Date of Award
Spring 5-6-2023
Document Type
Honors Project
Degree Name
Bachelor of Arts
Department
Classics, Philosophy, and Religion
Department Chair or Program Director
Romero, Joseph
First Advisor
Jennifer Barry
Second Advisor
Mary Beth Mathews
Major or Concentration
Religion
Abstract
This paper examines the change in the meaning of the word “unnatural” in Romans 1:26-27, and establishes both an idea of what the Apostle Paul intended and a definition for how the word is used in modernity. There are five sections, each one building off of the next: Background, Analysis of the Text, Scholar’s Reading of the Text, Understanding and Usage in Antiquity, Modern Definition and Understanding, and Conclusion. The paper discovers that Paul’s intention with the word “unnatural” can be summarized as “any sex which is non-procreative, outside of marriage, and goes against gender roles.” However, a modern definition is that in Romans 1:26-27 “unnatural” refers to primarily to homosexuality.
Recommended Citation
Bradley, Emma, "Redefining Unnatural: A Modern Understanding of Paul’s Homophobia" (2023). Student Research Submissions. 509.
https://scholar.umw.edu/student_research/509