Written lucidly and engagingly by an e
Trade Review
“Many of the critiques of God, Sex, and Genderoffered in this review emerge from Thatcher’s own lines of interrogation. In this and other ways, the book succeeds in drawing readers into what is truly an exhilarating mode of reflection. As such, it offers a major contribution towards theological depth and creativity in this important set of discourses, renewing the often reflexive ethics of sex and gender through witness to the Word become flesh.” (Studies in Christian Ethics, 16 April 2014)
“Written as a text for post-secondary courses, this book aims to provide “a comprehensive and consistent theological understanding of sexuality and gender, which is broad, contemporary, undogmatic, questioning, inclusive, and relevant to readers’ interests, needs, and experience” (xi).” (Studies in Religion, 1 September 2013)
"Adrian Thatcher's new book will be a rich resource for those studying and teaching sex, gender and sexuality in theological perspective ... The volume is a valuable one, which I hope will prompt readers to go and explore Thatcher's own extensive work form the past, as well as the broader context of theological scholarship on sexuality, gender and marriage within which it sits." (Theology, 1 January 2012)
"Although designed as an introduction for theology students, this is a really remarkable book covering a whole range of sensitive subjects in a deeply humane fashion." (Network Review, 1 June 2011)
Table of Contents
Introduction – Or, a Welcome to My Readers ix
Part I Sex, Gender, and Theology 1
1 Sex: Sexuality, the Sexes, Having Sex 3
1.1 Sexuality 3
1.2 How Many Sexes are There? 6
1.3 Having Sex 14
2 Gender: Language, Power, and History 17
2.1 Gender 17
2.2 Gender, Language, and Power 23
2.3 Gender in the Time of Jesus 28
3 Theology: Sources and Applications 33
3.1 Explaining the Sources: Scripture, Tradition, Reason 33
3.2 Applying the Sources 40
3.3 Using the Sources Well 49
Part II Being Theological about Sex 55
4 Desiring 57
4.1 Learning from Lust 57
4.2 Desiring 62
4.3 Desiring God? 66
4.4 God Desiring Us? 69
5 Framing Sex: Must the Framework be Marriage? 76
5.1 The Traditional Framework: Celibacy or Marriage? 76
5.2 The Case against Marriage 79
5.3 Alternative Frameworks: Justice and Friendship? 87
5.4 A New Case for Marriage? 89
6 Covenants and Covenant-Makers 96
6.1 Beginning with God 96
6.2 God the Father – Maker of Covenants 100
6.3 Christ – The Bridegroom, Maker of a New Covenant 106
6.4 The Eucharist – Sharing in the New Covenant 111
Part III Being Theological about Gender 115
7 God: Beyond Male and Female 117
7.1 Does God Have [a] Sex? 118
7.2 Is God the Son a Man? 123
7.3 Mary – Mother of All the Living 127
7.4 Womankind in God’s Likeness? 131
8 ‘‘In Christ there is neither Male nor Female’’ 135
8.1 Sex in the Body of Christ 135
8.2 Gender in the Body of Christ 139
8.3 Masculinity in the Body of Christ 143
8.4 . . . Neither . . . Male nor Female . . .? 149
Part IV Being Theological about Same-Sex Love 155
9 The Bible and Same-Sex Love 157
9.1 What the Churches Teach 157
9.2 Same-Sex Relations in the Hebrew Bible 159
9.3 Same-Sex Relations in the New Testament 163
9.4 What Else Does the Bible ‘‘Say’’ about Same-Sex Relations? 168
9.5 Finding What We Want to Find? Evaluating Official Teaching 171
10 Tradition, Reason, and Same-Sex Love 175
10.1 Tradition and Same-Sex Love 175
10.2 Reason, Natural Law, and Same-Sex Love 180
10.3 Complementarity and Same-Sex Love 185
10.4 Experience and Same-Sex Love 188
Part V Learning to Love 191
11 Virginity, Celibacy, Chastity 193
11.1 Valuing Virginity? 193
11.2 Virginity ‘‘for the Sake of the Kingdom’’ 196
11.3 In Praise of Restraint 200
11.4 Commending Chastity 203
12 ‘‘Condilemmas’’: Sex and Contraception in the Time of HIV/AIDS 211
12.1 Contraception, Still a Theological Issue 211
12.2 Lambeth against Rome 214
12.3 Contraception and Natural Law 217
12.4 Sex and Love: An ‘‘Unbreakable Connection’’? 221
12.5 Moral Deficit Arguments 224
12.6 Condoms in the Time of HIV/AIDS 226
13 Marriage and the ‘‘States of Life’’ 234
13.1 Betrothal in the Bible 234
13.2 Betrothal and Tradition 237
13.3 Spousals, Nuptials, and States of Life 244
14 Inclusive Theology and Sexual Minorities 249
14.1 Sex 249
14.2 Gender 256
Index of Authors 259
Index of Biblical References 263
Index of Subjects 267
