John Chrysostom’s Pragmatism in Describing Charisms within the Church Community
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.21906/rbl.3757Keywords:
antiquity, charisms, Church, John Chrysostom, patristics, pneumatology, spiritual giftsAbstract
This article examines John Chrysostom’s contribution to the theological and pastoral understanding of charisms in the Church. Drawing on his exegetical and homiletic writings, it highlights the pragmatic framework within which Chrysostom interprets the development, transformation, and pastoral significance of charisms from the apostolic age to his own time. While acknowledging the disappearance of certain extraordinary manifestations of the Holy Spirit known in the early Church, Chrysostom argues that the Christian community of his day still witnessed signs and wonders of even greater spiritual significance, namely the moral conversion of believers, the enduring strength of the Church, and the transformative power of sacramental life. His reflections, marked by pastoral sensitivity and a deliberate distance from sensationalism, offer a coherent theology of charisms grounded in Scripture, shaped by ecclesial experience, and oriented toward the practical needs of the faithful. The analysis demonstrates how Chrysostom’s pragmatic approach may enrich contemporary discussions of the nature and function of charisms in the Church.
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