It was a common practice in some places and at different times throughout history. One could say that it was as common and natural as the oldest profession.
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Jesus never said anything against gays or gay marriage |
Opponents of gay marriage often boast of being the guardians of an ancient tradition, that is only one of heterosexual marriage and that we should not bother with the risk of messing up the foundations and values of our society. Oops, wrong. It turns out that the Christian religion, in certain periods of history, has itself accepted gay marriage. Their rants often include the phrase “PROTECTING THE SANCTITY OF MARRIAGE” when in reality that very sanctity was given often at different times in the history of Western civilization
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St. Catherine’s Monastery, on Mt. Sinai |
"In the famous St. Catherine's Monastery on Mount Sinai, there is an icon. It shows two Christian saints, dressed in ceremonial robes, being united. Their pronubus (ie best man) n ' is nothing less than Jesus Christ. The happy couple is made up of fourth-century Christian martyrs, St. Sergius and St. Bacchus, two men so ".
The Orthodox Christian theologian Severus of Antioch in the sixth century and explained "that we should not separate in speech (Serge and Bacchus) who were joined in life". In a narrative of their lives, in the tenth century, St. Sergius is described as the "gentle companion and lover" of St. Bacchus.
Richard John Boswell, historian of the prestigious Yale University, USA, discovered this part of Christian culture in the pre-modern Europe and wrote about it for nearly twenty years. It describes in his book “The same-sex marriage in the pre-modern Europe” the various organizations dedicated to gay marriage, the existence of an order specifically made to unite men, and get them ready for the blessing of such unions .. .
In its work, the researcher in social history and religion Allan Tulchin of Shippensburg University in Pennsylvania, reached the same conclusions: the idea of gay marriage is not a new idea, and was treated not just with more tolerance in the past but the Church itself embraced it.
"Western family structures have been far more diverse than we now realize," Tulchin writes in September 2007 in the Journal of Modern History. In France, Tulchin has secured contracts from the Middle Ages, which united two men, with the term "affrèrement". The "brothers" united and swore to live together and share "one bread, one wine and one purse." This contract should be before a notary and a witness, like weddings. A kind of medieval Pacs. Allan Tulchin believes it has found "massive evidence to the effect that the affrèrés used to formalize these affrèrements homosexual love relationships."
The Orthodox Christian theologian Severus of Antioch in the sixth century and explained "that we should not separate in speech (Serge and Bacchus) who were joined in life". In a narrative of their lives, in the tenth century, St. Sergius is described as the "gentle companion and lover" of St. Bacchus.
Richard John Boswell, historian of the prestigious Yale University, USA, discovered this part of Christian culture in the pre-modern Europe and wrote about it for nearly twenty years. It describes in his book “The same-sex marriage in the pre-modern Europe” the various organizations dedicated to gay marriage, the existence of an order specifically made to unite men, and get them ready for the blessing of such unions .. .
In its work, the researcher in social history and religion Allan Tulchin of Shippensburg University in Pennsylvania, reached the same conclusions: the idea of gay marriage is not a new idea, and was treated not just with more tolerance in the past but the Church itself embraced it.
"Western family structures have been far more diverse than we now realize," Tulchin writes in September 2007 in the Journal of Modern History. In France, Tulchin has secured contracts from the Middle Ages, which united two men, with the term "affrèrement". The "brothers" united and swore to live together and share "one bread, one wine and one purse." This contract should be before a notary and a witness, like weddings. A kind of medieval Pacs. Allan Tulchin believes it has found "massive evidence to the effect that the affrèrés used to formalize these affrèrements homosexual love relationships."
It was in the thirteenth century, however, that the first laws against sodomy emerged and began to be enforced. Through the next several centuries in the West, all manner of behavior deemed deviant or unnatural began to be condemned, causing a shift from the earlier belief that same-sex unions were “problematic” because they were interpreted as unnatural to the belief that same-sex unions were a serious threat to society—and, like heretics, witches, and Jews, practitioners of such unions were violently repelled. Moreover, by the nineteenth century, heterosexuality became understood as the standard (normal)sexual orientation. Deviations to the norm became understood as diseases which, if not treated, should be suppressed. As a result, same-sex marriage was largely prohibited throughout the West. Meanwhile, missionaries from Western churches forcibly converted indigenous practices (Eskridge). The peak of discrimination came under the Nazi regime, where homosexuals were among the many victims classified as of an inferior race (Ishay).
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| At various times in history, even church-sanctioned same-sex marriages have been conducted |
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| St. Serge and St. Bacchus |
Is the icon suggesting that a
homosexual or same sex marriage
is one sanctified by Christ?
The very idea seems initially shocking. The full answer comes from other sources about the two men featured, St. Serge and St. Bacchus, two Roman soldiers who became Christian martyrs.
