The wife of Jesus : ancient texts and modern scandals /
Anthony Le Donne.
- xi, 210 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm.
Includes bibliographical references (pages 191-199) and indexes.
According to the flesh -- Substance and shadow -- Something about Mary -- Mrs. Christ -- Smithing Jesus -- From Persia, with love -- Average Joe -- Alternative lifestyle -- Bride of Christ -- Was Jesus married?
Approaching the subject of Jesus' marital status from a fresh, historical perspective and without appealing to sensationalist stories or dismissing Jesus' sexuality on theological grounds, Le Donne places Jesus firmly within his sociocultural context. By investigating gender and marriage norms -- as well as a number of social outliers who defied them -- he provocatively argues that Jesus might have been married before he was thirty years of age. Le Donne then points to several indicators that suggest that Jesus was a sexual non-conformist and probably was single during his public career. It is a quest that illuminates the humanity of Jesus, while also revealing important connections between ancient sexuality and modern spirituality.
9781780743059 178074305X
Jesus Christ--Historicity. Jesus Christ--Biography--History and criticism. Jesus Christ--Person and offices.