What was the net effect of the Reformation on the dignity of women and perceptions about marriage? This is the question we have to think about as background to our work on today's readings. Beginning with King, what is her evaluation of women's status in relation to the Reformation? Did it increase, decrease, or change in ways that cancelled out positives and negatives?

Now take a look at the Luther reading, and revisit the question. Does Luther show greater, less, or about the same respect for women as other writers we have read--particularly Castiglione, or Alberti? Is there misogyny in this treatise, or are there arguments against it?

Further questions:

• How does Luther view sexual intercourse? What exactly is the sex drive, according to his understanding? Do you agree or disagree with him?
• What are the three categories of persons who should not marry? What do you make of the third category--might nuns and monks be considered as falling under this description? Why do you suppose Luther would disagree?
• How does Luther refute the Roman church's enumeration of impediments to marriage? What common threads are there in his arguments for each case?
• What are the three acceptable grounds for divorce, according to Luther?
• How does Luther believe adulterers should be punished? Why?
• How does Luther believe those who refuse their spouses' requests for sex should be punished? Why?

• What about the case of a spouse who is an invalid? Does Luther contradict himself here?
• Why is should marriage be a delight, according to Luther?
• What should be the man's role in childrearing, even of infants?
• What is his teaching regarding fornication?
• Finally, how does he respond to concerns about financial limitations?

The Harrington reading has been taken from a book-length study arguing for continuity rather than radical change in marriage law between Catholics and Protestants. One thing he points out is that divorce, while legal among Protestants, was granted only rarely, and only under extraordinary circumstances. The selectiion for today (which ends rather abruptly; just read to the beginning of the next section division on page 84) focuses on what Protestant reformers inherited from the Catholic tradition. It covers some ground that I have already begun to discuss in class; you learn here about the basis for turning marriage into a sacrament, and about what constitutes a marriage, including the centrality of consent. Gratian was a twelfth-century monk who wrote the Decretum, a work that was central to canon law, reconciling Christian and Roman law sources. Peter Lombard was a theologian whose Sentences became the favored textbook for theological students in the universities. The Fourth Lateran Council of 1215 was a council of the church that made efforts at achieving clarity on a large variety of issues, including marriage.

Questions:

• What is the Augustinian teaching on marriage, in particular, the three benefits (triplex bonum) resulting from marriage?
• What is the inherent contradiction in Catholic teaching on marriage, which Protestant theologians were unable to overcome?
• What is the basis for the enforcement of clerical celibacy? When did this become the norm?
• What innovations on the part of the theologians and canonists were most significant?
• What is the reason for, and the effect of, the Protestant theologians' desacramentalizing marriage?
• What reformers, Catholic and Protestant, played a key role in rethinking the status of marriage?
• What new popular literature emerged in the aftermath of the Protestant reform? What concerns does this literature illustrate?

Laurel Carrington carringt@stolaf.edu
Most recent update: January 23, 2008

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