The question has been raised as to when the Church began to enforce rules
against polygamy and other sexual irregularity.  

Of course, there are many regulations about such matters in the New
Testament.  It is as well to bear in mind that the New Testament was written
by the Church, which existed before the New Testament was written;  indeed,
for best part of a century, before some of its books were written.  Rules in
the New Testament are rules made by the Church;  it is not a case of the
Church coming along afterwards and discovering a rule-book which it may or
may not have read carefully.

In fact, for better or worse, almost every council and synod of the Church
from the earliest times has had something to say about sexual morality.  It
is very far from the truth to say that these matters only came into
prominence in the high Middle Ages.

Thus, Canon XVI the Council of Ancyra in AD 314, legislates against Bestiality:

'Let those who have been guilty of bestial lusts, if they have sinned while
under twenty years of age, be prostrators [i.e. penitents, deprived of the
sacraments] fifteen years, and afterwards communicate in prayers;  then,
having passed five years in this communion, let them have a share in the
oblation . . .'

Canon XVII states, 'Defilers of themselves with beasts, being also leprous,
who have infected others, the holy Synod commands to pray among the
hiemantes [penitents].'

Canon XIX states, 'If any persons who profess virginity shall disregard
their profession, let them fulfil the term as digamists.  And, moreover, we
prohibit women who are virgins from living with men as sisters.'

A bigamist is someone who is married to two women at the same time, as
opposed to a digamist who simple marries a second time,  after his first
wife has died.  Digamy has usually been frowned on, but tolerated;  bigamy
utterly forbidden.

Canon XX states, 'If the wife of anyone has committed adultery or if any man
commit adultery it seems fit that he shall be restored to full communion
after seven years passed in the prescribed degrees [of penance].'

Canon XXI concerns women who have committed fornication and then procured
abortions.

Canon XXIV legislates against divination, which has also been discussed on
the list.

Canon XXV concerns the case of a man who impregnated his sister-in-law.

The Council of NeoCaesarea, which took place about A.D. 315, has a number of
canons on sexual matters:

Canon I.  If a presbyter [priest] marry, let him be removed from his order;
but if he commit fornication or adultery, let him be altogether cast out [of
communion] and put to penance.

Bearing witness to the rule, still maintained in the East (and indeed under
certain circumstances in the West, as in my own case!) that a married man
may be ordained, but a priest may not marry.  All the difference in the world.

Canon II.  If a woman shall have married two brothers, let her be cast out
[of communion] . . .

Canon III.  Concerning those who fall into many marriages, the appointed
time of penance is well known;  but their manner of living and faith
shortens the time.

This would refer to many marriages, one after the other, the intervening
spouses having died - someone like the wife of Bath.  Someone having many
spouses at the same time would not be admitted to communion at all.

Canon IV.  If any man lusting after a woman purposes to lie with her, and
his design does not come to effect, it is evident that he has been saved by
grace.

An interesting way of looking at it.

Canon VII.  A presbyter [priest] shall not be a guest at the nuptials of
persons contracting a second marriage;  for, since the digamist is worthy of
penance, what kind of presbyter shall he be, who, by being present at the
feast, sanctioned the marriage?

Showing that a second marriage, even after the death of the first spouse,
could not be solemnised by the Church.  Of course, this canon has not found
general acceptance.

Canon VIII.  If the wife of a layman has committed adultery and been clearly
convicted, such [a husband] cannot enter the ministry;  and if she commit
adultery after his ordination, he must put her away . . .

Canon IX concerns a priest who committed carnal sin while he was still a
layman;  Canon X makes similiar provision for a deacon.  

The Council of Nicea of AD 325 is considered to be the first Ecumenical or
General Council of the Church;  as such its canons are binding on all
Christians.

Canon I deals with those who have castrated themselves;  it doubtless has in
mind such as Origen who mutilated themselves to avoid temptations to lust.

Canon III forbids clergy of any order to have women living in their houses,
'except only a mother, or sister, or aunt, or such persons only as are
beyond all suspicion.'

The Council of Gangra took place some time between that of Nicea and the
First Council of Constantinople, that is between AD 325 and 381.
Interestingly, this Council had some very positive things to say about
marriage and against those who despise it in favour of virginity:

Canon I.  If any one shall condemn marriage, or abominate and condemn a
woman who is a believer and devout, and sleeps with her own husband, as
though she could not enter the Kingdom [of Heaven], let him be anathema.

Canon IV.  If any one shall maintain, concerning a married presbyter, that
it is not lawful to partake of the oblation when he offers it, let him be
anathema.

	That gentil text can I wel understonde.

Canon IX.  If any one shall remain virgin, or observe continence, abstaining
from marriage because he abhors it, and not on account of the beauty of
holiness of virginity itself, let him be anathema.

Canon X.  If any one of those who are living a virgin life for the Lord's
sake shall treat arrogantly the married, let him be anathema.

Canon XIV.  If any woman shall forsake her husband, and resolve to depart
from him because she abhors marriage, let her be anathema.

The Synod of Laodicea, which took place some time between 343 and 381, has
some canons relevant to our purpose:

Canon I.  It is right, according to the ecclesiastical Canon, that the
Communion should by indulgence be given to those who have freely and
lawfully joined in second marriages, not having previously made a secret
marriage;  after a short space, which is to be spent by them in prayer and
fasting.

This refers to those whose first spouses have died (hence 'lawfully').
These are digamists, not bigamists.  Even so, a small penance is attached to
such a marriage.

Canon XXX.  None of the priesthood, nor clerics, nor ascetics, nor any
christian or layman, shall wash in a bath with women . . .

And on the astrological issue:

Canon XXXVI.  They who are of the priesthood, or of the clergy, shall not be
magicians, enchanters, mathematicians, or astrologers;  nor shall they make
what are called amulets, which are chains for their own souls.  And those
who wear such, we command to be cast out of the Church.

I never was any good at sums!  Actually, 'mathematicians' are those who
calculate the movements of the stars.

The Council of Chalcedon of AD 451 enacted the following Canons, among many
others:

Canon XVI.  It is not lawful for a virgin who has dedicated herself to the
Lord God, nor for monks, to marry . . .

Canon XXVII . . . those who forcibly carry off women under pretence of
marriage, and the aiders or abettors of such ravishers, shall be degraded if
clergymen, and if laymen be anathematized.

The Council 'In Trullo' also known as 'Quinisext' of AD 692 has a number of
canons regulating sexual behaviour.  

Canon III is concerned with priests who have contracted second marriages.

Canon IV concerns those who have had intercourse with nuns.

Canon VI forbids any ordained person from the rank of subdeacon upwards, to
marry (but does not forbid the ordination of married men).

Canon XII forbids a bishop, if married, to live with his wife after his
consecration.

Canon XXVI specifies that 'If a presbyter has through ignorance contracted
an illegal marriage' he must abstain from his ministry.  If you ask how
anyone could contract an illegal marriage through ignorance, a commentator
explains that it refers to a priest before his ordination marrying 'a widow,
or a harlot, or an actress, or any other women such as are forbidden'
without knowing her true circumstances.  

A widow would be included in such a list, as to marry her would constitute a
second marriage, unlawful for a priest.

Canon XXX deals with priests living 'in barbarian churches', who having been
married before their ordination, now wish to put away their wives.  This
would not have been permitted in the territory of the Empire, 'But we have
conceded this to them on no other ground than their narrowness, and foreign
and unsettled manners.'

And so it goes on.  Rarely have two or three been gathered in Christ's name
without making some restriction on human sexuality.

Oriens.



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