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PDF Hosted at the Radboud Repository of the Radboud University Nijmegen PDF hosted at the Radboud Repository of the Radboud University Nijmegen The following full text is a publisher's version. For additional information about this publication click this link. http://hdl.handle.net/2066/208287 Please be advised that this information was generated on 2021-10-01 and may be subject to change. De totstandkoming van het concept mannelijkheid in het medisch-theologisch discours van Johannes Chrysostomus Proefschrift ter verkrijging van de graad van doctor aan de Radboud Universiteit Nijmegen op gezag van de rector magnificus prof. dr. J.H.J.M. van Krieken, volgens besluit van het college van decanen in het openbaar te verdedigen op maandag 14 oktober 2019 om 12.30 uur precies door Chris Len de Wet geboren op 27 augustus 1982 te Johannesburg, Zuid-Afrika Promotoren: Prof. dr. Jan G. van der Watt Prof. dr. Johannes van Oort Manuscriptcommissie: Prof. dr. H.L. Murre-van den Berg Prof. dr. P.J.A. Nissen Dr. J.E.A. Ackermans Prof. dr. Ch. Hornung (Universität Bonn, Duitsland) Prof. dr. J. Stenger (University of Glasgow, Verenigd Koninkrijk) ii The formation of masculinity in John Chrysostom’s medical-theological discourse Doctoral Thesis to obtain the degree of doctor from Radboud University Nijmegen on the authority of the Rector Magnificus prof. dr. J.H.J.M. van Krieken, according to the decision of the Council of Deans to be defended in public on Monday, October 14, 2019 at 12.30 hours by Chris Len de Wet born on August 27, 1982 in Johannesburg, South Africa iii Supervisors: Prof. dr. Jan G. van der Watt Prof. dr. Johannes van Oort Doctoral Thesis Committee: Prof. dr. H.L. Murre-van den Berg Prof. dr. P.J.A. Nissen Dr. J.E.A. Ackermans Prof. dr. Ch. Hornung (University of Bonn, Germany) Prof. dr. J. Stenger (University of Glasgow, United Kingdom) iv SAMENVATTING DE TOTSTANDKOMING VAN HET CONCEPT MANNELIJKHEID IN HET MEDISCH-THEOLOGISCH DISCOURS VAN JOHANNES CHRYSOSTOMUS Chris L. de Wet, B.A., B.A. Hons., M.A., D.Litt. Het doel van deze studie is een onderzoek naar de beschouwingen van Johannes Chrysostomus (349–407 AD) over de aard van mannelijkheid en de totstandkoming van dit concept. In tegenstelling met vorige studies over oudere beschouwingen van mannelijkheid die de nadruk legden op welsprekendheid, maatschappelijke participatie en militaire dienst, toont deze studie aan dat Chrysostomus zijn beschouwing over mannelijkheid construeert door gebruik te maken van een krachtig en nauwkeurig opgebouwd medisch-theologisch discours. In dit discours construeert hij in de eerste plaats God als zijnde de ideale verpersoonlijking van het Mannelijke; ten tweede stelt hij het probleem van menselijke mannelijkheid en de teloorgang van de menselijke mannelijke staat aan de orde; ten derde is een wedergeboorte nodig om de verloren mannelijke staat te herwinnen; ten vierde wordt er dan een protocol voorgeschreven om de groei tot mannelijkheid te bevorderen, waarvan het resultaat ten slotte een oud en afgeleefd lichaam is. Dit lichaam is volgens Chrysostomus het ware mannelijk lichaam, dat het lijfelijke aspect overstijgt. Het eerste hoofdstuk van de studie extrapoleert enkele aspecten van de fundamentele dynamiek van oude beschouwingen van mannelijkheid, en onderzoekt ook hoe Chrysostomus functioneert als medisch filosoof alsmede wat de kenmerken van zijn medisch referentiekader zijn. Het concept mannelijkheid is vooral een beredeneerde constructie in Chrysostomus; het is dus geen verrassing als blijkt dat zijn interpretatie van het scheppingsverhaal in Genesis 1–3 centraal staat in dit constructieproces. Chrysostomus vormt zijn ziening van mannelijkheid door middel van de constructie van God. In hoofdstuk 2 wordt zijn Gottesbild dus onderzocht, en wordt aangevoerd dat Chrysostomus God ziet als de ideale verpersoonlijking van het Mannelijke. God is geheel en al buitenlichamelijk en autonoom, en het zijn juist deze eigenschapppen die overeenstemmen met de onbereikbare ideale visie van mannelijkheid. Mannelijkheid word gezien als tegenovergesteld aan het lichamelijke en aan heteronomie. v In hoofdstuk 3 wordt bekeken hoe de schepping van de mensheid, in het bijzonder van Adam, naar Gods beeld, leidt tot een vermannelijking van de mensheid. Al vóór de zondeval wordt het beheer van de schepping aan Adam overgedragen, inclusief beheer over zijn hulp, de vrouw Eva. Hieruit volgt dat Chrysostomus de zondeval beschouwt als de grote mislukking die leidt tot het verlies van mannelijkheid. Zowel Adam als Eva falen in het uitoefenen van beheer over zichzelf en over de schepping. Het gevolg is dat drie mannelijke instellingen geïntroduceerd worden om de mislukking van het oerpaar recht te zetten, namelijk het huwelijk, de slavernij en het keizerlijk bestuur. Hoofdstuk 4 speurt het