God, Sex, and Gender: An Introduction

The last 50 years have seen unprecedented changes in sexual and gender relationships. These include the easy availability of contraception, the separation of sexual experience from marriage and marriage from parenthood, more broken marriages, and legal provision for same–sex unions. Relationships between men and women have changed from a model of male dominance, towards a new model of male/female equality, and on to a new recognition of sexual and gender difference. These transformations have resulted in great benefits but they have also generated great uncertainties and unfulfilled expectations. They have sparked painful and on–going controversies in all the churches. God, Sex, and Gender is a clear and engaging introduction to these issues. It offers a consistent theological understanding which is contemporary, undogmatic, questioning, and relevant to readers′ experience, interests and needs. Throughout the book, Thatcher connects theological ideas, with broader, secular thought. It fills a gap in the literature by linking together the diverse themes of sexuality, gender and Christian thought in one coherent volume. Its comprehensive and even–handed discussion of these issues will ensure it becomes a vital text in the field.

Introduction 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. References.

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).

“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) ""Here is a clear and coherent account of where we are in terms of Christian teaching and practice about sex and gender, and it should appeal to students and general readers alike." (Church Times, 26 August 2011) "A theologian offers a theology of both sexuality and gender, discussing such topics as homosexuality and same–sex unions." (Publishers Weekly, 8 March 2011)