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John Chrysostom and the Subintroductae

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 July 2009

Elizabeth A. Clark
Elizabeth A. Clark
Affiliation:
professor of religion in Mary Washington College, Fredericksburg, Virginia.
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Extract

When physical affections are destroyed and tyrannical desire extinguished, then no hindrance will any longer stand in the way of men and women being together, because all evil suspicion will be cleared away and all who have entered the kingdom of heaven can maintain the way of life of the angels and spiritual powers, through the grace and love of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom with the Father and the Holy Spirit be glory, honor, and dominion from age to age. Amen.1

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Type
Research Article
Information
Church History , Volume 46 , Issue 2 , June 1977, pp. 171 - 185
Copyright
Copyright © American Society of Church History 1977

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References

1. Chrysostom, John, Adversus eos qui apud se habent subintroductas virgines 13Google ScholarMigne, J. P., Patrologiae Cursus Completus: Series Graeca [Hereafter, PG] 47, 514).Google Scholar Hereafter abbreviated as Adv. eos. The numberings of the sections given in Migne do not always correspond with those of other editions.

2. Achelis, Hans, Virgines Subintroductae: Ein Beitrag zum VII Kapitel des I. Korintherbriefs (Leipzig, 1902).Google Scholar

3. Achelis, Hans, “Agapetae,” Encyclopedia of Religion and Ethics, ed. Hasting, James (New York, 1926), 1:177.Google Scholar

4. Achelis, , Virgines, p. 27.Google Scholar

5. Bailey, Derrich Sherwin, Sexual Relation in Christian Thought (New York, 1959), p. 33.Google Scholar

6. Achelis, , “Agapetae,” p. 178.Google Scholar

7. Achelis, , Virgines, p. 73.Google Scholar

8. Similitudes 9, 10f; also see 10, 3. Labriolle, Pierre de, “Le ‘Manage Spirituel’ dans l'Antiquité Chrétienne,” Revue Historique 137 (1921): 210,Google Scholar denies that the Similitudes can be used as an apology for spiritual marriage.

9. Irenaeus, , Adversus haereses 1, 6, 3.Google Scholar

10. Pseudo-Clement, , Epistola 1, 10;Google ScholarEp. 2, 1 and 10.

11. Pseudo-Clement, , Ep. 2, 15.Google Scholar

12. Tertullian, , De exhortatione castitatis 12;Google ScholarDe monogamia 16.

13. Cyprian, , Ep. 62Google Scholar and Ep. 6, 5 (PL numberings; Oxford Ep. 4 and Ep. 13).

14. Text in Cypniani, S. Thasci Caecili, Opera Omnia, ed. Hartel, W. (Corpus Scriptorum Eccleisasticorum Latinorum 3, 3) (Vienna, 1871), pp. 173–220.Google Scholar The treatise is discussed by Achelis, , Virgines, pp. 36–42.Google Scholar

15. Eusebius, of Emesa, , Homilia 7, 20 and 22.Google Scholar The subject is discussed in Mendieta, David Amand de, “La Virginité chez Eusèbe d'Emèse et l'Ascétisme Familial dans la Premiere Moitié du IVe Siècle,” Revue d'Histoire Ecclésiastique 50 (1955): 777–820.Google Scholar

16. Grillet, Bernard, “Introduction,” Jean Chrysotome: La Virginité (Paris, 1966), p. 37,Google Scholar n. 1, asserts that Chrysostom may have been familiar with Eusebius' writings.

17. Gregory, of Nyssa, , De virginitate 23:Google ScholarBasil, of Caesarea, , Ep. 55;Google ScholarGregory, of Nazianzus, , Epigrammata 10–20.Google Scholar

18. Jerome, , Ep. 22, 14.Google Scholar

19. English translation in New Testament Apocrypha, ed. W. Schneemelcher-E. Hennecke (Philadelphia, 1963–1966), 2: 141–164.Google Scholar

20. See Achelis, , Virgines, pp. vii–viii;Google Scholar and Seboldt, Roland H. A., “Spiritual Marriage in the Early Church: A Suggested Interpretation of I Cor. 7: 36–38,” Concordia Theological Monthly 30 (1959): 176–184Google Scholar for further references.

