense of touch and these gates are to be guarded with the greatest of care as through them our ideas are corrupted or properly formed.  John Chrysostom gives a wonderful explication of this metaphor and much can be gained from thinking through this metaphor.  

     In Classical form and content, John urges all to be guided by wisdom so that the appetitive and despotic parts of the soul may be properly ordered.  As with the consensus of the Great Tradition, wisdom is at the beginning, middle, and end of authentic education.  "Let us go to the master principle which keeps everything under control.  To what do I allude?  I mean wisdom.  Here great labor is required to render the child sagacious and banish all folly.  This is the great and wondrous function of philosophy, that God may be known, and all the treasure laid up in Heaven, and Hell and the kingdom of the other world." 

     Imagine if the Academy was governed by such  guiding principles and practices.  As all leaders are called to author policies and procedures, the benefits of being shaped by the Great Tradition would be of value for here and now and for the ages of the ages.  While accrediting  bodies are steeped in bureaucratic jargon that determines the priorities of all academic institutions,  Christian institutions should carefully couch the language of their institutions in the wise words of John Chrysostom.