Eleanor McLaughlin: Equality of Souls, Inequality of Sexes: Women in Medieval Theology Part II
A Philosophical study of Thomas Aquinas and Aristotle:
KEY FACTS:
The Christian Church in Saint Thomas Aquinas day, had a problem with its members and marriage.
Basically Coitus (sex), and concupiscence (lust) led to irrationality, thus the body, the earthly push towards earth, would be in charge.
Rationality was to be sought during fornication, thus the male was supposed to remain impassionate, and proceed like a farmer sowing seeds in a field.
According to Saint Thomas, the less lust in fornication, the less labor pain would be received by the woman giving birth.
Saint Thomas Preached that there were three main ways for a woman to serve God, and their order was from best to worst:
1. Virginal following of God in a religious life.
2. The Aristotle notion of Continent Widowhood (Celibacy).
3. Marriage, which was considered a remedy for the sin of lust, and the least desired.
Saint Thomas believed that if the Woman's Hymen could be preserved, her virginity would be undisturbed. He believed the deflowering of women, was a corruption of the female body. He again stresses her ultimate reason for being is to aid in the act of reproduction, and she is more involved, than is the male, but her role is however, subordinate, and auxiliary.
A Philosophical study of Thomas Aquinas and Aristotle:
KEY FACTS:
The Christian Church in Saint Thomas Aquinas day, had a problem with its members and marriage.
Basically Coitus (sex), and concupiscence (lust) led to irrationality, thus the body, the earthly push towards earth, would be in charge.
Rationality was to be sought during fornication, thus the male was supposed to remain impassionate, and proceed like a farmer sowing seeds in a field.
According to Saint Thomas, the less lust in fornication, the less labor pain would be received by the woman giving birth.
Saint Thomas Preached that there were three main ways for a woman to serve God, and their order was from best to worst:
1. Virginal following of God in a religious life.
2. The Aristotle notion of Continent Widowhood (Celibacy).
3. Marriage, which was considered a remedy for the sin of lust, and the least desired.
Saint Thomas believed that if the Woman's Hymen could be preserved, her virginity would be undisturbed. He believed the deflowering of women, was a corruption of the female body. He again stresses her ultimate reason for being is to aid in the act of reproduction, and she is more involved, than is the male, but her role is however, subordinate, and auxiliary.