Why are you asking specifically about the early Church Fathers. It was condemned long before the early Church Fathers! Remember the 6th Commandment: You shall not commit adultery. Jesus told us to keep the commandments.Hi everyone. Is sex before marriage or fornication condemned in Sacred Tradition of the early Church fathers? Any (name removed by moderator)ut on this would be greatly appreciated. If it is condemned by the early Church fathers then please quote the early Church father that condemned it or provide a reference where I can find the quote online.
That is talking about adultery, not premarital sex. I am asking about the early Church fathers because I want an early Christian view, not a Jewish view or whatever.Why are you asking specifically about the early Church Fathers. It was condemned long before the early Church Fathers! Remember the 6th Commandment: You shall not commit adultery. Jesus told us to keep the commandments.
Holly, you misunderstand the Sixth Commandment if you believe it is only about a married person have sex with someone other than their spouse. You also misunderstand the Commandments if you believe they are a “Jewish view or whatever”. The Commandments are the eternal moral law. God’s moral law does not change. Jesus himself confirmed he did not come to abolish the Law but fulfill it. Jesus confirmed the moral law-- in fact in his teachings he expanded the moral law. “You have heard the teaching, thou shall not commit adultery. I say to you, a man who looks lustfully on a woman has already committed adultery in his heart.” The commandment is about ALL sins against chastity.That is talking about adultery, not premarital sex. I am asking about the early Church fathers because I want an early Christian view, not a Jewish view or whatever.
The early Christian view would have been very similar to the Jewish view. Christianity was a fulfillment of Judaism not a revolutionary break from it. Islam would be more of revolutionary break from Judaism; however, even they are pretty vocal about their objection to fornication. Hindus aren’t much for it either. I’m not sure where the Buddhists come down on this subject. My generation, the Baby Boomers, spread a ton of lies about sex outside of marriage being the right thing to do. Please forgive us…we really didn’t know what we were doing.That is talking about adultery, not premarital sex. I am asking about the early Church fathers because I want an early Christian view, not a Jewish view or whatever.
How about Tertullian?That is talking about adultery, not premarital sex. I am asking about the early Church fathers because I want an early Christian view, not a Jewish view or whatever.
Having defined the distinction (between the kinds) of repentance, we are by this time, then, able to return to the assessment of the sins—whether they be such as can obtain pardon at the hand of men. In the first place, (as for the fact) that we call adultery likewise fornication, usage requires (us so to do). “Faith,” withal, has a familiar acquaintance with sundry appellations. So, in every one of our little works, we carefully guard usage. Besides, if I shall say"adulterium," and if “stuprum,” the indictment of contamination of the flesh will be one and the same. For it makes no difference whether a man assault another’s bride or widow, provided it be not his own “female;” just as there is no difference made by places—whether it be in chambers or in towers that modesty is massacred. Every homicide, even outside a wood, is banditry. So, too, whoever enjoys any other than nuptial intercourse, in whatever place, and in the person of whatever woman, makes himself guilty of adultery and fornication. Accordingly, among us, secret connections as well—connections, that is, not first professed in presence of the Church—run risk of being judged akin to adultery and fornication; nor must we let them, if thereafter woven together by the covering of marriage, elude the charge. But all the other frenzies of passions—impious both toward the bodies and toward the sexes—beyond the laws of nature, we banish not only from the threshold, but from all shelter of the Church, because they are not sins, but monstrosities.
Also see Tertullian’s “On Exhortation to Chastity” and “On Monogamy”
But what does a ‘loving’ couple mean anyway? Plenty of people get engaged on the third date and break up on the sixth! As if any couple who had regular sex short of it being for money couldn’t say they were as ‘loving’ as that!So far, I see a great many references to scripture or works of early church fathers that mention adultery or fornication, but neither term is defined with absolute clarity to include sexual relations before marriage between a loving couple. I see a great many assumptions made that fornication and adultery or impurity MUST include ANY sexual relations between a couple outside marriage but I see no hard or concrete evidence for this. I think the OP’s question is very valid and one that I struggle with myself.
Is pre-marital sex condemned by the early Church or in the Bible? So far, I would have to say that it is only implied, and that implication would only exist if you define adultery, fornication or impurity in the most conservative and restrictive context possible.
Again, it’s anything but clear because Scripture does not specifically differentiate or define pre-marital sex in any context. The Bible is not a guide for all sexual living any more than it is a guide for scientific understanding.So clearly it is indeed forbidden in scripture.
This definition uses the modern English word “fornicator” to define the Greek word.Greek4205. pornos, por’-nos; from pernemi (to sell; akin to the base of Grk4097); a (male) prostitute (as venal), i.e. (by anal.) a debauchee (libertine):-fornicator, whoremonger.
That means that the Greek word for the english “fornicator, whoremonger” is pornos and then proceeds to elaborate on the meaning of the Greek. This in no way implies that the Greek equates to the English as we can see from the differentiated meaning.This definition uses the modern English word “fornicator” to define the Greek word.