Editing Virginity (section)

====Christianity====
[[File:Giorgione 045.jpg|thumb|Detail of ''The Reading Madonna'' by [[Giorgione]] (c. 1500)]]
{{main|Christianity and sexuality|Catholic Church and women#Virginity}}
{{original research|section|date=October 2023}}
[[Paul the Apostle]] expressed the view that a person's body belongs to God and is God's temple ({{bibleverse|1|Corinthians|6:13|NIV}}, {{bibleverse-nb|1|Corinthians|3:16|NIV}}), and that premarital sex is immoral ({{bibleverse|1|Corinthians|6:18|NIV}}) on an equal level as adultery. ({{bibleverse|1|Corinthians|6:9|NIV}}) Paul also expressed the view in {{bibleverse|1|Corinthians|7:1–7|NIV}} that sexual abstinence is the preferred state for both men and women. However, he stated that sexual relations are expected between a married couple.

According to classicist [[Evelyn Stagg]] and New Testament scholar [[Frank Stagg (theologian)|Frank Stagg]], the New Testament holds that sex is reserved for marriage.<ref name="Staggs">Stagg, Evelyn and Frank. ''Woman in the World of Jesus.'' Philadelphia: Westminster, 1978. {{ISBN|0-664-24195-6}}</ref> Harold Gentry wrote that "It is intended by God for the husband to be the one to break his wife's hymen", which when perforated during the consummation of marriage creates a [[Covenant (religion)#Christianity|blood covenant]] that seals the bond of [[Christian views on marriage|holy matrimony]] between husband and wife.<ref name="Gentry2021">{{cite book |last1=Gentry |first1=Harold |title=Intimacy |date=21 January 2021 |publisher=[[Thomas Nelson (publisher)|WestBow Press]] |isbn=978-1-6642-1232-9 |language=en}}</ref> Stagg maintains that the New Testament teaches that sex outside of marriage is a sin of [[adultery]] if either of the participants is married, otherwise the sin of [[fornication]] if neither of the participants are married. An imperative given in 1&nbsp;Corinthians says, "Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins people commit are outside their bodies, but those who sin sexually sin against their own bodies."<ref>{{bibleverse|1Cor|6:18|TNIV|1 Cor 6:18}}</ref> Those who are sexually immoral or adulterers are listed in {{Bibleref2|1Cor|6:9|NIV|1&nbsp;Corinthians 6:9}} in a list of "wrongdoers who ... will not inherit the kingdom of God." {{Bibleref2|Galatians|5:19}} and {{Bibleref2|1Cor|7:2|NIV|1&nbsp;Corinthians 7:2}} also address fornication. The ''Apostolic Decree'' of the [[Council of Jerusalem]] also includes a prohibition on fornication.

[[Aquinas]] went further, emphasizing that acts other than copulation destroy virginity, and clarifying that involuntary sexual pleasure does not destroy virginity. From his ''[[Summa Theologica]]'', "Pleasure resulting from resolution of semen may arise in two ways. If this be the result of the mind's purpose, it destroys virginity, ''whether copulation takes place or not''. Augustine, however, mentions copulation, because such like resolution is the ordinary and natural result thereof. On another way this may happen beside the purpose of the mind, either during sleep, or through violence and without the mind's consent, although the flesh derives pleasure from it, or again through weakness of nature, as in the case of those who are subject to a flow of semen. On such cases virginity is not forfeit, because such like pollution is not the result of impurity which excludes virginity."<ref>Aquinas. [http://www.newadvent.org/summa/3152.htm Summa Theologica] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080506043937/http://www.newadvent.org/summa/3152.htm |date=2008-05-06 }}, Second Part of the Second Part, Question 152.</ref><ref>Hannah Blank, ''Virgin: The Untouched History'' (2007), {{ISBN|978-1-59691-010-2}}.</ref>
[[File:Virgo inter Virgines IMG 1383.JPG|thumb|''Virgo inter Virgines'' (The Blessed Virgin Mary with other holy virgins), from [[Bruges]], [[Belgium]] during the last quarter of the 15th century.]]

