Beatrice Victoria Ang: Virtue in Leadership: Examining John Chrysostom’s Ideal of the Ascetic Priest

In Comparatio regis et monachi, John Chrysostom presents the monk as the model Christian. In book 6 of De sacerdotio, he commends the priest as leader par excellence. Thus, the ideal priest:Οὐγὰρμόνονκαθαρὸνοὕτως,ὠςτηλικαύτηςἠξιωμένονδιακονίας,ἀλλὰκαὶλίανσυνετὸνκαὶπολλῶνἔμπειρονεἶναιδεῖ,καὶπάνταμὲνεἰδέναιτὰβιωτικὰτῶνἐνμέσῳστρεφομένωνοὐχἥττον,πάντωνδὲἀπηλλάχθαιμᾶλλοντῶντὰὄρηκατειληφότωνμοναχῶν.This paper discusses virtue in leadership as embodied in Chrysostom’s ideal of the ascetic priest. Comparatiosets the foundation. By directing focus entirely on God, Christian asceticism creates persons not easily swayed by wealth, pleasure, and human approval. Such persons, superficially, make 1) good rulers; 2) able patronson behalf of the poor; 3) effective spiritual intercessors for whole cities. However, the ascetic’s aim to rise above the anxieties of ordinary life can be too individualistic, creating a divide between ascetics and non-ascetics with regard to wisdom, interest, and experience. Chrysostom’s priest, in De sacerdotioliber 6, fills the gap. The priest is not just a model but a leader, required to adapt or admonish as necessary, and to give guidance personally and spiritually. His success, however, depends on maintaining the standards of ascetic virtue within himself in spite of exposure to greater temptations. Chrysostom’s preference for the ascetic priest is key to understanding certain choices made in his episcopate, and why his ministry as a whole, despite ending in deposition and death, should be considered a success.