“Divine Grace, Free Will, and ‘Unavoidable’ Sex: Women in Service in the Late Antique West”

This talk grapples with the impact of Christian ideas about grace and free will on the sexual exploitation and experiences of women in service in the late antique West. Theological debates in this period shaped how Christians thought about both freedom and sexual consent. What were the implications for women in service, who were sometimes faced with ‘unavoidable’ sex?