21. Eusebius, of Caesarea, , Historia ecclesiastica 7, 29.Google Scholar

22. Eusebius, of Caesarea, , His. eccles. 7, 30.Google ScholarQuadt, Felix, “Subintroductae Mulier,” Zeitschrzft für Kathologische Theologie 34 (1910): 228–231,Google Scholar disagrees with Achelis' view that syneisaktoi was translated as subintroductae for the first time in the sixth century; he presents evidence from an early fifth century translation of the canons of the Sixth Synod of Carthage (419) for his opinion.

23. See Labriolle, , “Le ‘Mariage Spirituel,’” p. 222Google Scholar for a list of councils condemning the practice. Achelis, (Virgines, p. 35)Google Scholar thinks that the medieval decrees are protesting against outright concubinage, not spiritual marriage.

24. Reynolds, Roger, “Virgines Subintroductae in Celtic Christianity,” Harvard Theological Review 61 (1968): 547–566.Google Scholar

25. Vööbus, Arthur, History of Asceticism in the Syrian Orient (Louvain, 1958), 1: 78–83.Google Scholar

26. Achelis, (Virgines, p. 13)Google Scholar discusses the evidence for Montanist adoption of the practice in North Africa. Tertullian and Cyprian witness to the practice in this area.

27. Achelis, , Virgines, p. 60,Google Scholar for a list.

28. Seboldt, Roland, “Spiritual Marriage,” p. 184,Google Scholar and Achelis, , Virgines, p. 59.Google Scholar

29. Grafe, Eduard, “Geistliche Verlöbnisse bei Paulus,” Theologische Arbeiten aus dem rheinischen wissenschaftlichen Prediger-Verein, N. F. 3 (1899): 57–69.Google Scholar

30. Achelis, , Virgines, pp. 21–29.Google Scholar

31. Numerous commentaries have been written on these verses. See Seboldt, “Spiritual Marriage”; O'Rourke, John J., “Hypotheses Regarding I Corinthians 7: 36–38,” The Catholic Biblical Quarterly 20 (1958): 292–298;Google Scholar and Kümmel, Werner Georg, “Verlobung und Heirat bei Paulus (I Cor. 7: 36–38),” Neu-Testamentliche Studien für Rudolf Bultmann (Berlin, 1954), pp. 276–277,Google Scholar n. 1, for references. Also see the commentaries mentioned below.

32. See Hurd, John C. Jr, The Origin of I Corinthians (New York, 1965), pp. 172–175.Google Scholar

33. See Hurd, , Origins, p. 173;Google ScholarAllo, E. B., Saint Paul Premiere Epitre aux Corinthians, 2nd ed. (Paris, 1956), p. 192;Google Scholar and Achelis, , Virgines, p. 22.Google Scholar

34. See Kümmel, , “Verlobung,” pp. 287–288;Google ScholarAllo, , Saint Paul, pp. 192–193;Google ScholarO'Rourke, , “Hypotheses,” p. 294;Google ScholarSeboldt, , “Spiritual Marriage,” pp. 107–108,Google Scholar as well as the standard commentaries on I Corinthians by C. K. Barrett and Hans Conzelmann for discussions of this translation problem.

