Like Angels in Heaven: Cyprian, Sex, and Celibacy
Cyprian's praise of virginity in De habitu uirginum is adopted by Ambrose and Jerome to support their own high estimation of its value. But Cyprian's views are more nuanced than those fathers, or even more recent interpreters, suggest. He does not actively encourage the adoption of virgini...
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| Published in: | Journal of early Christian studies 2021-06, Vol.29 (2), p.193-214 |
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| Main Author: | |
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | eng |
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| Online Access: | Get full text |
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| Summary: | Cyprian's praise of virginity in De habitu uirginum is adopted by Ambrose and Jerome to support their own high estimation of its value. But Cyprian's views are more nuanced than those fathers, or even more recent interpreters, suggest. He does not actively encourage the adoption of virginity, but instead writes to discipline those who have already professed it—his praise is a rhetorical device to achieve that end. Expanding our horizons beyond this treatise, we discover that Cyprian is more interested in the faithful enactment of the commitments associated with various life states than he is in ranking them. He certainly values virginity, but is happy for it to be forsaken for marriage by those unwilling or unable to persevere in it. Marriage is regarded as the natural state of Christians, including clergy, and widows are expected to remarry. Marriage presupposes sex; the parenthood which results is a fertile field of spiritual labor. Furthermore, the heavenly likeness attributed to virgins and the rewards promised to them are less impressive when compared to Cyprian's exhortations to all faithful Christians. Yes, virgins are like angels in heaven, but the patient are like God. Perfection is not achieved through the adoption of virginity, but through martyrdom, patience, and the giving of alms. Palms and crowns await those who overcome lust, jealousy, greed, and adversity. When these factors are taken into consideration, Cyprian is better understood, not as a moderate encratite, but rather as one who reflects the ambivalence of Jesus and the canonical Paul. |
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| ISSN: | 1067-6341 1086-3184 1086-3184 |