A Short History of Women's Rights: From the Days of Augustus to the Present Time. with Special Reference to England and the United States. Second Edition Revised, With Additions.Hecker, Eugene A. (Eugene Arthur)
History
A Short History of Women's Rights: From the Days of Augustus to the Present Time. with Special Reference to England and the United States. Second Edition Revised, With Additions.
Hecker, Eugene A. (Eugene Arthur)
Women's rights -- History
We would, therefore, expect to find in the teachings of the Apostles an
expression of Jewish, i.e., Eastern ideals on the subject of women; and
we do so find them. Following the express commands of Christ, they
exhorted to sexual purity and reiterated his injunctions on the matter
of divorce. They went much farther and began to legislate on more minute
details. Paul allows second marriages to women[217]; but thinks it
better for a widow to remain as she is.[218] It is better to marry than
to burn; yet would he prefer that men and women should remain in
celibacy.[219] The power of the father to arrange a marriage for his
daughter was, under Roman law, limited by her consent; but the words of
Paul make it clear that it was now to be a Christian precept that a
father could determine on his own responsibility whether his daughter
should remain a virgin.[220] Wives are to be in subjection to their
husbands, and "let the wife see that she fear her husband."[221] Woman
is the weaker vessel[222]; she is to be silent in church; if she desires
to learn anything, she should ask her husband at home.[223] Furthermore:
"I permit not a woman to teach, nor to have dominion over a man, but to
be in quietness. For Adam was first formed, then Eve; and Adam was not
beguiled, but the woman being beguiled hath fallen into transgression;
but she shall be saved through childbearing, if they continue in faith
and love and sanctification with sobriety."[224] The apparel of women
also evoked legislation from the Apostles. Women were to pray with their
heads veiled "for the man is not of the woman, but the woman for the
man."[225] Jewels, precious metal, and costly garments were unbecoming
the modest woman.[226]
In this early stage of Christianity we may already distinguish three
conceptions that were quite foreign to the Roman jurist: I. The
inferiority and weakness of women was evident from the time of Eve and
it was an act of God that punished all womankind for Eve's
transgression. Woman had been man's evil genius. II. She was to be
submissive to father or husband and not bring her will in opposition to
theirs. III. She must not be prominent in public, she must consider her
conduct and apparel minutely, and she was exhorted to remain a virgin,
as being thus in a more exalted position. At the same time insistence
was placed on the fact that a virgin, wife, and widow must be given due
honour and respect, must be provided for, and allowed her share in
taking part in those interests of the community which were considered
her sphere.
If, now, we examine the writings of the Church Fathers, we shall see
these ideas elaborated with all the vehemence of religious zeal.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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