Sexuality Marriage & Celibacy in Byzantine Law

From the publisher:

"Matthew Blastares compiled the most important legal collection of the late Byzantine Empire, a collection that Orthodox ecclesiastical judges continued to use in the Ottoman Empire. The collection ranges from church law that any Christian might recognize to laws that seem bizarre to the modern eye (such as multiple restrictions on menstruating women) to those that retain their relevance for contemporary debates (such as those related to homosexuality). No English translation of significant portions of the work has existed before this publication by Patrick Viscuso.

"I know of nobody more suited to introduce and translate these texts; Viscuso's grasp of late Byzantine legal texts is unparalleled. The result, not surprisingly, is a masterful and significant work of legal scholarship and a cogent, clear, annotated translation that belongs on the bookshelf of all who study Byzantium and its church." -Tia Kolbaba (Rutgers University)

"As the helpful and detailed introduction makes clear, this text is more than a historical source: it also offers a deeper understanding of the physical existence of men and women in Orthodox theology and spirituality." -Claudia Rapp (UCLA)

"Persons pursuing research in the area of canon law within the Eastern Church owe a debt of gratitude to Fr. Viscuso. The realization that many pivotal texts remain unexamined led him to the translation and publication of those included in this book. The translation of primary sources is especially critical to the study of Eastern canon law because of the limited availability of such important texts in the English language. Matthew Blastares, a crucial thinker within Late Byzantium, presents a synthesis of the legal work of his predecessors, laying the foundation of future developments. Students of Byzantine legal history, gender studies, and ecclesiastical law, as well as all those interested in these fields, will find this translation and analysis an extremely valuable resource." -Lewis Patsavos (Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology)