[net.religion] John Boswell's book "Christianity, Social Tolerance & Homosexuality"

rrizzo@bbncca.ARPA (Ron Rizzo) (05/21/84)

Have any other net-users read it?  If so, how plausible do you think Boswell's
arguments & interpretations are?  The basic argument is that the christian
church, from its beginnings to the 12th century, not only did not condemn
homosexuality but tolerated it; many of the early and medieval saints were
actively homosexual, a fact know to all at the time, and left testaments
of it in the form of sacred & profane love poetry and homilies.  Only in the
12th century did the western church begin to exercise the hostility toward
same-sex relationships that most christians probably regard as authentic
expressions of christian teaching & practice, and only under the pressure
of popular bigotry (the 12th century marked the end of the relatively
confident and creative part of the High Middle Ages: plagues, an increase
in witch manias, and general widespread anxieties characterize the century).

In other words, according to Boswell, christianity is not essentially homo-
phobic.  More recent church bigotry is an instance of actual corruption of
the faith caused by external forces, in this case by secular scapegoating
and paranoid medieval politics.

For those interested in religious scholarship or with some acquaintance with
the languages of scripture (Hebrew, Greek koine, and the Latin vulgate) or
medieval history & literature, as well as the theologically-minded, the book
is especially interesting.  Boswell does philology and textual exegesis as
well as historiography.

For netters in the Boston area,  Boswell is appearing at the Church of the
Covenant at 7:30 pm, May 21 (tonight), at 67 Newbury Street, Boston.

					Cheers,
					Ron Rizzo