Lecture 7: Role of Wealthy Women in Church

1. Lecture 7: Role of Wealthy Women in Church 14 March 2013

2. Outline • Women in Roman Empire • Women and Wealth in Antiquity • Widows in the New Testament • Church Fathers and Women • Women in Politics and Economics • A sidebar on Augustine and Jerome on Virginity and Marriage • Jerome’s “Letter to Eustochium” • Augustine’s “Letter to Proba”

3. Women of Means in Late Antiquity • Women were under strict control of the paterfamiliaor her husband if the paterfamilia transferred control to the husband • Marriage in manu: under husband’s complete control • Marriage sine manu: under father’s control • Marriage sine manu usually meant a woman had much more control over her business affairs, especially after death of father • However, a woman with 3 or 4 children became sui iurisor independent in her own right

4. Inheritance Laws and Women • Very complex, and change often • At times there were extremely harsh tax confiscation of inheritances • Evolving definitions of marriage, legitimate heirs and variations in social status • Roman practice of adult adoption • Important Constantinian change: Church can inherit property from men or women • Some limits placed on extent Church can ‘disinherit’ rightful heirs

5. An Example from 2nd C Alexandria • See http://www.stoa.org/diotima/anthology/wlgr/wlgr-romanlegal148.shtml • An Alexandrian, having no children by his wife, may not bequeath to her more than one quarter of his estate; if he does have children by her, her share may not exceed those of each son. 23. It is not permitted to Romans to marry their sisters or their aunts; it is permitted in the case of the daughter of brothers. • After death, the fiscustakes the dowry given by a Roman woman over 50 to a Roman man under 60. • And when a Latinaover 50 gives something to one over 60 it is likewise confiscated. • What is inherited by a Roman of 60 years, who was neither child nor wife, is confiscated. If he have a wife but no children and register himself, the half is conceded to him. • If a woman is 50 years old, she does not inherit; if she is younger and has three children, she inherits; but if she is a freedwoman, she inherits if she has four children. • A free-born Roman woman who has an estate of 20,000 sesterces, so long as she is unmarried, pays a hundredth part annually; and a freedwoman who has an estate of 20,000 sesterces pays the same until she marries. • The inheritances left to Roman women possessing 50,000 sesterces, who are unmarried and childless, are confiscated. • It is permitted a Roman woman to leave her husband a tenth of her property; if she leaves more, it is confiscated. • Romans who have more than 100,000 sesterces, and are unmarried and childless, do not inherit; those who have less, do. • The children of a woman who is a citizen of Alexandria and an Egyptian man remains Egyptians, but inherit from both parents. • When a Roman man or a Roman woman marries a citizen of Alexandria or an Egyptian, without knowledge (of the true status), the children follow the lower class. • Egyptian women married to ex-soldiers come under the clause of misrepresentation if they characterize themselves in business transactions as Roman women.

6. Women in New Testament • Jesus preached and ministered to women • BVM as the most important human person in salvation history • Mary Magdalene as the ‘apostle to the apostles’ • St. Paul notes prominence of women supporting his ministry in several letters • And some who overstep their authority as in Philippians • Widows in New Testament • Wealthy widows a source of support • Poor widows need to be cared for within the Church • Read 1 Timothy 5

7. Women and Early Church • Women Martyrs • Women independently of paterfamilia or husband join Church • Perpetua and Felicity • Story of Paul and Thecla • Against her parents objects, Thecla, wealthy young woman, is baptized and dedicates herself to virginity • Wants to join Paul on his missionary journeys; family imprisons her • Eventually she escapes, and helps Paul in his ministry • Very popular 4th C story • Although not PC; record is clear Church Fathers had strong and enduring friendships with women

8. Wealthy Women in 4th – 5th C • By the 4th C, some of the wealthiest people in Empire were women • Common for women to be married sine manu, and to attain sui iuris • Large landowners, usually inherited • Wealthy women attracted to Church • Church evangelized women of all social levels • Encouraged Education • Stories of the Importance of women in early Church • All made Christianity a welcoming place for women

