On the Priesthood

DESCRIPTION: St John Chrysostom (347-407 CE) presents a six‑book dialogue that reflects on the nature of the priestly office, his own hesitation to accept ordination, and the high spiritual standards required of pastors. One of the Three Holy Hierarchs, John argues that the priest stands between heaven and earth, handles the divine mysteries, and must therefore be exceptionally pure, wise, and humble in order to instruct, correct, and shepherd the faithful. The treatise contrasts the pastoral life with monastic withdrawal and insists that the priesthood is not a lesser vocation but a more perilous and demanding way of serving God and the Church.

KEYWORDS: open access / free access; asceticism; book; early church clergy; Eastern Christianity; ecclesiastical office; moral authority; pastoral care; pastoral theology; Patristics; preaching; priesthood; spiritual formation

CITATION: Chrysostom, John. n.d. On the Priesthood. Edited by Philip Schaff [1889]. Translated by W. R. W. Stephens. Vol. 9. Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers 1. Eerdmans, 1995. Christian Classics Ethereal Library. https://ccel.org/ccel/s/schaff/npnf109/cache/npnf109.pdf#iv.