CONTRACEPTION
"If we marry, it is only so that we may bring up children."
St. Justin Martyr ("First Apology," c. 160 A.D.)
"God made the male and female for the propagation of the human
race." St. Irenaeus ("Against
All Heresies," c. 180 A.D.)
"Because of its divine institution for the propagation of man, the
seed is not to be vainly ejaculated, nor is it to be damaged, nor is it to be
wasted. To have coitus other than to procreate children is to do injury
to nature." St. Clement of Alexandria ("The Instructor of Children," 191 A.D.)
"On account of their prominent ancestry and great property, the
so-called faithful want no more children from slaves or lowborn commoners, they
use drugs or sterility or bind themselves tightly in order to expel a fetus
which has already been engendered." St.
Hippolytus ("Refutation of All Heresies," 225 A.D.)
They (certain Egyptian heretics) exercise genital
acts, yet prevent the conceiving of children. Not in order to produce
offspring, but to satisfy lust, are they eager for corruption." St. Epiphanius of Salamis ("Medicine Chest Against Heresies," 375 A.D.)
"...and that which is sweet, and universally desirable, the having of
children, they esteem grievous and unwelcome. Many at least with this
view have even paid money to be childless, and have mutilated nature, not only killing
the newborn, but even acting to prevent their beginning to live." St. John Chrysostom ("Homilies on Matthew," 391 A.D.)
"But I wonder why he (the heretic Jovianianus) set Judah and Tamar before
us for an example, unless perchance even harlots give him pleasure; or Onan,
who was slain because he grudged his brother seed. Does he imagine that
we approve of any sexual intercourse except for the procreation of
children?" St.
Jerome
("Against Jovinian," 393 A.D.)
"You may see a number of women who are widows before they are
wives. Other, indeed, will drink sterility and murder a man not yet
born." St. Jerome ("Letter 22," 396 A.D.)
"And then, fearing because of your law against child-bearing...they
copulate in a shameful union only to satisfy lust for their wives. They
are unwilling to have children, on whose account alone marriages are
made. When this is taken away, husbands are shameful lovers, wives are
harlots, bridal chambers are brothels, fathers-in-law pimps." St. Augustine of Hippo ("Againt Faustus," 400 A.D.)
"For necessary sexual intercourse for begetting (children) is alone
worthy of marriage. But that which goes beyond this necessity no longer
follows reason but lust." St. Augustine of Hippo ("The Good of Marriage," 401 A.D.)
CHURCH
BELIEFS & ISSUES
WHAT THE
EARLY CHURCH BELIEVED
Biblical quotations on this web site are
either from the King James Version or the Douay-Rheims Version of the Bible.
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