Breaking Boundaries

This scholarly and timely study deals with a much neglected aspect of Christian history: the phenomenon of heterosexual friendship. Through a variety of early Christian sources Professor Rader traces the origins and development of Christian friendship from the third through the fifth centuries, a period which generally fostered a climate inhospitable to authentic friendships between men and women. By examining the social and religious worlds of early Christianity the author explains how and why heterosexual friendships were possible, and presents lively depictions of this reciprocal affection between individuals which was not dependent upon (though not necessarily devoid of) sexual attraction. The author discusses the role of celibacy in establishing mutuality of goals which minimized or eliminated those inequalities disallowing friendship between men and women. Literary evidence demonstrated that various beliefs, practices, and rituals emphasizing the unity of early Christians called for an expansion of generally accepted paradigm for male/female relationships (i.e., marriage) so as to include other segments of society. The author discusses the implications of this friendship ideal and practice not only for early Christiana societies but for subsequent centuries which witnessed to the permanent value of spirituality-oriented, but humanly real, affection between men and women.…