Description
How might the writers and readers of early Christian literature have conceptualized intimacy? And how might love have shaped their understandings of God, Christ, and the church? Particular attention will be given to the following topics: the ancient debate between philosophy and poetry over the advisability of falling in love; the physiology of emotion; Christian texts dealing with sex and marriage; patristic and medieval erotic readings of New Testament texts. This course will be taught on the basis on English translations of Greek and Latin texts.