Against Jovinianus

In this compelling treatise, Jerome addresses the controversial views of Jovinianus, who boldly asserted that a virgin holds no greater value than a wife in Gods eyes, and that both abstinence and indulgence in food are equally valid. He claimed that those baptized with the Spirit and water are incapable of sin, that all sins are equal, and that there is but a singular form of punishment and reward in the afterlife. Jovinianus even controversially argued that Christs birth was natural, rather than miraculous. These views were condemned in synods in Rome and Milan around A.D. 390. In response, Jerome crafted this treatise in 393, dedicating Book I to the topic of marriage versus virginity, and weaving in St. Pauls teachings from 1 Corinthians. Throughout the text, Jerome references both the Old and New Testaments, ultimately praising the virtues of virginity and single marriage, drawing even from examples in the heathen world.