God, Sex, and Gender An Introduction

by Thatcher, Adrian

• ISBN13: 9781405193696
• ISBN10: 1405193697
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2011-05-02
• Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell

Summary

Engagingly and clearly written by a highly respected theologian, God, Sex, and Gender is the first comprehensive introduction to a theology of both sexuality and gender available in a single volume. Makes a theological contribution to understanding the unprecedented changes in sexual and gender relationships of the last fifty years Discusses many topics including: sexual difference; sexual equality; gender and power; the nature of desire; the future of marriage in Christian sexual ethics; homosexuality and same-sex unions; the problems of sexual minorities; contraception in a time of HIV/AIDS; the separation of sexual experience from marriage; and offers new arguments for marriage and for chastity Offers a consistent and engaging introduction at the cutting edge of theological inquiry, which is contemporary, undogmatic, questioning, and relevant to readers' experience, interests, and needs Written lucidly and engagingly by an established and respected academic who has published widely in this area

Author Biography

Adrian Thatcher is currently Visiting Professor in Applied Theology at the University of Exeter, UK. He is the author of numerous books, including: The Savage Text: The Use and Abuse of the Bible (Wiley-Blackwell, 2008); Theology and Families (Wiley-Blackwell, 2007); The Guide to Christian Marriage and to Getting Married in Church (2003); Living Together and Christian Ethics (2002); and Celebrating Christian Marriage (ed., 2001).

Table of Contents

Introduction – Or, a Welcome to My Readers.

Part 1: Sex, Gender and Theology.

1. Sex. Sexuality, the Sexes, Having Sex.

1.1 Sexuality.

1.2 How Many Sexes are There?

1.3 Having Sex.

2. Gender. Language, Power and History.

2.1 Gender.

2.2 Gender, Language and Power.

2.3 Gender in the Time of Jesus.

3. Theology.Sources and Applications.

3.1 Explaining the Sources: Scripture, Tradition, Reason.

3.2 Applying the Sources.

3.3 Using the Sources Well.

Part 2: Being Theological About Sex.

4. Desiring.

4.1 Learning from Lust.

4.2 Desiring

4.3 Desiring God?

4.4 God Desiring Us?

5.Framing Sex: Must the Framework be Marriage?

5.1 Traditional Framework: Celibacy or Marriage?

5.2 The Case Against Marriage.

5.3 Alternative Frameworks: Justice and Friendship?

5.4 A New Case for Marriage?

6. Covenants and Covenant-Makers.

6.1 Beginning with God.

6.2 God the Father – Maker of Covenants

6.3 Christ - the Bridegroom, Maker of a New Covenant.

6.4 The Eucharist – Sharing in the New Covenant.

Part 3: Being Theological about Gender.

7. God - Beyond Male and Female.

7.1 Does God Have [a] Sex?

7. 2 Is God the Son a Man?

7.3 Mary – Mother of all the Living.

7.4 Womankind in God's Likeness?

8. "In Christ there is Neither Male nor Female".

8.1 Sex in the Body of Christ.

8.2 Gender in the Body of Christ.

8.3 Masculinity in the Body of Christ.

8.4 …Neither…Male nor Female…?

Part 4: Being Theological about Same-Sex Love.

9. The Bible and Same-Sex Love.

9.1 What the Churches Teach.

9.2 Same-Sex Relations in the Hebrew Bible.

9.3 Same-Sex Relations in the New Testament.

9.4 What Else Does the Bible "Say" about Same-Sex Relations?

9.5 Finding What We Want to Find?  Evaluating Official Teaching.

10. Tradition, Reason and Same-Sex Love.

10.1 Tradition and Same-Sex Love.

10.2 Reason, Natural Law, and Same-Sex Love.

10.3 Complementarity and Same-Sex Love.

10.4 Experience and Same-Sex Love.

Part 5: Learning to Love.

11. Virginity, Celibacy, Chastity.

11.1 Valuing Virginity?

11.2 Virginity "for the Sake of the Kingdom".

11.3 In Praise of Restraint.

11.4 Commending Chastity.

12."Condilemmas": Sex and Contraception in the Time of HIV/AIDS.

12.1 Contraception, Still a Theological Issue.

12.2 Lambeth Against Rome.

12.3 Contraception and Natural Law.

12.4 Sex and Love: An "Unbreakable Connection"?

12.5 Moral Deficit Arguments.

12.6 Condoms in the Time of HIV/AIDS.

13. Marriage and the "States of Life".

13.1 Betrothal in the Bible.

13.2 Betrothal and Tradition.

13.3 Spousals, Nuptials and States of Life.

14. Inclusive Theology and Sexual Minorities.

14.1 Sex.

14.2 Gender.

Index of Authors.

Index of Biblical References.

Index of Subjects.