Posted on 02/03/2024 1:55:54 PM PST by Antoninus
The well-used quote: "The floor of hell is paved with the skulls of bishops," may be found in a variety of forms. Perhaps the most colorful version of it is: "The road to Hell is paved with the bones of priests and monks, and the skulls of bishops are the lamp posts that light the path."
This saying has been attributed to one of several Fathers of the ancient Church and to Protestant revolutionaries from more recent times. Most often, it is claimed to be taken from the writings of St. Athanasius or St. John Chrysostom. After a thorough search, I have come to the conclusion that this saying is of more modern provenance, likely originating from a Protestant polemic which made very liberal use of a homily from St. John Chrysostom.
So to respond to the question posed in the title of this post: Is the literal floor of Hell paved with the literal skulls of bishops? The answer is: No, probably not as such.
That said, I looked up the homily of St. John Chrysostom to which this quote is often attributed, and what I found there is, perhaps, even more daunting than the rhetorically evocative version that most folks are familiar with. The work in question is St. John's Third Homily on the Acts of the Apostles. The passage in question is the following which I am pasting here for future reference:
"I do not think there are many among Bishops that will be saved, but many more that perish: and the reason is, that it is an affair that requires a great mind. Many are the exigencies which throw a man out of his natural temper; and he had need have a thousand eyes on all sides. Do you not see what a number of qualifications the Bishop must have? To be apt to teach, patient, holding fast the faithful word in doctrine [see 1 Timothy 3:2-9; Titus 1:7-9]. What trouble and pains does this require!And then, others do wrong, and he bears all the blame. To pass over every thing else: if one soul depart unbaptized, does not this subvert all his own prospect of salvation? The loss of one soul carries with it a penalty which no language can represent. For if the salvation of that soul was of such value, that the Son of God became man, and suffered so much, think how sore a punishment must the losing of it bring! And if in this present life he who is cause of another's destruction is worthy of death, much more in the next world. Do not tell me, that the presbyter is in fault, or the deacon. The guilt of all these comes perforce upon the head of those who ordained them.
Let me mention another instance. It chances, that a bishop has inherited from his predecessor a set of persons of indifferent character. What measures is it proper to take in respect of bygone transgressions (for here are two precipices) so as not to let the offender go unpunished, and not to cause scandal to the rest? Must one's first step be to cut him off? There is no actual present ground for that. But is it right to let him go unmarked? Yes, say you; for the fault rests with the bishop who ordained him. Well then? Must one refuse to ordain him again, and to raise him to a higher degree of the ministry? That would be to publish it to all men, that he is a person of indifferent character, and so again one would cause scandal in a different way. But is one to promote him to a higher degree? That is much worse.
If then there were only the responsibility of the office itself for people to run after in the episcopate, none would be so quick to accept it. But as things go, we run after this, just as we do after the dignities of the world. That we may have glory with men, we lose ourselves with God. What profit in such honor? How self-evident its nothingness is! When you covet the episcopal rank, put in the other scale, the account to be rendered after this life. Weigh against it, the happiness of a life free from toil, take into account the different measure of the punishment. I mean, that even if you have sinned, but in your own person merely, you will have no such great punishment, nothing like it: but if you have sinned as bishop, you are lost."
Read the entire Third Homily of St. John Chrysostom on Acts of the Apostles here.
What more is there to say, really? Except this -- may our bishops understand the gravity of what they do when they preach that which is contrary to traditional Church doctrine and morality.
I thought it was: “The road to hell is paved with good intentions.”
The efforts that bishops put in to covering up sex abuse amongst the clergy would suggest some truth in the saying.
Catholicism is considered a religion. Seems more like a political organization to me.
I wish I could locate the origin in the writings of mostly New Age guy the late Stuart Wilde (wrote Silent Power). He was always witty.
“The same Sun that shines into the vicar’s study shines through the windows of the whorehouse.”
There are a wide variety of attributions of this attitude to the Church Fathers, but this homily by Chrysostom was the only really hard core one that checked out when I did some research of my own years ago.
However, the more “moderate” things, while not as colourful, would suffice to give clerics pause.
Thanks for posting
Is the floor of Hell paved with the skulls of bishops?
—
And the ceiling is paved with the skulls of popes
How does one pave a ceiling?
Easy; its in Hell, where all manner of things are turned upside down.
“if one soul depart unbaptized, does not this subvert all his own prospect of salvation?”
Perhaps but then there is faith in the grace of Jesus Christ.
bttt
I’m thinking the current pope probably has a highway named after him in hell.
“Catholicism is considered a religion. Seems more like a political organization to me.”
Like many religions, it moves in and out of inserting itself into the political/business world. Some say the Church doesn’t change, the people in power inside it do.
what I have always found ironic is that the exact same protestants who say one need only accept Jesus Christ as ones lord and savior and you are guaranteed heaven...
Often also claim that anyone who disagrees with them on any doctrinal issue will go to hell.
Preach Prosperity theology and your going to hell
Are a catholic and your going to hell
Moron? hell for sure
ect and yet all of those have accepted Christ and their lord and savior.
Aside from faith in Christ, and only Christ, there is nothing a person can do to gain Heaven. Christ is the guarantee of Heaven for a person who believes in Him.
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