History of Christianity and homosexuality
The History of Early Christianity and Homosexuality has been much debated. One side has cited denunciations of sodomy in the writings of the era, such as in the Didache and in the writings of St. Justin Martyr, Clement of Alexandria, Tertullian, St. Cyprian, Eusebius, St. Basil the Great, St. John Chrysostom, St. Augustine, and in doctrinal sources such as the "Apostolic Constitutions" - e.g., passages such as the one by Eusebius of Caesarea) which specifically condemns "the union of women with women and men with men". Others claim that passages have been mistranslated or they do not refer to homosexuality, although those such as the above use commonplace words whose meanings are well known.
Some believe that same-sex relationships may have been practiced by a number of early Christians, such as St. Augustine, as well as Biblical figures such as Ruth and Naomi, Jonathan and David, Daniel and Ashpenaz. One alleged example is located in Ruth 1:14: "Ruth clave unto her", where the Hebrew word translated as "clave" is identical to the description of a heterosexual marriage in Genesis 2:24, although the opposing side would point out that the term was also used in other contexts. Another example is of David and Jonathan at 1 Samuel 18:21, which the King James Version translates as "Thou shalt this day be my son-in-law in the one of the twain", where "twain" means "two", in a reference to a proposed marriage between David and one of Saul’s two daughters. However the fact that the words "the one of" are shown in italics indicates that they are an interpolation by the translators. Thus a more literal translation would be "Thou shalt this day be my son-in-law, in the twain", which some claim to be a reference to what they believe to have been David’s prior marriage with Saul’s son Jonathan. Many of those who claim the early church did not condemn homosexuality mention the fact that Jonathan was the son of King Saul in Israel and that after the relationship with David, King Saul then made David the next King instead of his own son.
Critics of this interpretation would claim that neither the Bible nor ancient Jewish law records such unions and that the term "son-in-law" could be used symbolically rather than literally. On the other hand, some Biblical historians, such as John Boswell indicate the rite of adelphopoiesis may have been such a documented religiously-sanctioned same-sex union (see Same-Sex Unions in Premodern Europe by John Boswell). Two Christian martyrs, the Roman soldiers St. Serge and St. Bacchus are considered by some to be an example of an early Christian gay union on the basis of writings during the era and an early still surviving icon at St. Catherine's on Mount Sinai depicting what some claim to be a wedding.
On the other hand, St. Aristides blamed the Greco-Roman heritage for what he believed to be corrupting early Christianity as illustrated in one of his quotes:
- "Some polluted themselves by lying with males. The Greeks, O King, follow debased practices in intercourse with males. Yet, they, in turn impute their monstrous impurity to the Christians." St. Aristides ("Apology" c. 125 A.D.)
Some prominent Christian figures are believed to have had same-sex relationships. Many historians contend that King Richard I of England, who was heavily involved in the Third Crusade, had a relationship with King Philip II of France. Archbishop Ralph of Tours had his lover John installed as bishop of Orleans with agreement of both the King of France and Pope Urban II.
Other Christians of the time period were critical of homosexuality. St. Thomas Aquinas denounced sodomy as second only to bestiality (sex with animals) as the worst of all sexual sins, and St. Hildegard's book "Scivias", which was officially approved by Pope Eugenius III, related visions from God in which same-sex relations are condemned as "perverted forms".
Many would contend that disputes over a few words, and other such speculative theories on all such subjects, cannot overrule the clear statements in many revealed sources which state the matter in unambiguous, simple words whose meanings are not in dispute - e.g., St. Hildegard's revelations which contain quotes from God such as: "a woman who takes up devilish ways and plays a male role in coupling with another woman is most vile in My sight", and "a man who sins with another man as with a woman, sins bitterly against God and against the union with which God united male and female", etc.
References
- John Boswell, Christianity, Social Tolerance and Homosexuality, Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1980.