Against Jovinianus
Encyclopedia
Against Jovinianus is a two-volume treatise
by the Church Father Saint Jerome
.
treatise outlining several opinions:
In addition to this, he held the birth
of Jesus Christ to have been by a "true parturition," and was thus refuting the orthodoxy of the time, according to which, the infant Jesus passed through the walls of the womb as his Resurrection body afterwards did, out of the tomb or through closed doors.
, bishop of Rome
, and it was shortly afterwards condemned in synods at that city and at Milan
about 390
CE.
He subsequently sent Jovinian's books to Jerome, who answered them in the present treatise in 393
. Little is known of Jovinian, but it has been conjectured from Jerome's remark in the treatise against Vigilantius
, where Jovinian is said to have "amidst pheasants and pork rather belched out than breathed out his life," and by a kind of transmigration to have transmitted his opinions into Vigilantius, that he had died before 409
, the date of that work.
. The term does not describe an opposition to the feminist movement, but instead a movement largely against women that was fairly common in antiquity.
The book influenced numerous later medieval writers, including Geoffrey Chaucer
. Such can be seen particularly in The Wife of Bath's Prologue and Tale
, as well as the tales of the other characters.
and virginity
. The first three chapters are introductory. The rest may be divided into three parts:
Treatise
A treatise is a formal and systematic written discourse on some subject, generally longer and treating it in greater depth than an essay, and more concerned with investigating or exposing the principles of the subject.-Noteworthy treatises:...
by the Church Father Saint Jerome
Saint Jerome
Saint Jerome is a Christian church father, best known for translating the Bible into Latin.Saint Jerome may also refer to:*Jerome of Pavia , Bishop of Pavia...
.
Jovinianus' propositions
Jovinianus, about whom little more is known than what is to be found in Jerome's treatise, published a LatinLatin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
treatise outlining several opinions:
- That a virgin is no better, as such, than a wifeWifeA wife is a female partner in a marriage. The rights and obligations of the wife regarding her spouse and others, and her status in the community and in law, varies between cultures and has varied over time.-Origin and etymology:...
in the sight of GodGodGod is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
. - AbstinenceAbstinenceAbstinence is a voluntary restraint from indulging in bodily activities that are widely experienced as giving pleasure. Most frequently, the term refers to sexual abstinence, or abstention from alcohol or food. The practice can arise from religious prohibitions or practical...
is no better than a thankful partaking of foodFoodFood is any substance consumed to provide nutritional support for the body. It is usually of plant or animal origin, and contains essential nutrients, such as carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, or minerals...
. - A person baptizedBaptismIn Christianity, baptism is for the majority the rite of admission , almost invariably with the use of water, into the Christian Church generally and also membership of a particular church tradition...
with the SpiritHoly SpiritHoly Spirit is a term introduced in English translations of the Hebrew Bible, but understood differently in the main Abrahamic religions.While the general concept of a "Spirit" that permeates the cosmos has been used in various religions Holy Spirit is a term introduced in English translations of...
as well as with waterWaterWater is a chemical substance with the chemical formula H2O. A water molecule contains one oxygen and two hydrogen atoms connected by covalent bonds. Water is a liquid at ambient conditions, but it often co-exists on Earth with its solid state, ice, and gaseous state . Water also exists in a...
cannot sinSinIn religion, sin is the violation or deviation of an eternal divine law or standard. The term sin may also refer to the state of having committed such a violation. Christians believe the moral code of conduct is decreed by God In religion, sin (also called peccancy) is the violation or deviation...
. - All sins are equal.
- There is but one grade of punishment and one of reward in the future state.
In addition to this, he held the birth
Birth
Birth is the act or process of bearing or bringing forth offspring. The offspring is brought forth from the mother. The time of human birth is defined as the time at which the fetus comes out of the mother's womb into the world...
of Jesus Christ to have been by a "true parturition," and was thus refuting the orthodoxy of the time, according to which, the infant Jesus passed through the walls of the womb as his Resurrection body afterwards did, out of the tomb or through closed doors.
Response to Jovinianus
Pammachius, Jerome's friend, brought Jovinian's book to the notice of SiriciusPope Siricius
Pope Saint Siricius, Bishop of Rome from December 384 until his death on 26 November 399, was successor to Damasus I and was himself succeeded by Anastasius I....
, bishop of Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, and it was shortly afterwards condemned in synods at that city and at Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
about 390
390
Year 390 was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Augustus and Neoterius...
CE.
He subsequently sent Jovinian's books to Jerome, who answered them in the present treatise in 393
393
Year 393 was a common year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Augustus and Augustus...
. Little is known of Jovinian, but it has been conjectured from Jerome's remark in the treatise against Vigilantius
Vigilantius
Vigilantius, , the presbyter, celebrated as the author of a work, no longer extant, against a number of Catholic practices, which called forth one of the most violent of St Jerome's polemical treatises.-Life and legacy:...
, where Jovinian is said to have "amidst pheasants and pork rather belched out than breathed out his life," and by a kind of transmigration to have transmitted his opinions into Vigilantius, that he had died before 409
409
Year 409 was a common year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Honorius and Theodosius...
, the date of that work.
Antifeminism
The work is considered to be a prime example of antifeminismAntifeminism
Antifeminism is opposition to feminism in some or all of its forms. Modern antifeminists say that the feminist movement has achieved its aims and now seeks higher status for women than for men.-History:...
. The term does not describe an opposition to the feminist movement, but instead a movement largely against women that was fairly common in antiquity.
The book influenced numerous later medieval writers, including Geoffrey Chaucer
Geoffrey Chaucer
Geoffrey Chaucer , known as the Father of English literature, is widely considered the greatest English poet of the Middle Ages and was the first poet to have been buried in Poet's Corner of Westminster Abbey...
. Such can be seen particularly in The Wife of Bath's Prologue and Tale
The Wife of Bath's Prologue and Tale
"The Wife of Bath's Tale" and prologue are among the best-known of Geoffrey Chaucer's Canterbury Tales. They give insight into the role of women in the Late Middle Ages and are probably of interest to Chaucer himself, for the character is one of his most developed ones, with her prologue twice as...
, as well as the tales of the other characters.
Outline of Against Jovinianus
The first book is wholly on the first proposition of Jovinianus, that relating to marriageMarriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
and virginity
Virginity
Virginity refers to the state of a person who has never engaged in sexual intercourse. There are cultural and religious traditions which place special value and significance on this state, especially in the case of unmarried females, associated with notions of personal purity, honor and worth...
. The first three chapters are introductory. The rest may be divided into three parts:
- Chapters 4-13 - An exposition, in Jerome's sense, of St. Paul's teaching in I Cor. 7.
- Chapters 14-39 - A statement of the teaching which Jerome derives from the various books of both the Old and the New Testaments.
- A denunciation of Jovinianus (chapter 40), and the praises of virginity and of jingle marriages derived from examples in the heathen world.
External links
- Jerome, Against Jovinianus (text in English)
- Jerome, Against Jovinianus (text in Latin)
- Jerome, Against Vigilantius (text in English)