Chris L. de Wet

My Qualifications: BA (2003), BA Hons (2004), MA (2006), D.Litt (2013)

My Fields of interest: John Chrysostom; Patristics and early Christian Greek and Latin literature; Early Christian philosophical homiletics and exegesis; Christianity in late antiquity; slavery in early Christianity; early Christian art, architecture and archaeology; cultural historical/anthropological approaches to late ancient Christianity; sexuality in late ancient Christianity; Pauline literature.

About Me: I started teaching and research at UNISA in 2008 after having completed an MA in Ancient Greek with the University of Pretoria with the title: “The Homilies of John Chrysostom on 1 Corinthians 12: A Model of Antiochene Exegesis on the Charismata.” Thereafter, I have published extensively in academic journals on John Chrysostom and Christianity in late antiquity. My current undergraduate teaching involves the study of biblical archaeology, especially on death, tombs and burials, as well as on religion, worship and prayer in early Christianity. I am also involved in teaching on the construction of the body and sexuality in early Christianity.

I completed a D.Litt (Ancient Greek) with the topic: “Slavery in the Writings of John Chrysostom: A Cultural-Anthropological and Rhetorical Critique.” This is also my primary research interest, in looking at how early Christian homiletics shaped and invented Christian culture in late antiquity, with focus especially on the writings of John Chrysostom, notwithstanding interests in early Christian Greek and Latin authors in general. My interests in late ancient Christianity also expands to the realms of art, architecture and archaeology, as well as the construction and control of sexuality in late ancient Christianity.

My next project, after the completion of my booK "Preaching Bondage," is on the fashioning of masculinity in the thought of John Chrysostom.

I am also editor of the accredited academic periodical, Journal of Early Christian History, which disseminates research on early Christian and Byzantine studies.

As tenured faculty of the University of South Africa, I am available to supervise qualifying students in Master's and Doctoral studies in any of the fields of interest mentioned above.

A more detailed academic résumé is available at: http://unisouthafr.academia.edu/ChrisDeWet