Fortress Press

“Having studied this text’s earlier incarnation for twenty-five years, my undergraduate students have always profited from Hunter’s readable translations and his clear, well-crafted introduction. With this new edition, Hunter has not only included a greater scope of primary texts, but also augmented the introduction, appended brief introductions to each primary text, and attended to recent scholarly discussion. The result is a compendium that still belongs in the student’s backpack, yet should now appear on every patristic scholar’s bookshelf.” 

"Marriage in ancient Christian circles has frequently received less scholarly attention than its ascetic counterpart, virginity. The latter was, of course, an important aspect of early Christianity, yet the overwhelming majority of Christians of this as well as later eras saw no conflict between their own, married state and their religious confession. This volume, edited and compiled by one of the field's foremost experts on ancient Christian marriage, provides an essential resource for students seeking to understand the social and theological climate of early Christianity. The selection of texts reflects an excellent and carefully contextualized survey of Christian views on marriage from both East and West, spanning a wide range of genres. From them, marriage emerges not only as a topic of vital importance and frequent contention in its own right, but as a fulcrum for some of the eras most pressing theological controversies."

“David Hunter is one of the world’s foremost authorities on patristic attitudes about marriage, sexual ethics, and priestly celibacy. This newly revised and expanded anthology, which presents an eclectic selection of superbly translated primary-source texts, is an indispensable resource for anyone—novice and expert alike—interested in the nuances of early Christian debates about marriage and sexuality.”

“David Hunter has devoted his distinguished academic career to unearthing and illuminating early Christian views of marriage and sexuality. In this lively and learned volume, he shares the abundant fruits of his labors, bringing the diverse voices of the early Church—from the enigmatic Hermas to the irascible Jerome—to life in the twenty-first century. The full expanse of Hunter’s expertise is on display in a whirlwind introduction, which leads readers through the tempestuous debates of ancient Christians. And his translations perfectly balance accessibility and accuracy. They are a delight to read. This book is an indispensable guide not only to students of the past, but also to those who wish to better understand debates over marriage and human sexuality in the modern world. We are all in David Hunter’s debt for this brilliant, remarkable—and, most importantly, useful—volume.” 

“For twenty-five years, David Hunter’s source collection on marriage in the early church has provided a strong, sure guide for students and scholars alike. During that time, a wealth of pertinent scholarship on related topics has also emerged. Himself at the forefront of these advances, Hunter now gives us a revised and expanded collection on marriage and sexuality, deeply attuned to new currents of discussion and representing a broader, more diverse spectrum of positions from ancient Christianity. A rich gathering of texts results, foundational in scope and instructive in the differences and possibilities it sets forth. An immediate classic, whether for the classroom or the scholar’s library.”