Virginity,Singleness and Celibacy: Late Fourth-Century and Recent Evangelical Visions of Unmarried Christians

Abstract

Within the Evangelical world of family values, a small but intriguing group of recent books have been developing a vision of Christian celibacy that challenges assumptions about singleness and marriage. Many of these books are partly inspired by the writings of the Early Church. By comparing these books with similarly themed late fourth-century virginity treatises, this study explores how each develops an understanding of committed abstinent singleness as an holistic and positive way of life that goes beyond mere abstinence.

The categories of calling, commitment and sexuality are used to contrast Patristic virginity treatises by Gregory of Nyssa, Ambrose of Milan and John Chrysostom with contemporary books on Christian singleness or celibacy by Laura A. Smit, Annemarie S. Kidder, Barry Danylak and Christine A. Colón and Bonnie E. Field. This study focuses on the details of why people would choose such a life, what exactly they are committing to, and how they would handle sexual desire. Each source in its own way shows virginity/celibacy as a way of life, which, parallel with marriage, uniquely expresses love, service and a way of being conformed to the image of Christ.