9. Example: Melania the Younger (385-439) • Daughter of a very wealthy, prominent Christian family in Rome • Probably among the most wealthy people in Western Empire • Grandmother, Melania the Elder (325-410), convert and also honored as a saint • Family opposed her conversion • Family owned extensive tracks of land in Spain, Sicily and North Africa • After Constantine, entire family converts • Melania the Younger married at age 13-14; has two children who die in childhood • Melania and her husband Pinianus decide to lead a life of continence as brother and sister • Give most of their money to establish monasteries in Italy, Sicily, North Africa, Jerusalem • Dies as a semi-hermit in a cave on Mt of Olives

10. Our knowledge of St. Melania • Letters between her and Augustine, Alypius, Jerome, Paulinus of Nola • Vita by Gerondus (c. 450) who knew Melania in her later life • Venerated as a saint in Greek Church from 5th C; in Roman Church in 20th C

11. Jerome (347-419)“What Jerome is ignorant of, no man has ever known” St. Augustine • Born into a wealthy pagan family; baptized in 365; ordained in Antioch, good friends with Gregory Nazianzus • Along with Origen, greatest Biblical scholar of Patristic era • Pope Damasus commissions Jerome to produce an authoritative Latin translation of Bible • Jerome uses Origen, plus additional materials, especially Hebrew. • Jerome does not accept Septuagint as most authoritative • His prickly character led him to disputes with almost everyone, including Augustine • Forced to leave Rome, goes to Bethlehem to live as a semi-hermit • St. Paulina follows him and establishes a convent in Bethlehem • In addition to authoritative Latin translation of Bible, Jerome wrote lengthy commentaries on almost all books of Scripture; many letters; Lives of Illustrious Men • Nowhere is Jerome’s prickly character more evident than in his battle with Jovinian over sex and marriage

12. Controversy over Sex and Marriage • Control of passions was important aspect of all philosophical schools of time, including Epicureanism • Manichees (like many gnostic sects) opposed to sex because part of evil, corporeal world • Jovinian, priest in Rome, contemporary of Jerome • Virgins and married women are of same merit after Baptism if they do the same works • Everyone born again in Baptism cannot be overthrown by devil • No difference in abstaining from food and receiving it in thanksgiving • There is one reward in heaven for all who are baptized • Jerome writes a refutation of Jovinian that is so anti-marriage that Jerome’s friends in Rome try to confiscate it • Jerome (NOT AUGUSTINE) “ The only reason to marry and have sex is to create more virgins”

13. Augustine and Sex • Augustine wrote On the Goods of Marriage as the middle way between Jerome and Jovinian • While viewing virginity as the better way of life, Augustine also recognized several types of ‘goods’ in marriage: • Procreation • Good of fidelity • Sacrament • Sexual lust is a result of Fall • Sin of Adam and Eve infected human nature • Set stage for Pelagian controversy

14. Ascetic Twins: Continence and Poverty • From earliest time in the Church evangelical counsels or the counsels of perfection were viewed as the ultimate effort to live the Christian life • Especially linked were poverty and chastity • Giving of physical, material aspects of this life • Raised issues of the place of marriage and wealth in Church • Can the married (rich) be saved? • Comes to a head in Rome between Jovinian and Jerome

15. Jerome to Eustochium • Letter 22 (c. 384) probably most famous of all Jerome’s letters • Eustochium is a young teenager • Jerome trying to reinforce her commitment to virginity and holy poverty • Eustochium was a daughter of a friend of Jerome, Paula • Written just before the issues with Jovinian

16. Augustine “Letter to Proba” • Proba was a wealthy widow • 3 sons • Family was an old established Roman family • Proba and her family gave large sums and lands to the Church • Her husband was buried in old St. Peter’s • Proba in Rome during the sack of 410; escaped to North Africa where she was buried • Proba was in communication with many of the well-known bishops of the time • John Chrysostom (Letter 169) • Jerome (Letter 130) • Augustine • Proba is concerned with how to lead a devout life as a lay person with wealth • Augustine’s Response, Letter 130, is one of his most important and widely read letters

17. Assignments • Read Jerome, Letter 22, “To Eustochium;” available in NPNF Series 2 Vol. 6 and at http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf206.v.XXII.html • Augustine, Letter 130, “To Proba;” available in NPNF Series 1 Vol. http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/1102130.htm • Brown, Through the Eye of a Needle, Chapter 16, 17, 18 • Compendium of Catholic Social Doctrine, 146-147 • Write Short Paper: Br. Michele