by John Boswell
First published 2009
John Boswell traces the Christian West's changing relationship with homosexuality from ancient Greece through Thomas Aquinas. His National Book Award winning research reveals how the early Church included gay members among its priests, bishops, and saints. Boswell draws from extensive historical sources to document shifting attitudes across centuries of Christian history. The study challenged assumptions about the Church's past positions and helped establish gay and gender studies as academic disciplines. Boswell's work demonstrates how intolerance operates as a social force while illuminating forgotten aspects of Western religious history. This comprehensive examination remains relevant to contemporary discussions about Christianity and sexual identity.
Genres: history, gender-studies, non-fiction, lgbt, christianity, academic
Vibes: academic, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: academic, historical, social-issues
Period: Ancient Greece, Thomas Aquinas
442 pages · Kindle Edition · University of Chicago Press