Christianity and Sexuality in the Early Modern World

This book surveys the ways in which Christian ideas and institutions shaped sexual norms and conduct from the time of Luther and Columbus to that of Thomas Jefferson. It is global in scope and geographic in organization, with chapters on Protestant, Catholic, and Orthodox Europe, Latin America, Africa and Asia, and North America. The volume explores such topics as marriage and divorce, fornication and illegitimacy, clerical sexuality, witchcraft and love magic, homosexuality, and moral crimes. It examines learned and popular notions of sexuality in and outside of Christian Europe, the development of institutions to enforce Christian standards, and the role of class, race, family, economy, and local traditions in shaping sexual behavior.