The Absence of Sin in Sexual Dreams in the Writings of Augustine and Cassian

مرکز و کتابخانه مطالعات اسلامی به زبان های اروپایی

منو

" The Absence of Sin in Sexual Dreams in the Writings of Augustine and Cassian "
Simon Lienyueh Wei

Document Type	:	AL
Record Number	:	1085291
Doc. No	:	LA128920
Call No	:	‭10.1163/157007211X591803‬
Language of Document	:	English
Main Entry	:	Simon Lienyueh Wei
Title & Author	:	The Absence of Sin in Sexual Dreams in the Writings of Augustine and Cassian [Article]\ Simon Lienyueh Wei
Publication Statement	:	Leiden: Brill
Title of Periodical	:	Vigiliae Christianae
Date	:	2012
Volume/ Issue Number	:	66/4
Page No	:	362–378
Abstract	:	Despite being an embarrassing and rarely-addressed issue in the early Church, sexual dreams were ardently discoursed by Augustine and Cassian. In their discussions, not only sexual dreams became an indicator of the dreamer’s moral disposition but a moral hierarchy of dreamers was created for the first time in Christianity. Moreover, while many early and modern Christians consider dreaming of concupiscent images or having a nocturnal emission as sinful, surprisingly these two church fathers doctrinally justified oneiric sexual sinners as innocent. Their doctrine of sin converted the dominion of dreams into the only place where people were inculpable for their ‘sinful deeds’. This article examines their conception of sexual dreams and their articulation of the doctrine of sin by them. Despite being an embarrassing and rarely-addressed issue in the early Church, sexual dreams were ardently discoursed by Augustine and Cassian. In their discussions, not only sexual dreams became an indicator of the dreamer’s moral disposition but a moral hierarchy of dreamers was created for the first time in Christianity. Moreover, while many early and modern Christians consider dreaming of concupiscent images or having a nocturnal emission as sinful, surprisingly these two church fathers doctrinally justified oneiric sexual sinners as innocent. Their doctrine of sin converted the dominion of dreams into the only place where people were inculpable for their ‘sinful deeds’. This article examines their conception of sexual dreams and their articulation of the doctrine of sin by them.
Descriptor	:	Augustine
Descriptor	:	Cassian
Descriptor	:	morality
Descriptor	:	nocturnal emission
Descriptor	:	sexual dreams
Descriptor	:	sin
Location & Call number	:	‭10.1163/157007211X591803‬