Autore
Scigliano, Alberto

Titolo
From Betrothal to Divorce. The Anatomy of Marriage in John Selden’s "Uxor Ebraica"
Periodico
Annali dell'Istituto storico italo-germanico in Trento
Anno: 2025 - Fascicolo: Speciale - Pagina iniziale: 39 - Pagina finale: 68

This paper offers a comprehensive analysis of John Selden’s "Uxor Ebraica" (1646), a monumental study of Jewish matrimonial law. Far from being a purely antiquarian endeavor, "Uxor Ebraica" is interpreted as a sophisticated exercise in legal theory, Hebraism and political thought. Through detailed engagement with rabbinic sources, Selden reconstructs the Jewish laws of betrothal, marriage, and divorce, highlighting their contractual and civil character. He presents marriage as a juridical, not sacramental, institution grounded in natural law. Selden’s treatment of divorce – especially his nuanced reading of "porneia" in the Gospels – reveals a deliberate critique of Christian indissolubility. The essay argues that "Uxor Ebraica" implicitly supports parliamentary sovereignty in matrimonial matters, challenging ecclesiastical jurisdiction and promoting legal pluralism. Situating Selden within the seventeenth-century debates on marriage reform, it frames "Uxor Ebraica" as a crucial intervention in early modern controversies over law, theology, and the boundaries of civil authority.



SICI: 0392-0011(2025)SPECIALE<39:FBTDTA>2.0.ZU;2-X
Testo completo: https://www.rivisteweb.it/download/article/10.7387/118335
Testo completo alternativo: https://www.rivisteweb.it/doi/10.7387/118335

Esportazione dati in Refworks (solo per utenti abilitati)

Biblioteche ACNP che possiedono il periodico