The Barrenness Narratives: Early Christian Understandings of Infertility and its Impacts in the Roman Empire (second-century C.E. - sixth-century C.E.)

<p dir="ltr">Since ancient times, infertility issues have been a concern for humankind, with infertility continuing to be a topic of concern into the modern day. Ancient medical texts that centred on women’s health place the womb and the need to reproduce as a major medical concern. Women’s presence in biblical texts similarly surrounds narratives of barrenness and ways to reverse a woman’s infertile status. Whilst ancient medical texts acknowledge that both men and women contribute to infertility concerns, the biblical narratives and discussions of reproduction have historically placed women as the central concern. My research examines the barrenness narratives of the Christian Bible alongside the gynaecological works of Soranus and Aetius of Amida to gain insights into early Christian perceptions of infertility and the social impacts of childlessness in the Roman empire from the second century to the sixth century C.E. as Christianity’s spread was gaining momentum. I will be combining feminist hermeneutics and disability theory methodologies to identify constructions of blame across the texts and perceptions of agency for both women and men facing childlessness. I also aim to uncover any prejudices against those facing infertility within their community across the texts. Finding the voices of people facing childlessness is challenging, as these voices are largely absent from historical records. By approaching the medical and biblical texts through feminist hermeneutics and disability theory methodologies, I intend to bridge discussions of the past and present to understand the effects of infertility for both women and men in early Christian communities during the Roman Empire.</p>