Homosexuality and Society during the Reformation of the Medieval Church (1050-1102)

• Grant number: 21/06226-7
• Support type: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Effective date (Start): October 01, 2021
• Effective date (End): March 31, 2023
• Field of knowledge: Humanities - History - Ancient and Medieval History
• Principal researcher: Neri de Barros Almeida
• Grantee: Arthur Rocha Martins Rodrigues Teixeira
• Home Institution: Instituto de Filosofia e Ciências Humanas (IFCH). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The reminders of homosexuality throughout history are built by different images, concepts, linguistic resources, and speeches. Sexual and affective behavior is expressed through sociocultural interactions specific to each society. In the eleventh century, in general, sexual practices designated by the term "sodomy" involves part of the universe that we can attribute to homosexuality. Although in the monastic speech the repression of sexual relations was part of the theological discourse, love and affection between men was tolerated and even encouraged. This research intends to analyze the reasons why, in monastic thought - socially hegemonic until at least the twelfth century - sex is condemned while love is praised. We will do so by establishing comparisons between different environments and public performance expressed byprominent figures of monasticism and their works, such as letters and meditations by Anselm ofCanterbury and as epistles by Peter Damian. It is intended with this, to understand more deeplyhow the themes of love and sexuality are involved in visions of society in dispute in the contextof the so-called "reform of the medieval Church".