Where to Find Christian Philosophy?: Spatiality in John Chrysostom’s Counter to Greek Paideia

This article examines the use of the concept philosophia in the writings and homilies of John Chrysostom. Although Chrysostom in his discussion of intellectual achievements draws on a long-standing tradition of Christian apologetics, he lends a new direction to the debate by highlighting the spatiality of philosophy. He not only counters Hellenic paideia with Christian wisdom, but locates these two types of philosophy in the city and the countryside, respectively. The article argues that the spatial dimension is vital to Chrysostom’s view of philosophy as he aims to extend the rural ideal of asceticism to the polis to create a healthy Christian community within the city.