Some have theorized that the New Testament was not against sex before marriage.<ref>[[John Shelby Spong]], ''The Living Commandments''.</ref> The discussion turns on two Greek words — ''moicheia'' (''μοιχεία'', adultery) and ''porneia'' (''πορνεία'', [[fornication]], see also [[pornography]]). The first word is restricted to contexts involving sexual betrayal of a spouse; however, the second word is used as a generic term for illegitimate sexual activity. Elsewhere in {{bibleverse|1|Corinthians|}}, incest, homosexual intercourse (according to some interpretations)<ref>''arsenokoitēs'' (masc. noun of fem. 1st declension), literally a man who shares a bed with other men (see [[LSJ]] and [[BDAG]]).</ref> and prostitution are all explicitly forbidden by name (however, the Septuagint uses "porneia" to refer to male temple prostitution). Paul is preaching about activities based on sexual prohibitions in [[Leviticus]], in the context of achieving holiness. The theory suggests it is these, and only these behaviors that are intended by Paul's prohibition in chapter seven.<ref>[http://orion.mscc.huji.ac.il/symposiums/11th/papers/FrommHoliness.doc Syriac- Christian and Rabbinic Notions of Holy Community and Sexuality] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130525215607/http://orion.mscc.huji.ac.il/symposiums/11th/papers/FrommHoliness.doc |date=2013-05-25 }} Naomi Koltun-Fromm April 2006 pdf</ref> The strongest argument against this theory is that the modern interpretation of the New Testament, outside Corinthians, speaks against premarital sex.<ref>Modern interpretation of the significance of "wrong his brother" in {{bibleverse|1|Thessalonians|4:6|NIV}}, includes sleeping with the brother's future wife. However, {{bibleverse|1|Thessalonians|4:3|NIV}} only specifically prohibits ''fornication''.</ref>

