History of Pregnancy in Christianity

<p>This book examines changing views of procreation and fetal development throughout the history of the Christian tradition. This is the first comprehensive study of cultural perceptions of pregnancy an area of scholarship that been understudied in the past. Pregnancy holds a central place in Christian ritual iconography and theology including the dogma of the incarnation and the cult of Virgin Mary. This book provides a broad introduction to the attitudes and ideas within Western Christian communities by focusing on four periods of transition: Antiquity the Enlightenment modernity and the present day. It lays the groundwork for further study of the interactions between biological models cultural preconceptions and religious beliefs.</p>