While the pairing of saints, particularly in the early church, was not unusual, the association of these two men was regarded as particularly close. Severus of Antioch in the sixth century explained that "we should not separate in speech [Serge and Bacchus] who were joined in life." More bluntly, in the definitive 10th century Greek account of their lives, St. Serge is openly described as the "sweet companion and lover" of St. Bacchus. The ceremonies Boswell describes
had all the contemporary symbols
of a marriage.
- A community gathered in a church
- A blessing of the couple before the altar
- Their right hands joined as at heterosexual marriages
- The participation of a priest
- The taking of the Eucharist
- A wedding banquet afterwards
Emperor Basil was no sissy, he was said to be extremely handsome and strong (a bear by present day standards, if you will) and an excellent warrior who led troops into battle fearlessly. It is said that when his companion and lover was killed by Bulgarians he ordered to blind all the Bulgarian soldiers, leaving only one man out of a hundred with one eye so he could lead these defeated soldiers back to their Czar.
Dr. Boswell lists in detail some same sex union ceremonies found in ancient church liturgical documents.
Same Sex Unions In Pre-Modern Europe,
by John Boswell
by John Boswell
One Greek 13th century "Order for Solemnization of Same Sex Union," having invoked St. Serge and St. Bacchus, called on God to
Another 14th century Serbian Slavonic "Office of the Same Sex Union," uniting two men or two women, had the couple having their right hands laid on the Gospel while having a cross placed in their left hands. Having kissed the Gospel, the couple were then required to kiss each other, after which the priest, having raised up the Eucharist, would give them both communion.
Ancient marriage records can be found
in libraries across Europe.
Boswell found records of same sex unions in such diverse archives as those in the Vatican, in St. Petersburg, in Paris, Istanbul, and in Sinai, covering a period from the 8th to 18th centuries. Nor is he the first to make such a discovery. The Dominican Jacques Goar (1601-1653) includes such ceremonies in a printed collection of Greek prayer books.
At St. John Lateran in Rome (traditionally the Pope's parish church) in 1578,
St. John Lateran Church, Rome
as many as 13 couples were "married" at Mass with the apparent cooperation of the local clergy,
Gay people have partnered
for thousands of years
To Egyptologists, homosexual unions is nothing unusual as the Pharaohs had at times acquired male concubines and homosexuality was common as it is documented in many hieroglyphics. Those who have studied Chinese history can also tell you that there were many Emperors who took on male concubines and even used Eunuchs for sexual release.
While the Roman emperors and soldiers alike had a predilection for young male companions, it is also documented that Nero himself had at least two male homosexual relationships and there were many soldiers who took along their male lovers into the battlefield to offer them comfort, warmth and sexual intimacy.
The Greeks...we'll talk about that in another post, but suffice it to say that they often had prepubescent and teenage bed companions.
While the Roman emperors and soldiers alike had a predilection for young male companions, it is also documented that Nero himself had at least two male homosexual relationships and there were many soldiers who took along their male lovers into the battlefield to offer them comfort, warmth and sexual intimacy.
The Greeks...we'll talk about that in another post, but suffice it to say that they often had prepubescent and teenage bed companions.
Another woman to woman union is recorded in Dalmatia in the 18th century. Many questionable historical claims about the church have been made by some recent writers in The Irish Times newspaper.
Boswell's academic study however is so well researched and sourced as to pose fundamental questions for both modern church leaders and heterosexual Christians concerning their attitude toward homosexuality.To claim that TRADITIONAL MARRIAGE is in jeopardy and to ignore the evidence of the tons of document of the church’s own archives is hypocritical; evidence which very clearly shows that their attitude is a recent change. If you do the math, for 1,400 years before religions became homophobic, they were even conducting same sex unions, accepted as valid expressions of a God-given ability to love and commit to another person, a love that could be celebrated, honored and blessed both in the name of and through the Eucharist in the presence of Jesus Christ; as opposed to the more recent 600 years that religions have embarked on this homophobic tirade.
Jim Duffy, the author of this article, is an Irish political reporter, commentator and researcher.
Gay Marriage really is about equal rights,
civil rights
and human rights.
civil rights
and human rights.
Everyone should have the right to get married and enjoy legal protections for their committed, faithful partnership which only legal marriage provides. Homophobia by the general public and by the different Evangelical and Catholic religions is something pretty new, repugnant and hypocritical since religions actually blessed and supported same sex unions in the past. They even elevated some of these homosexuals into sainthood, which would be totally contrary to what the Catholic Church predicates today.
Once more, the beef against homosexuality stems from the Old Testament and what I consider erroneous interpretations because Jesus himself never, ever said anything against homosexuality.
Helpful Links Dealing With Gay Marriage
John Boswell
earned the Ph.D. in History from Harvard University in 1975. He became a full professor at Yale University
in 1982.
in 1982.
SOURCES: http://www.slate.fr/
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