Christianity, Social Tolerance, and Homosexuality: Gay People in Western Europe from the Beginning of the Christian Era to the Fourteenth Century

Boswell, John. "Christianity, Social Tolerance, and Homosexuality: Gay People in Western Europe from the Beginning of the Christian Era to the Fourteenth Century", (1980) University of Chicago Press, 2005 (reprint). Attitudes toward Homosexuality Amos Lassen "Christianity, Social Tolerance and Homosexuality" is a look at the attitudes toward homosexuality in the Christian West and it challenges opinions and preconceptions about the relationship of the Church to its gay members among whom are priests, bishops and even canonized saints. John Boswell begins his book with the Greeks and goes through many sources (legal, literary, artistic, scientific and theological) and this volume becomes the most extensive look to date on the subject. Boswell spent over ten years in researching his book and he thys gives us a recolutionary challenge to some of the most familiar assumptions of Western culture. Boswell is able to write about sex with great wit and also with great scholarship and he makes it all very entertaining. The book basically looks at how homosexuality has been treated by the Christian church from the beginning of the Christian era until the 14th century.His thesis is that homosexuality was not recognized then as it is today likewise it was not condemned in the same way. Many close relationships developed into sexual ones and this was not considered in any way unusual. The larger condemnation of homosexuality did not begin until the 13th and 14th centuries when tolerance stopped being the accepted way and the church began its consolidation of power. Christian attitudes toward homosexuality have always been interpretive and there have been various interpretations during different periods of time. This goes against the modern conception in America that homophobia has been always constant in Christianity. Some mant feel that the arguments are thin but it is this book that was the cause of many new studies that have been done and are being done. This is a book that should be read by those gay people who are struggling with self-acceptance and it is a great feeling to realize that Christianity and homophobia are not related. It is an important look at an important issue. It is not perfect but it does give us a great deal to think about.

I was truly astounded by this book. Having grown up in a Christian home, I had heard all the scriptures supposedly regarding gay people many times. Reading this book was a true revelation. I never realized the impact of thousands of years of rewrites and (mis)translations upon the Bible. Moreover, Boswell has researched the history and customs of the ancient world with a remarkable degree of thoroughness, especially when one considers that the available material must of necessity be somewhat fragmented and disjointed due to the passage of so much time.Gay people who are still struggling for self-acceptance must read this book. It was one of the greatest comforts to me to discover that homophobia and Christianity are not related to each other.Homophobic so-called Christians would also do well to read this book, although, having read some of the other reviews posted here, I suppose that people who have made up their minds to hate will continue to do so no matter what.

This is perhaps the most famous work on Christianity and homosexuality, and that reputation is well-deserved. Boswell's study challenged some of the most basic assumptions about the topic, and lit a firestorm of controversy that still burns nearly two decades later. Conservatives respond with venom, liberals with open arms, and I (a moderate?) shake my head and wonder. Ranked by the NYT Book Review as one of the top ten books of the year, 'CSTH' cannot be recommended too highly for its brave exegesis, fascinating examination of personal correspondence, and brilliant scholarship.

I not only had the pleasure of reading this book--surely one of the best works of historical scholarship in the twentieth century--I also had the privilege of taking courses with Professor Boswell. Prof. Boswell demonstrates with convincing scholarship that Christian attitudes toward homosexuality have _always_ been interpretive, and that the interpretations have varied greatly across time. This sharply undercuts the modern American conception, pushed by certain groups, that homophobia is an immutable constant in Christianity. For that reason alone, the book is a must-read for Americans wrestling with the issue of homosexuality. But at the same time, it is a pity that the book is often seen in those terms. The political nature of the issue today means that reactions to Prof. Boswell's work are politicized. But the book can be read by history students as a inspirational primer on method as well. Whether your field is late modern Chinese economic history or Roman military history, this book is a shining example of what historical scholarship is all about.

I shall quote from my web page: If you are gay and Christian, or gay and were Christian, or are Christian and trying not to be gay, get this book. It saved my life. I had huge problems reconciling religion and homosexuality. In chapter 4 (my favorite chapter, entitled "The Scriptures") Boswell shows how New Testament passages are misinterpreted and that for Christians the laws in the Old Testament no longer apply (2 Corinthians 3 is an example). It's interesting to see the change in attitudes through the ages. Actually it's quite amazing and sad. It's fascinating to read about early Church leaders who were gay and how they argued with others who said they were wrong. Definitely get this book; it is amazing. It also has quite interesting poems and letters with homosexual themes.