Fellow servants in the Lord : Tertullian on women, the body, and sexual difference in Roman Carthage
This thesis offers an examination of Tertullian's views on women, the body and sexual difference that is primarily historical in interest, with the aim of providing an assessment of how the women in his own community might have heard his ideas, and how they did or did not advance a vision of sexual equality. Previous scholarship on Tertullian and women has foregrounded his theological commitments or sought to place his ideas within the wider Christian tradition. However, there has been little acknowledgement of how his specific historical context influenced his ideas. Moreover, a clear framework for evaluating how egalitarian these ideas are is similarly lacking. This thesis addresses the shortcomings of previous scholarship on Tertullian and women in several ways. First, it situates his work firmly within his specific historical context. To this end, after a general introduction in chapter one, chapter two offers a detailed examination of the Carthaginian Christian community in which Tertullian lived and worshipped, and the position of women within that community. In a similar vein, chapter three offers a thorough exploration of contemporary medical theories about the body, which as I show, represent broad
Thostenson, Kathryn Marie
Tertullian ; Carthaginian Christian community ; position of women ; sexual equality ; Toril Moi ; sexual difference
Fellow servants in the Lord : Tertullian on women, the body, and sexual difference in Roman Carthage. This thesis offers an examination of Tertullian's views on women, the body and sexual difference that is primarily historical in interest, with the aim of providing an assessment of how the women in his own community might have heard his ideas, and how they did or did not advance a vision of sexual equality. Previous scholarship on Tertullian and women has foregrounded his theological commitments or sought to place his ideas within the wider Christian tradition. However, there has been little acknowledgement of how his specific historical context influenced his ideas. Moreover, a clear framework for evaluating how egalitarian these ideas are is similarly lacking. This thesis addresses the shortcomings of previous scholarship on Tertullian and women in several ways. First, it situates his work firmly within his specific historical context. To this end, after a general introduction in chapter one, chapter two offers a detailed examination of the Carthaginian Christian community in which Tertullian lived and worshipped, and the position of women within that community. In a similar vein, chapter three offers a thorough exploration of contemporary medical theories about the body, which as I show, represent broad
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