A New Christian Sexual Ethic
Debates over questions of polyamory, non-monogamy, and open relationships already shows signs of getting stuck in the historical and false dichotomy of licentiousness or celibacy, which has plagued theology since the early days of the church.
I have yet to find a person to argue for the morality of “casual” sex. Some say it’s not immoral, but “it’s not hurting anyone” is a poor reason to do anything.
Then, somebody disagreed with me over a post I made on Facebook. I still don’t know who they are, but…conversations were had about me – without me, until a heart-felt and sad moment when I learned what the church leaders had decided must be done.
Questions about masturbation, birth control, premarital sex, homosexuality, nonbinary gender, and even open relationships need more than the unsupportable claim that “The Bible says it’s sinful”… because time after time the evidence does not support the mainstream conclusions. All these things can be sinful, and so can married, heterosexual, reproductive sex. The Biblical teaching about sexual sin does not draw the same lines as the dominant Christian traditions – whether conservative or liberal.
We cannot just dismiss the problem of sexual sin. It just looks completely different than what I expected when I set out to study it!
A New Christian Sexual Ethic is not an easy idea for many people to embrace. Sure, those who are already feeling the chaos of deconstruction, the rejection of normative Christianity, and the unhealthy consequences of purity culture, my book might feel like a healing breeze 🙂
This deep-dive Bible study examines prostitution and its portrayal in the Bible, noting that it was neither condemned nor condoned. It explores various Bible verses that mention prostitution, the symbolism used in relation to sex work, and how its understanding varies within different contexts. The post concludes by discussing a statement by Jesus that tax collectors and prostitutes will enter the kingdom of God before religious people, prompting reflections on belief and the possibility of being a Christian sex worker.