The Bishop in the Bedroom: Witnessing Episcopal Sexuality in an Age of Reform

Perhaps we should distinguish here the quality of both crimes; in the two prior cases, even though he practices incest, he is sinning naturally, because he sinned with a woman; in the latter case, by his shameful action with a cleric, he commits a sacrilege on a son, is guilty of the crime of incest...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of the history of sexuality 2010-01, Vol.19 (1), p.17-34
Main Author: MCLAUGHLIN, MEGAN
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Anthropology, Cultural - education
Anthropology, Cultural - history
Archbishops
Bedrooms
Biographers
Bishops
Catholicism
Celibacy
Chastity
Churches
Clergy
Clergy - history
Clergy - psychology
Clerics
Europe - ethnology
History of medicine
History, Medieval
Homosexuality - ethnology
Homosexuality - history
Homosexuality - physiology
Homosexuality - psychology
Influence
Judicial Role - history
Knowledge
Laws, regulations and rules
Lust
Management
Marriage - ethnology
Marriage - history
Marriage - legislation & jurisprudence
Marriage - psychology
Medieval history
Moral conditions
Nonfiction
Pollution
Priests
Protestantism - history
Protestantism - psychology
Religion
Religion and Sex
Religious aspects
Sex crimes
Sexual Abstinence - ethnology
Sexual Abstinence - history
Sexual Abstinence - physiology
Sexual Abstinence - psychology
Sexual Behavior - ethnology
Sexual Behavior - history
Sexual Behavior - physiology
Sexual Behavior - psychology
Sexuality
Society
Spirituality
Studies
Violence - ethnology
Violence - history
Violence - psychology
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Summary:Perhaps we should distinguish here the quality of both crimes; in the two prior cases, even though he practices incest, he is sinning naturally, because he sinned with a woman; in the latter case, by his shameful action with a cleric, he commits a sacrilege on a son, is guilty of the crime of incest on a man, and violates die law of nature.7 When a bishop had sex with a cleric from his own diocese, he combined a breach of the taboos against sex with relatives with a flouting of the laws of nature. The details of episcopal austerities, read on the feast days and anniversary services for departed bishops, provided otiier members of the clergy with valuable information on how they too might approach the problem of sexual continence - by watching their diet, avoiding too much wine, limiting sleep and baths, keeping their hands off themselves, and - above all - praying for the gift of continence.
ISSN:1043-4070
1535-3605
1535-3605
DOI:10.1353/sex.0.0076