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1 Corinthians 7:3-4 and the Conjugal Debt

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1 Corinthians 7:3-4 and the Conjugal Debt TO HAVE AUTHORITY OVER A BODY: 1 CORINTHIANS 7:3-4 AND THE CONJUGAL DEBT Lisa Kristin Gilbert Faculty of Religious Studies McGill University, Montreal July 2007 A thesis subtnitted to McGill University in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the degree of Master of Arts © Lisa Kristin Gilbert, 2007 Libraryand Bibliothèque et 1+1 Archives Canada Archives Canada Published Heritage Direction du Branch Patrimoine de l'édition 395 Wellington Street 395, rue Wellington Ottawa ON K1A ON4 Ottawa ON K1A ON4 Canada Canada Your file Votre référence ISBN: 978-0-494-38450-3 Our file Notre référence ISBN: 978-0-494-38450-3 NOTICE: AVIS: The author has granted a non­ L'auteur a accordé une licence non exclusive exclusive license allowing Library permettant à la Bibliothèque et Archives and Archives Canada to reproduce, Canada de reproduire, publier, archiver, publish, archive, preserve, conserve, sauvegarder, conserver, transmettre au public communicate to the public by par télécommunication ou par l'Internet, prêter, telecommunication or on the Internet, distribuer et vendre des thèses partout dans loan, distribute and sell theses le monde, à des fins commerciales ou autres, worldwide, for commercial or non­ sur support microforme, papier, électronique commercial purposes, in microform, eUou autres formats. paper, electranic and/or any other formats. The author retains copyright L'auteur conserve la propriété du droit d'auteur ownership and moral rights in et des droits moraux qui protège cette thèse. this thesis. Neither the thesis Ni la thèse ni des extraits substantiels de nor substantial extracts from it celle-ci ne doivent être imprimés ou autrement may be printed or otherwise reproduits sans son autorisation. reproduced without the author's permission. ln compliance with the Canadian Conformément à la loi canadienne Privacy Act some supporting sur la protection de la vie privée, forms may have been removed quelques formulaires secondaires from this thesis. ont été enlevés de cette thèse. While these forms may be included Bien que ces formulaires in the document page count, aient inclus dans la pagination, their removal does not represent il n'y aura aucun contenu manquant. any loss of content fram the thesis. ••• Canada Gilbert 2 Table of Contents .A.bstract/Résumé .................................................................................................................... 3 Acknowledgements ................................................................................................................ 4 Introduction ............................................................................................................................ 5 Chapter One: Ch is not l who say this, but the Apostle': Tracing Paul's Words through Gratian and rus Sources .................................................................. '" .................. 11 Gratian .............................................................................................................................. 11 Paul .................................................................................................................................... 19 Ambrose ........................................................................................................................... 27 Jerome ............................................................................................................................... 34 Augustine .......................................................................................................................... 41 Conclusion ....................................................................................................................... 52 Chapter Two: Unequal Bodies, Unequal Debts .............................................................. 54 Gender and Cosmology ................................................................................................. 56 Reproductive Roles ......................................................................................................... 60 In Sickness and in Health ............................................................................................... 65 Conclusion ....................................................................................................................... 70 Chapter Three: Blurring Consent and Coercion ............................................................. 72 Legal Debates .................................................................................................................. 72 Freely Given Consent? ................................................................................................... 76 Coerced Consummation ................................................................................................ 82 Conclusion ....................................................................................................................... 88 Afterword.............................................................................................................................. 90 Bibliography ......................................................................................................................... 93 Primary Sources ............................................................................................................... 93 Secondary Sources .......................................................................................................... 95 Gilbert 3 Abstract/Résumé Commentaries on the medieval notion of the "conjugal debt" have often emphasized its reciprocal nature, but its inequality becomes apparent when re-embedded into its theological, medical, and legal contexts. By tracing the theology that accompanied 1 Cor 7:3-4 through selected theologians, l will demonstrate that Paul's words did not function in equivalent ways for both spouses. By examining medieval medical understandings of human physiology, l will ask what it means to 'have authority over a body' when the bodies themselves are not equal. Finally, by demonstrating ways in which consent and coercion blurred together in twelfth-century legal debates, l will ask how meaningful it is to grant spouses equal rights to sex when their marnage may have been coerced. The topic will serve as a broader meditation on what it means to 'have authority over a body' and to conceive of marital sexuality as a system of debt. Alors que certains commentaires modernes sur la notion médiévale de la « dette conjugale» mettent souvent l'emphase sur la nature dite réciproque de celle-ci, son inégalité devient apparente quand elle est replacée dans son contexte théologique, médical, et juridique. En examinant la théologie entourant 1 Co 7, 3-4 dans les œuvres de certains théologiens, je montrerai que les mots de Paul n'imposent pas un fardeau équitable aux deux conjoints. En regardant les théories médicales médiévales de la physiologie humaine, j'aborderai la question de ce qu'il veut dire d' « avoir autorité sur un corpS» lorsque les deux corps ne sont pas égaux. Finalement, en démontrant le peu de différence qui existait entre les concepts du consentement et de la coercition dans des débats juridiques du 12ème siècle, je mettrai en doute la valeur d'accorder aux conjoints un accès égal aux relations sexuelles quand leur consentement au mariage aurait pu être compromis. Ce sujet servira aussi de méditation sur la signification d' « avoir autorité sur un corpS» et de concevoir de la sexualité matrimoniale comme système de dette. Gilbert 4 Acknowledgements When two go together, one ofthem at lea.rt lookJ10rward to see what iJ beJt; a man lry himJe!/ though he be car~fùl j-till haJ leJJ mind in him than two, and hiJ witj- have le.Lr weight. Homer's I1iad 10.224-10.226 Here, at least, what Homer wrote about men applies equally well to women. In writing this thesis, 1 have had the distinct privilege of going together with many individuals, without whom my work may have been careful but would certainly have carried less wit and weight. In the McGill community, 1 have benefited from the forward-looking advice of many. 1 am grateful to my supervisors, Dr. Ellen Aitken and Dr. Torrance Kirby, for convincing me of the continued need of gender-aware work and supporting my pursuit of this tapic. Within the Faculty of Religious Studies, Drs. Daniel Cere and Douglas Farrow generously shared their time with me to offer alternate perspectives on patristic authors. In the Department of History, Dr. Faith Wallis encouraged my interest in the body and helped me to refine my questions, and Dr. Nancy Partner helped me with the sociopolitical backdrop for Gratian's work. Countless librarians helped me along the way, induding Daniel Boyer of the Gelber Law Ubrary and the fine individuals who manage interlibrary loans. Throughout the year, Dr. Robert Myles offered me many chances to growas a teaching assistant under his supervision. Finally, fellow graduate students have offered their support in many ways, and 1 have been fortunate to work among them in our community of learning. Others outside of McGill have helped me to look forward to see what is best. Dr. Marcia Colish of Yale University graciously responded to my inquiries regarding her work on Ambrose. Joan Spiegel, attorney at the Land of Lincoln Legal Assistance Foundation, Inc., invited me to spend a day shadowing work with survivors of domestic violence and introduced me to Marcy Jacobs, Client Services Team Coordinator at the Oasis Women's Center in Aiton, Illinois; both women contributed greatly
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