THE DAUGHTERS OF MEN AND THE SONS OF GOD: THE FALL OF THE ANGELS AND THE (NON)VEILING OF THE WOMEN ACCORDING TO TERTULLIAN

Abstract

Тhe text outlines Tertullian’s stances on the catastrophic unification (by way of
marriage) of the daughters of men with the sons of God from the story about the fallen
angels. The offspring produced by this merger is horrifically dangerous to the human
race on earth, and therefore, Tertullian’s aim is to prevent any sort of reactualization
of such a disastrous event. He communicates this through his positions on the primordial
sinfulness of the woman, and the blame cast onto the beautiful daughters of men,
who, with their unhumble and uncovered beauty tempted the angels so strongly, that
they caused them to abandon their celestial abodes and functions, and descend to earth,
thus disrupting the order in the world, and bringing people problematic knowledge and
various problematic capabilities, of which the еvilest were those most appealing to the
women.
Tertullian’s aim is to insist on the necessity of the covering of women, especially
virgins, since those were the errant daughters of men from the story, so that they do not
pose a danger to the chastity of men, and more importantly, to the innocence, morality
and the ontological stability of the angels, and with this, the structure and functioning
of the religious community. These objectives are overviewed through his polemic with
Marcion, and through his strong opposition to the customs of uncovering by a part of
the women within the church(es). Through chosen examples from Tertullian’s opus,
the instances in which he mentions the motif of the fallen angels through the blame and
sin of the daughters of men, and the need to prevent any such transgression are shown.