begin na van het herstel van de mensheid tot de mannelijke staat door middel van de geschiedenis van de christelijke leer van de verlossing of zaligmaking. Als gevolg van het verlies van mannelijkheid door de zondeval moet een nieuwe vorm van mannelijkheid geboren worden, een nieuw mannelijk geboorteproces moet weer plaatsvinden. Het beeld van geboorte wordt gebruikt om aan te tonen op welke wijze de mensheid kan terugkeren naar de originele mannelijke staat. Maar dit geboorteproces is androgeneratief van aard; het komt niet tot stand door geslachtsgemeenschap, maar door de wonderwerken van God, op een lijn te stellen met de bevruchting van de onvruchtbare vrouwen in de Hebreeuwse bijbel (Sarai en Rachel), de maagdelijke geboorte van Christus en ten slotte de geestelijke wedergeboorte. Wedergeboren zijnde moet mannelijkheid voorts groei tonen; dit onderwerp komt aan bod in hoofdstuk 5. In hoofdstuk 5 wordt het mannelijke protocol dat Chrystostomus zijn aanhangers oplegt, verder onderzocht. Aspecten zoals dieet (vooral het vermijden van vraatzucht), lichamelijke oefening, slaap en baden worden alle gereguleerd, met als doel de bevordering van mannelijke deugdzaamheid. Ascetisme (in de moderne zin van het woord, namelijk de heerschappij van de ziel over het lichaam), treedt nu naar voren als de vierde en grootste instelling die mannelijkheid vertegenwoordigt. Door het beoefenen van ascetisme wordt de pasgeboren christen in staat gesteld om zich te ontwikkelen tot de ideale mannelijke staat. Het doel van het protocol dat Chrysostomus voorstelt, zoals verklaard in hoofdstuk 6, is om het lichaam oud te laten worden voor zijn tijd; om de lichamelijke aard van degene die het ondergaat, te kruisigen. Het ouder worden dient als Gods weg tot ascese, en door het vlees te verloochenen kan het individu zich zijn persoonlijke martelaarschap toe-eigenen. Het door ouderdom afgetakelde lichaam is volgens vi Chrysostomus een waar mannelijk lichaam. Ongeacht de beperkingen die ouderdom oplegt op het concept van mannelijkheid, kan men door zelfbeheersing en ingetogenheid een staat bereiken waar men uitstijgt boven ouderdom – namelijk gerotranscendentie. Ter afsluiting: Chrysostomus is niet per se gekant tegen de Romeinse traditionele schemata van mannelijkheid; het is eerder zo dat hij zekere aspecten van zijn ziening ontleent aan de conventionele Romeinse ziening van mannelijkheid en deze vervolgens transformeert, vooral ten opzichte van de concepten zelfbeheersing en de overheersing van ondergeschikte wezens, tot zijn versie van christelijke mannelijkheid. Chrysostomus presenteert dan dit nieuwe (alhoewel niet zo verschillende) begrip van christelijke mannelijkheid, waaraan een ascetisch element toegevoegd is, als een superieur alternatief tot andere, concurrerende zieningen van mannelijkheid. vii SUMMARY THE FORMATION OF MASCULINITY IN JOHN CHRYSOSTOM’S MEDICAL- THEOLOGICAL DISCOURSE Chris L. de Wet, B.A., B.A. Hons., M.A., D.Litt. The purpose of this study is to examine John Chrysostom’s (349–407 AD) views on the nature of masculinity and its formation. Unlike previous studies on ancient masculinity that focused especially on masculinity in relation to eloquence, civic participation, and military service, this study illustrates that Chrysostom constructs his vision of masculinity by utilising a potent and meticulous medical-theological discourse. In this discourse, first, God as the ideal Masculine is constructed; second, the problem of human masculinity and the loss of the human masculine state is established; third, a new rebirth is required to regain the lost masculine state; fourth, after rebirth, a regimen in favour of growth toward masculinity is prescribed; and, finally, the result of this process is an aged and mortified body—which is a truly masculine body, for Chrysostom—which has overcome the corporeal. The first chapter of the study extrapolates some of the fundamental dynamics of ancient masculinity, and also examines how Chrysostom functions as a medical philosopher and asks what the characteristics of his medical framework are. Masculinity is mainly a discursive construction in Chrysostom’s thought, so it is not surprising to find that his interpretation of the creation narrative in Genesis 1–3 is central in this constructive process. Chrysostom fashions his vision of masculinity through the construction of God. Chapter 2 thus investigates Chrysostom’s Gottesbild, and argues that he describes God as the ideal Masculine. God is fully incorporeal and autonomous, which are also the unattainable ideals of masculinity. Masculinity stands in opposition to corporeality and heteronomy. Chrysostom’s measure of God then acts as the standard of masculinity. Chapter 3 looks at how the creation of humanity, notably Adam, in the image of God serves as a masculinisation
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