07 — How the Fathers Read

Beyond the theory of interpretation lies the practice: how the Fathers actually read, preached, and prayed the Scriptures. This section treats the great tradition of the exegetical homily, exemplified above all by St. John Chrysostom, and the monastic reading of Scripture — the memorization of the Psalter, the ruminating on the word, and the roots of the Jesus Prayer in Scripture.

Tradition: Pan-Orthodox

The patristic mind (Section 04) and the christological reading (Section 05) are not abstractions; they were lived in the pulpit and in the cell. This section shows the two great settings of patristic reading: the bishop preaching to his city, and the monk praying the word in his cell.

Files

File	Description
chrysostom-and-the-exegetical-homilies.md	St. John Chrysostom and the great tradition of the exegetical homily; preaching the text verse by verse; the pastoral and moral application; the homily as the Church’s ordinary reading of Scripture. Links St. John Chrysostom.
scripture-and-the-life-of-prayer.md	The monastic reading — meditation (meletē/ruminatio), the memorization of the Psalter, Scripture and the Jesus Prayer; the word taken into the heart. Links The Philokalia.

See Also

• The Patristic Mind — the theory these files put into practice
• The Bible as the Liturgical Book — the worship in which homily and prayer are set
• St. John Chrysostom — the great preacher’s own collection