Grumpy Old Men? Gender, Gerontology, and the Geriatrics of Soul in John Chrysostom

• Autores: Chris L. De Wet
• Localización: Journal of early Christian studies: Journal of the North American Patristic Society, ISSN 1067-6341, Nº. 4, 2016, págs. 491-521
• Idioma: inglés
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• Resumen

  • Very interestingly, Suzanne Stern-Gillet highlights Aristotle's use of ... with ..., timidity81-a link that Chrysostom, too, makes-that again stresses the cowardice and unmanliness implicit in ... [...]the problem of speech impairment due to old age, a reality that Chrysostom also expresses, was especially traumatic to men in a world where manliness was fashioned, almost primarily, by means of speech and public orations.82 Watts notes that some, like Themistius, were well aware of the social stigmas surrounding old men who spoke in public, and retired when the time called for it; others, like Libanius, continued with public orations well into old age.83 Chrysostom's praise of Flavian rests exactly in the fact that, despite his old age, he was still involved in civic affairs, even those stressful ones surrounding the destruction of the Antiochene statues. [...]most evidently, Aline Rousselle and Teresa Shaw have illustrated that ascetics followed a diet that consisted of foods that had cooling and drying properties-a diet that assisted in extinguishing sexual passion.111 Unlike Basil of Ancyra or Jerome, Chrysostom is not rigorous in his dietary and fasting prescriptions-he knows his audience, and as with bathing, he advises moderation when it comes to eating habits. Gerontology played an important role in the understanding of the soul and psychic therapy in Chrysostom's thought, and gerotranscendence especially progresses from the position of the soul. Because of the corporeal dimension of the soul, we find in antiquity a very potent biologization of the soul both in Greek philosophical as well as early Christian thinking.116 The soul is given a life cycle-like the body, and in relation to the body, it can become diseased through pathic excess or healthy through moderation and self-control. The paradox of the youthful and manly soul in the aged body is one that Chrysostom applied to both Abraham and Eleazar. Because of their psychic youth, they are described in highly masculine terms-like monks, they are active soldiers and athletes of Christ, not passive prey for the devil.126 Kuefler has noted how faith became the new guarantor of masculine privilege and marker of manly identity in late antiquity,127 and this is also seen in Chrysostom when he lauds the strong and manly faith of Abraham and Eleazar.128 Old age does not exclude men from participating in the religious activities and duties of the church,129 and this was probably a useful way for many men to fashion their masculinity in old age.