And yet you've been furiously hurling insults at St. John in this forum. That's allowed but actually following through on your claims to know how he is wrong isn't? Sure thing.
You're defending the words of an angry man, showing hatred of his neighbour based on his reputation? Surely the words are what he should be judged on, not the reputation built around him by others.
Let's face it. I have read, and studied John C for years. I like much of what he said. I reference him in my sermons, on occassion. At least one of his prayers in in our ritual. But that doesn't mean I condone all of his words, nor should I. He was not infallible, was he?
Rather, I think it is wise to face up to facts. Calling out Chrysostom's anti-semitism hurts EO people as much as calling out Luther's hurts Lutherans. But those words are there. They need to be dealt with. Not watered down or forgiven, but spoken of freely. Clearly Chrysostom was young, unordained and afraid of losing the Jewish people in his flock to the synagogues. But his over-reaction was so harsh it made it very difficult for centuries for Jews to convert to Orthodoxy. The cultures around them grew used to praying the Easter Vigil prayers which condemned their entire nation to the level of vile murderers, and the Jews knew they were hated and mistrusted by the Christians.
Blood libel ensued. This is the kind of stumbling block St Paul spoke against.
Now, if you are actually EO (and I noticed you aren't) then surely you would like people to "come and see". You would like them to find the riches of your church, tradition, liturgy. You especially would like the Jewish people to see the very close connection you have with Jewish tradition and custom. You would like people to find Christ in your church. Surely then, you would not call such people pigs and demons to their face etc. That's bad evangelism and not what Christ commanded us to do. That's just slanderous.
So, I ask you- why do you defend such words? I note that a few years ago some Russian priests spoke up against anti-semitism in the church. Why not join them?
Regarding Chrysostom's understanding of
Judaism, well it is flawed. He's not a Rabbi and he is not sainted for his knowledge of other religions, but of his knowledge of Christianity.
I've not attacked his Christian doctrine. Judiasm has always taught that following God's commandments means keeping the moral commands as well. In most Jewish communities today you will find some very godly people, who love God's word as they have received it and who would follow it under pain of death and threats. According to St Paul, their unbelief in Christ is not a result of hating God's moral law, but a complex mystery within God's own sovereignty (see Rom 9-11) There's reasons for all of this.
What's Paul's solution? Certainly not by calling the Jews "beasts" and so forth. He said that the Christian must provoke the Jew to "jealousy". That is, show them that God is with you by your word and works.
Three posters on this thread, two Orthodox, clearly understand and have a right knowledge of what Judaising means. They have spoken well. I agree with them.
Chrysostom's words "Against the Jews" goes beyond preaching against Judaisers. He fails to recognise that Judaism has never taught that Gentiles need to keep Jewish feasts or laws. He fails to recognise that the local synagogues were not teaching his flock that they must keep Jewish laws, unless they were already Jews. While Chrysostom is right to worry about Jewish Christians losing their faith and going back to Rabbinic Judaism, he is wrong in how he goes about it. St Paul and the Apostles never forbade Jewish Christians to follow their own customs and traditions. Anyone who teaches otherwise has to answer to them.
I'll stop there for now. But you see that I believe no one is given licence by Jesus Christ to call an entire race "beasts" and so forth. That's not loving your neighbour, nor praying for your enemy etc.