Christian orthodoxy accepts that [[Mary, the mother of Jesus]], was a virgin at the time Jesus was conceived, based on the accounts in the [[Gospel of Matthew]] and the [[Gospel of Luke]].<ref>{{bibleverse||Matthew|1:18|NIV}} and {{bibleverse||Luke|1:26–35|NIV}}</ref> [[Roman Catholic Church|Roman Catholic]]s,<ref>[https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/__P1K.HTM ''Catechism of the Catholic Church'' §499] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200301083300/http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/__P1K.HTM |date=2020-03-01 }}</ref> [[Eastern Orthodox Church|Eastern Orthodox]],<ref name=MWebster >''Merriam-Webster's encyclopedia of world religions'' by Merriam-Webster, Inc. 1999 {{ISBN|0-87779-044-2}} page 1134</ref> and [[Oriental Orthodox]],<ref>[http://www.ocf.org/OrthodoxPage/liturgy/liturgy.html Divine Liturgy of St John Chrysostom] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190831232525/http://ocf.org/OrthodoxPage/liturgy/liturgy.html |date=2019-08-31 }}, [http://www.coptic.net/prayers/StBasilLiturgy.html Coptic Liturgy of St Basil] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131015002820/http://www.coptic.net/prayers/StBasilLiturgy.html |date=2013-10-15 }}, [http://www.copticchurch.net/topics/liturgy/liturgy_of_st_cyril.pdf Liturgy of St Cyril] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120205072509/http://www.copticchurch.net/topics/liturgy/liturgy_of_st_cyril.pdf |date=2012-02-05 }}, [http://www.anastasis.org.uk/lit-james.htm Liturgy of St James] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140410212030/http://www.anastasis.org.uk/lit-james.htm |date=2014-04-10 }}, [http://www.frmichel.najim.net/liturgyvid.pdf Understanding the Orthodox Liturgy] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121211072605/http://www.frmichel.najim.net/liturgyvid.pdf |date=2012-12-11 }} etc.</ref> as well as many [[Lutheran]]s and [[Anglican]]s, hold to the [[dogma]] of the [[perpetual virginity of Mary]].<ref name="Hillerbrand2004">{{cite book |last1=Hillerbrand |first1=Hans J. |title=Encyclopedia of Protestantism: 4-volume Set |date=2004 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1-135-96028-5 |language=en |quote=This view of the proper place of Mary and the saints in the lives of the faithful is codified for Lutherans in the BOOK OF CONCORD (1580); these confessions also include the reaffirmation of Mary's perpetual virginity (in Luther's SCHMALKALDIC ARTICLES of 1537) and her title of ''Theotokos'', and praise her as "the most blessed virgin" (Formula of Concord, 1577).}}</ref><ref name="Kilcrease2013">{{cite book |last1=Kilcrease |first1=Jack D. |title=The Self-Donation of God: A Contemporary Lutheran approach to Christ and His Benefits |date=2013 |publisher=Wipf and Stock Publishers |isbn=978-1-62032-605-3 |language=en |quote=As it is well known, the perpetual virginity of Mary was taught widely in the early Church, some claim as early as St. Ireneaus in the late second century. Luther, Zwingli, Calvin and the later Lutheran scholastics also supported the doctrine.}}</ref><ref name="ALPB1966">{{cite book |title=The American Lutheran, Volume 49 |date=1966 |publisher=American Lutheran Publicity Bureau |page=16 |language=English |quote=While the perpetual virginity of Mary is held as a pious opinion by many Lutheran confessors, it is not regarded as a binding teaching of the Scriptures.}}</ref><ref name="TNEB1983">{{cite book |title=The New Encyclopaedia Britannica, Volume 11 |date=1983 |publisher=[[Encyclopaedia Britannica]] |isbn=978-0-85229-400-0 |page=562 |language=English |quote=Partly because of these biblical problems, the doctrine of the perpetual virginity of Mary has not been supported as unanimously as has the doctrine of the virginal conception or title mother of God. It achieved dogmatic status, however, at the Council of Chalcedon in 451 and is therefore binding upon Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic believers; in addition, it is maintained by many Anglican, some Lutheran, and a few other Protestant theologians.}}</ref> However, other Christians reject the dogma, citing sources such as {{bibleverse||Mark|6:3|NIV}}: "Isn't this the carpenter, the son of Mary, and the brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? And aren't His sisters here with us?". The Catholic Church holds<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/__PW8.HTM#$3DY |title=New American Bible |publisher=Vatican.va |access-date=2014-04-30 |archive-date=2014-04-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140427101039/http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0839/__PW8.HTM#$3DY |url-status=live }}</ref> that in Semitic usage the terms "brother", "sister" are applied not only to children of the same parents, but to nephews, nieces, cousins, half-brothers, and half-sisters. Catholics, Orthodox Christians Lutherans, and other groups, such as High Church Anglicans, may refer to Mary as ''the Virgin Mary'' or ''the [[Blessed Virgin Mary]]''.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary |url=https://www.gottesdienst.org/gottesblog/2019/8/15/the-feast-of-the-blessed-virgin-mary |publisher=Gottesdienst |access-date=24 March 2021 |language=English |date=15 August 2019 |archive-date=9 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211109020223/https://www.gottesdienst.org/gottesblog/2019/8/15/the-feast-of-the-blessed-virgin-mary |url-status=live }}</ref>

The ''Catholic Encyclopedia'' says: "There are two elements in virginity: the material element, that is to say, the absence, in the past and in the present, of all complete and voluntary delectation, whether from [[lust]] or from the lawful use of marriage; and the formal element, that is the firm resolution to abstain forever from sexual pleasure" and that "Virginity is irreparably lost by sexual pleasure, voluntarily and completely experienced."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/15458a.htm |title=The Catholic Encyclopedia, 'Virginity' |publisher=Newadvent.org |date=1912-10-01 |access-date=2014-04-30 |archive-date=2014-06-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140629012322/http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/15458a.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> However, for the purposes of [[consecrated virgins]] it is canonically enough that they have never been married or lived in open violation of chastity.