Christianity and Prostitution in the Middle Ages Essay

Christianity and Prostitution in the Middle Ages 21st century Americans live with the hopes of being a tolerant society. Modern American culture attempts to teach diversity and acceptance. However there is uncertainty about subjects associated with immoral behavior and sexuality. Many people are uncomfortable with the idea of prostitution as a legal institution. Hence, it remains illegal throughout the United States in all but a few counties in one state, Nevada. People have questioned the moral and legal issues of this career choice throughout much of written history, especially since the beginnings of Judeo-Christianity. Many modern views stem from the development of Christianity and its articulation in the Middle Ages.†¦show more content†¦This will show the consistency between philosophy and practice. Then a comparison between philosophy and practice within the contemporary United States will be made, which unlike the medieval period do not match up. When philosophy and practice do not match, hypocrisy follows. In the later medieval period, after about 1000, the church had a larger audience than any government of the Middle Ages. It attempted to understand human behavior and explain disorder by placing blame on different aspects of society that did not follow its moral norm. So to understand government one must understand the views of the church, since governments adopted much of what church figures preached. Early on, from its beginning until about 1000, Christianity was not yet organized and was unable to hold a clear view on all aspects of the road to salvation. Without set rules, it was open to individual communities, each with its own bishop, to decide what was appropriate. Views varied and were easily confused. Interpretations of the circulating Gospels were open to whomever read and taught them. Traveling prophets and philosophers rendered their own ideas rather than a unified Christian ideal. But even with the confusion, a unified philosophy on prostitution arose and remained constant throughout the Middle Ages. St. Augustine, who was one of the most frequently read and cited theologiansShow MoreRelatedFreedom of Women to Be Prostitutes Essay1440 Words   |  6 PagesFor centuries, women have been selling their bodies, in most cases prostitution, but it is not world’s oldest profession. Nevertheless, for as long as history states, prostitution has been around for as long as the oldest professions in the world. Every aspect of history asserts even the slightest things about prostitution existing. 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