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  1. Christian Living/
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Making Sense of Sex

  • Paperback
  • 96 pages
  • Publisher: SPCK Publishing
  • 13 x 19.6 x 0.9 cm

£8.06

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All living creatures are sexed. Human beings belong to societies where traditions about who can have sex with whom, and how, and when, are centuries old. Making sense of sex assumes that there is a rational way of understanding our basic drives. But our inevitable failure to get sex right is the beginning of a proper and theological understanding of sex.

The Christian tradition, especially in its conservative forms, is often thought to be unhelpful in making sense of sex. Christian sexual ethics may seem overly demanding: holistic in theory, yet sexist and pessimistic in practice. Adrian Thatcher argues, however, that instead of being pessimistic about sex, Christians can be grateful realists instead.

Making Sense of Sex draws on the resources of Liberal Theology to promote a mature union of spirituality and sexuality. Exploring topics such as desire, bodies and the Body of Christ, sexual difference, homosexuality, marriage, and Paul’s reflection on ‘flesh’ and ‘spirit’, it will help to guide readers towards a spiritual understanding of shared sexual love.

Making Sense of Sex and Vile Bodies
Vile BodiesMaking Sense of Sex
  • Author

    Adrian Thatcher

  • Book Format

    Paperback

  • Publisher

    SPCK Publishing

  • Published

    June 2012

  • Weight

    134g

  • Page Count

    96

  • Dimensions

    13 x 19.6 x 0.9 cm

  • ISBN

    9780281064069

  • ISBN-10

    0281064067

  • Eden Code

    4038587

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  • TGBS

    The Good Book Stall

    Average rating of0.0

    This is a very good little book. It sets out and discusses with an absolute economy of words some of the key issues that concern us with regard to sex, sexuality and gender. One of the points the author makes is that all discussion of sex takes place within a particular strand of Christian tradition. This stands in that of liberal theology and is helpful in both showing how to draw on that tradition and also what some of the results might be when applied to contemporary issues. The author, an Anglican who teaches in the United States and is also a visiting professor in the Department of Theology and Religion at Exeter University, is the editor of Modern Believing. He is rooted in a parish church – Christ Church, Estover, Plymouth – where he leads the choir, and this no doubt is a factor in his producing a book that is scholarly but quite accessible to non-scholars in ordinary congregations. For anyone that has to preach or teach about sexual ethics or how the Church should respond to matters of sex and gender, this is a very useful book to acquire and use as an aid to reflection. It begins by explaining the difference between liberal and more conservative approaches and how liberal theology and ethics go about their work. There follows short chapters discussing major themes – sexual desire, the body, sexual differences, homosexuality, marriage and spirituality. Dr Thatcher ends by looking towards that day 'when a robust faith in Christ and a joyful sex life are integrated together for all of God's children who seek them irrespective of their status, sex or orientation.'