35. Advocated by Kümmel, , “Verlobung,” pp. 275–295,Google Scholar and followed by Chadwick, Henry, “‘All Things to All Men’ (I Cor. 9:22),” New Testament Studies 1 (1954): 267,Google Scholar and by Barrett, C. K., A Commentary on the First Epistle to the Corinthians (London, 1968), p. 184.Google Scholar

36. Achelis thinks there are pre-Christian precedents for the practice in Philo's description of the Therapeutae. See Achelis, , Virgines, pp. 29–31.Google ScholarOepke, A., “gyne,” Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, ed. Kittel, G., trans. and ed. Bromiley, G. W. (Grand Rapids, 1964), 1: 779Google Scholar thinks there were also pagan precedents, and refers us to Reitzenstein's, R.Hellenistische Wundererzählungen (Stuttgart, 1963), p. 146 f.Google Scholar

37. Achelis, , Virgines, pp. 21–23.Google Scholar

38. Achelis, , Virgines, p. 28.Google Scholar

39. Bailey, D. S., Sexual Relation, p. 33.Google Scholar

40. Hurd, John C. Jr, The Origin, pp. 179–180.Google Scholar

41. Héring, Jean, The First Epistle of Saint Paul to the Corinthians, trans. from the 2nd French ed. by Heathcote, A. W. and Allcock, P. J. (London, 1962), p. 64.Google Scholar

42. See O'Rourke, , “Hypotheses,” p. 294.Google Scholar

43. So Chadwick, Henry, “‘All Things,’” p. 267.Google Scholar For Ephraem's view on this matter, see Vööbus, Arthur, Celibacy, A Requirement For Admission to Baptism in the Early Syrian Church (Stockholm, 1951), pp. 23–25.Google Scholar

44. Chysostom, John, De virg. 78Google Scholar

45. Chrysostom, John, Homilia 19 1 Cor., 6.Google Scholar

46. Socrates, (Hist. eccles. VI, 3)Google Scholar gives the earlier date; Palladius, (Dialogus 5),Google Scholar the later. Dumortier, Jean, “La Date des Deux Traités de Saint Jean Chrysostome aux Moines et aux Vierges,” Mélanges de Science Religieuse 6 (1949),Google Scholar thinks that they were originally written in 381–383 (Jerome, he postulates, used the second treatise in writing Ad Eustochium), but this does not preclude Chrysostom's having published them again in Constantinople when confronted with the same problem (pp. 251–252).

47. Achelis, , Virgines, p. 52Google Scholar thinks the men were monks only, not clerics, or Chrysostom could have used the canons of Nicaea against them. He also suggests that the situation in Constantinople, in which rich women took men into their homes, was an unusual arrangement (pp. 52–53, 56).

48. Adv. eos 1 (PG 47, 496) and 2 (PG 47, 497).

49. Jerome, , Ep. 22, 13 and 14.Google Scholar

50. Quod regulares feminae viris cohabitare non debeant 5 (PG 47, 523). (Hereafter abbreviated as Quod reg.) Also Adv. eos 2 (PG 47, 497).

51. Quod reg. 2 (PG 47, 516).

52. Adv. eos 1 (PG 47, 496).

53. Adv. eos 3 (PG 47, 498).

54. Adv. eos 1 (PG 47, 496–497).

55. Adv. eos 2 (PG 47, 497).

56. Hom. 17 Matt., 2.

57. Quod reg. 1 (PG 47, 515) and 3 (PG 47, 519–520).

58. Quod reg. 7 (PG 47, 528). Chrysostom reminds them that Adam and Eve were content with garments of skins! (Quod reg. 7, PG 47, 527–528).

59. Quod reg. 1 (PG 47, 515) and 3 (PG 47, 501).

60. Adv. eos 5 (PG 47, 502).

61. Adv. eos 5 (PG 47, 501).

62. Adv. eos 3 (PG 47, 499) and 3 (PG 47, 498); Quod reg. 5 (PG 47, 522). Hurd, John, The Origin, p. 181,Google Scholar stresses the similarity between Paul's approach to marriage problems and his approach to the difficulties arising from the meat offered to idols.

