Sex and the Sacred: Gay Identity and Spiritual Growth

by Helminiak; Daniel A

• ISBN13: 9781560233428
• ISBN10: 1560233427
• Format: Nonspecific Binding
• Copyright: 2006-04-20
• Publisher: Routledge

Summary

This book shows how comfort with our sexual nature is essential to spiritual sensitivity. Dr. Daniel Helminiak - ordained a Catholic priest in Rome, and a theologian, psychotherapist, psychology professor, and the author of What the Bible Really Says About Homosexuality - applies to sex a unique understanding of spirituality. He reveals the spiritual dimension of human sexuality in a way that is free of religious affiliation but fully open to traditional religion and belief in God. He inspires us all to cherish our bodies as gateways to spiritual experience. When specifically addressing the LGBTI community, he treats universal themes such as coming out, sexual self-acceptance, marriage, homophobia, and sexual ethics. Book jacket.

Table of Contents

The Cover Art: A Gay Spiritual Journey	p. xiii
Foreword	p. xv
Preface and Acknowledgments	p. xvii
The Spiritual Dimension of the Lesbian and Gay Experience	p. 1
The Senseless Burden of a Bad Conscience	p. 1
The Meaning of "Spiritual"	p. 2
The Inner Push Toward Spiritual Growth	p. 4
Coming Out As a Spiritual Exercise	p. 5
Love As a Spiritual Exercise	p. 6
Gay Strength, Virtue, Wisdom, and Spiritual Growth	p. 8
Detours from the Spiritual Path	p. 9
The Tug-of-War Between Religion and Spirituality	p. 9
Spirituality Without God or Religion	p. 10
A Spiritual Lesson from the AIDS Epidemic	p. 13
A Humanist Spirituality	p. 15
The Spiritual Dimension of the Gay and Lesbian Experience	p. 22
Nontheist Gay Spirituality in the Face of Death	p. 24
Final Considerations	p. 31
Sexuality and Spirituality: Friends, Not Foes	p. 35
Positive Attitudes	p. 35
Negative Attitudes	p. 37
Reemerging Positive Attitudes	p. 40
Renewed Interest in Spirituality	p. 41
Integration of Body, Psyche, and Spirit	p. 43
Embodied Spirituality	p. 46
Learns of Integration	p. 49
Conclusion	p. 50
Sexual Self-Acceptance and Spiritual Growth	p. 53
Spiritual Development and Human Development	p. 55
Sexual Self-Acceptance and Self-Esteem	p. 59
Sexuality and the Handicapped	p. 61
Acceptance of One's Homosexuality and Self-Esteem	p. 63
Conclusion	p. 64
Sexual Pathways to Spiritual Growth	p. 65
Sexual Arousal and Orgasm: Focus on the Individual	p. 67
Loving Another Person: Focus on the Couple	p. 69
The Pollyanna Effect: Focus on the Human Family and the Cosmos	p. 70
Loneliness, That Endless Yearning: Focus on the Infinite	p. 74
The Goodness of Creation: Enter Belief in God	p. 75
Sexual Fulfillment in God: Enter Concern for Union with God	p. 76
Summary About Sexuality and Spirituality	p. 79
Sexual Ethics Without Religion	p. 81
The True Nature of Ethics	p. 82
Physical, Emotional, and Spiritual Dimensions of Human Sexuality	p. 82
Ethical Guidelines	p. 83
The Personal and Interpersonal Nature of Human Sexuality	p. 84
The Social Implications of Human Sexuality	p. 85
The Promise of Ethical Living	p. 86
The Right and Wrong of Sex, Queer and Otherwise	p. 87
The Challenge of Ethics for the Gay Community	p. 87
Reasons to Consider Sexual Ethics	p. 88
Gay Is Good	p. 90
Science-Based Ethics	p. 91
One's Personal Best	p. 94
Ethical Guidelines	p. 96
The Ethical Attitude	p. 98
The Spiritual Crisis in Religion and Society	p. 99
The Sad Record of Religion and Violence	p. 100
The Political Side of Religion	p. 101
Religion, Spirituality, and the Current Dilemma	p. 102
Humanity As Inherently Spiritual	p. 104
Built-In Requirements of Spiritual Fulfillment	p. 105
Science That Is Open to God	p. 107
A Spiritual Response to Religiously Motivated Violence	p. 108
Jesus: A Model for Coming Out	p. 111
Mark's Picture of Jesus	p. 112
Jesus As God Incarnate in Later Christianity	p. 112
Jesus' Self-Understanding	p. 114
Jesus' Claim to Unprecedented Authority	p. 117
Jesus' "Crisis of Identity"	p. 118
Jesus' Experience of Being Himself	p. 119
Jesus As Everyman-and Everywoman	p. 122
The Lesson of Mark and Jesus	p. 126
The Trinitarian Vocation of the Gay Community	p. 129
Christian Belief About the Trinity	p. 130
Human Relationships Within the Gay Community	p. 132
The Gay Community As Trinitarian	p. 136
The Vocation of Gay Christians	p. 139
Homosexuality in Catholic Teaching and Practice	p. 143
The Heterosexual Issue: Birth Control	p. 144
The Nature of Sex	p. 144
"Complementarity" and Sexual Anatomy	p. 146
The Nuances of Catholic Teaching	p. 146
The Supremacy of Conscience	p. 148
Catholicism's Conflicted Openness to Gays and Lesbians	p. 149
Catholic Gay Ministries	p. 150
The Inevitable Change	p. 151
Gay Marriage: A Response to the Vatican	p. 153
The Identification of Sexuality with Procreation	p. 154
Inconclusive Religious Arguments Against Same-Sex Relationships	p. 155
Misrepresentation of Social-Science Findings About Same-Sex Families	p. 156
Misguided Concern About the Social Order	p. 157
A Position Built on Sand and Blind Faith	p. 158
A Valid Consideration: Concern for the Children	p. 158
Civil Union versus Sacred Marriage	p. 159
Marriage As a Sacrament	p. 160
The Reorganization of Society	p. 162
The Genius of Roman Catholicism and the Salvation of the Nations	p. 162
Why Biblical Literalism Is Not Christian	p. 165
The Identity Theft of Christianity	p. 166
A Matter of Theology	p. 168
Literal Interpretation and Reliance on the Bible Alone	p. 170
Taking History Seriously	p. 172
"God's Word" As Political Ideology	p. 173
The Essence of Christianity	p. 175
A Lesson from the Council of Nicaea	p. 179
Implications for All of Christianity	p. 184
The Bible, Homosexuality, and Christianity	p. 187
An Array of Ethical Opinions	p. 188
A Deeper Analysis	p. 193
Intimations for a New Christianity	p. 196
An Ecumenical Christianity	p. 199
Conclusion	p. 200
Gay Bashing and 9/11 Terrorism: Religious Perversion	p. 203
The Religious Root of Violence	p. 204
The Strangled Soul of Religion	p. 205
Shaken from Dogmatic Slumber	p. 206
The Positive Effects of the Tragedy	p. 206
Toward a Global Community	p. 208
Resurgence of the Spiritual	p. 209
A Statement of Spirituality	p. 211
Index	p. 213
Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved.