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Regulating Sex in the Roman Empire

Regulating Sex in the Roman Empire Ideology, the Bible, and the Early Christians - Synkrisis : Comparative Approaches to Early Christianity in Greco-Roman Culture

Hardback (05 Jan 2018)

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Publisher's Synopsis

A New Testament scholar challenges the belief that American family values are based on "Judeo-Christian" norms by drawing unexpected comparisons between ancient Christian theories and modern discourses

Challenging the long-held assumption that American values-be they Christian or secular-are based on "Judeo-Christian" norms, this provocative study compares ancient Christian discourses on marriage and sexuality with contemporary ones, maintaining that modern family values owe more to Roman Imperial beliefs than to the bible.

Engaging with Foucault's ideas, Wheeler-Reed examines how conservative organizations and the Supreme Court have misunderstood Christian beliefs on marriage and the family. Taking on modern cultural debates on marriage and sexuality, with implications for historians, political thinkers, and jurists, this book undermines the conservative ideology of the family, starting from the position that early Christianity, in its emphasis on celibacy and denunciation of marriage, was in opposition to procreation, the ideological norm in the Greco-Roman world.

About the Publisher

Yale University Press

By publishing serious works that contribute to a global understanding of human affairs, Yale University Press aids in the discovery and dissemination of light and truth, lux et veritas, which is a central purpose of Yale University. The publications of the Press are books and other materials that further scholarly investigation, advance interdisciplinary inquiry, stimulate public debate, educate both within and outside the classroom, and enhance cultural life. In its commitment to increasing the range and vigor of intellectual pursuits within the university and elsewhere, Yale University Press continually extends its horizons to embody university publishing at its best.

Book information

ISBN: 9780300227727
Publisher: Yale University Press
Imprint: Yale University Press
Pub date:
DEWEY: 261.83509015
DEWEY edition: 23
Language: English
Number of pages: 200
Weight: 438g
Height: 238mm
Width: 162mm
Spine width: 19mm