63. Adv. eos 4 (PG 47, 499); Quod reg. 6 (PG 47, 527).

64. Adv. eos 6 (PG 47, 502–503).

65. Adv. eos 5 (PG 47, 501).

66. Adv. eos 13 (PG 47, 514).

67. Quod reg. 2 (PG 47, 516).

68. Quod reg. 6 (PG 47, 526).

69. De virg. 6.

70. Quod reg. 7 (PG 47, 528).

71. Quod reg. 9 (PG 47, 532).

72. Quod reg. 1 (PG 47, 515).

73. Adv. eos 6 (PG 47, 503).

74. Adv. eos 6 (PG 47, 504).

75. Adv. eos 7 (PG 47, 504–505).

76. Adv. eos 9 (PG 47, 507). One wonders if Chrysostom's contemporaries believed this argument.

77. Adv. eos 9 (PG 47, 508).

78. Quod reg. 4 (PG 47, 520).

79. Quod reg. 4 (PG 47, 521).

80. Adv. eos 9 (PG 47, 508) and Quod reg. 4 (PG 47, 520).

81. Hom. 19 I Cor., 6.

82. Quod reg. 8 (PG 47, 530).

83. Quod reg. 9 (PG 47, 530).

84. Adv. eos 6 (PG 47, 504).

85. Adv. eos 9 (PG 47, 508).

86. Adv. eos 9 (PG 47, 507).

87. Adv. eos 6 (PG 47, 503–504).

88. Adv. eos 1 (PG 47, 496).

89. Ibid.

90. Adv. eos 10 (PG 47, 509).

91. Adv. eos 11 (PG 47, 510).

92. Adv. eos 9 (PG 47, 508).

93. Adv. eos 10 (PG 47, 509).

94. Adv. eos 9 (PG 47, 507).

95. Adv. eos 10 (PG 47, 509).

96. Adv. eos 10 (PG 47, 510).

97. Adv. eos 11 (PG 47, 511).

98. Quod reg. 6 (PG 47, 524).

99. Adv. eos 11 (PG 47, 511).

100. Quod reg. 6 (PG 47, 524). Chrysostom appears to have forgotten that the profession of virginity removed the curse of Genesis 3:16 from women, a point he made in this very treatise and elsewhere. See Quod reg. 8 (PG 47, 530) and De virg. 65.

101. Quod reg. 5 (PG 47, 523).

102. Dumortier, Jean, “Le Mariage dans les Milieux Chrétiens d'Antioche et de Byzance d'après Saint Jean Chrysostome,” Lettres d'Humanité 6 (1947): 149.Google ScholarAchelis, , Virgines, p. 28,Google Scholar notes that many of these women were not content to take a subordinate place in a married couple's home, assuming servant duties.

103. Homilia 66 Matt., 3.

104. Archelis, , Virgines, p. 4.Google Scholar

105. Ibid., pp. 72–75.

106. Olympias was without doubt his true soul-mate. lut his other letters are not nearly so personal. Chrysostom's letters are found in PG 52.

107. For example, see Serm. 5 Gen., 1 and 3; Hom. 26 I Cor., 2. See Clark, Elizabeth A., “Sexual Politics in the Writings of John Chrysostom,” The Anglican Theological Review (01 1977): 3–20.Google Scholar

108. Hom. 5 Tit., 4.

109. Ep. 94; De virg. 7; De S. Droside 3.

110. See Aristotle, , Eth. Nic. VIII, 6–8 (1158b1–1159b20).Google Scholar

111. Adu. eos 10 (PG 47, 510) and 13 (PG 47, 514); Quad reg. 6 (PG 47, 524) and 8 (PG 47, 529).

112. Dumortier, , “Manage,” p. 107.Google Scholar

113. Adv. eos 13 (PG 47, 514).

114. Quad reg. 6 (PG 47, 525).

115. Achelis, , Virgines, p. 74.Google Scholar

116. Meeks, Wayne A., “The Image of the Androgyne: Some Uses of a Symbol in Earliest Christianity,” History of Religions 13 (1973–1974): 202.Google Scholar

117. Adv. eos 13 (PG 47, 513).

118. Adv. eos 4 (PG 47, 500).

119. Adv. eos 5 (PG 47, 501).