‘If a Story Can So Master the Children’s Soul’: Christian Scriptural Pedagogy, Orality and Power in the Writings of John Chrysostom

The aim of this study is to give account of the dynamics between Christian scriptural pedagogy, orality and power in the writings of John Chrysostom. The study firstly examines Chrysostom’s views on the discourse of reading scripture, with reference to his In Acta apostolorum homilia 19. Thereafter, the study investigates the practical application of this discourse in the household ritual of reading scripture, here with reference to Chrysostom’s In Genesim sermo 6. Finally, on an even higher level of abstraction, the study looks at scriptural pedagogy in the education of children as seen in Chrysostom’s De inani gloria.