Ebook: Preaching bondage : John Chrysostom and the discourse of slavery in early Christianity

"Preaching Bondage introduces and investigates the novel concept of doulology, the discourse of slavery, in the homilies of John Chrysostom, to determine how it shaped early Christianity. The dynamics of slavery in Chrysostom's theology, virtue ethics, and biblical interpretation are examined, showing that slavery as a metaphorical and theological construct had a profound effect on the lives of institutional slaves. Slavery, a highly corporeal and gendered discourse, was necessarily central in Chrysostom's discussions of the household, property, education, discipline, and sexuality. This study investigates the role of slavery in these contexts, and disseminates the results in a new and highly anticipated language that serves to bring the more pervasive fissures of ancient Roman slaveholding to light"-- Read more...