Sexual ethics : a biblical perspective /
Stanley Grenz.
- xxi, 268 pages ; 23 cm.
Contents: • Introduction - The Church Amid Sexual Revolution: Changing Views of Sexuality in Church History: 1. The Affirmation of Sexuality Within the Context of Morality – 2. The Elevation of Celibacy – 3. Marriage as the Norm The Current Situation: An Era of Transition: 1. Sex and Secularization – 2. The Sexual Revolution – Transition and the Church • Part 1: Human Sexuality ad Christian Theology 1. Male and Female: The Nature of Human Sexuality: What is Sexuality: Sexuality, Biological Sex, and Reproduction – The Expression of Sexuality Sexuality and Our Essential Being: Sexual Distinction as Peripheral to Essential Humanity – The Basis for Affirming the Essential Nature of Sexuality – Objections to the Essential Nature of Sexuality – Embodiment in Christian Theology and in secularism 2. Male and Female: Humankind as a Sexual Creation The Social Purpose of our Creation as Sexual Beings: Bonding – The Basic Purpose – Gender Roles The Theological Significance of our Creation as Sexual Beings: Sexuality and the Nature of God – Sexuality and the Plurality of God – Sexuality and the Community of God Sexuality and the Dialectic of Creation and Fall: Sexuality Viewed under the Dynamic of Creation – Human Sexuality Viewed under the Dynamic of the Fall • Part III. Marriage as an Expression of Human Sexuality 3. Marriage in a Christian perspective The Meaning of Marriage: Marriage in the Context of God’s Ultimate Intent – The Metaphorical Meaning of Marriage – Marriage and the Triune Nature of God The Purpose of Marriage: Marriage as the Context for Sexual Expression – Marriage as Directed Toward Procreation and Child-Rearing – Marriage as the Focus of Companionship – Marriage as a Spiritual Metaphor What Constituents Marriage: The Constitutive Elements of Marriage – Is the Marriage Ceremony a Matter for Church or State? 4. The Sex Act within the Context of Marriage The Sex Act and Meaning: The Sex Act and Anthropology – The Sex Act and the Nature of Meaning The Sex Act within Marital Bond: The Sex Act as the Sacrament of Marriage – The Sex Act as an Expression of Mutual Submission – The Sex Act as an Expression of Openness – The Relative Value of the Sex Act – The Enjoyment of the Sex Act to the End of Married Life The Public Dimension of Sex Act: The case for a Public Dimension of the Sex Act – Implications of the Public Nature of the Sex Act 5. The Marital Bond: Fidelity versus Adultery The Boundaries of Sexual Expression: Boundaries and the Biblical Sex Ethic – The Importance of Permanency Adultery as the Violation of the Marital Covenant: Fidelity in an Era of “open Marriage” – The Meaning of Adultery Fidelity and Promiscuity in a Theological Context: The Nature of Promiscuity – Fidelity vs. Infidelity: The Deeper Implications 6. Divorce: The Ultimate Severing of the Marital Bond Divorce as a Modern Phenomenon: Historical Overview – Reasons for the Modern Phenomenon – The Effects of Divorce Divorce as the Breakup of Marriage: The Biblical Data – A Theological Understanding of Divorce – The Nonlegalism of the New Testament – Principles for Christian Decision Making Divorce and Remarriage: Does Divorce Entail Freedom to Remarry? – Should a Divorced Christian Remarry? Divorce and the Church: Developing a Redemptive Outlook Toward Divorced Persons – Delineating the Role of Divorced Persons in the Church 7. Technology and the Perspective of Pregnancy The Ethics of Birth Control: Birth Control and the Churches – The Debate Concerning Birth Control – Specific Methods of Birth Control The Ethics of Abortion: The Abortion Debate – A Christian View of Abortion – Eugenics, or Selective Birth Control 8. Technology and Pregnancy Enhancement: Technology and Infertility: The Cause of Infertility – Technological Assistance and the Christian – Alternative to Technological Procreation Methods of Technologically Assisted Conception: Representative Methods – Ethical Considerations -- Conclusion • Part III. Singleness s an Expression of Human Sexuality 9. The Single Life Singleness, Marriage and God's Design: Varieties of Single Existence – The Alternatives of Marriage and Singleness Singleness in a Theological Context: Singleness and Human Sexuality – The Theological Significance of Singleness The Single Life and Celibacy: Celibacy Versus Forms of Singleness – The Significance of Celibacy – Candidates of Celibacy -- Conclusion 10. Singleness and Sexual Expression Sexuality in Adolescence and Young Adulthood: The Unique Situation of Modern Adolescence – Sexual Expression and the Young Adult – The Christian Sex Ethic and Dating Sexual Expression and the Single Life: The Single Life and the Sex Act: The Ethic of Abstinence – Abstinence and Contemporary Outlooks – Abstinence and Sexual Expression 11. Homosexuality: Sin or Alternative Lifestyle? Homosexuality as a Sexual Orientation: The Name of the Homosexual Orientation – Homosexuality and Sin – Can the Orientation be Altered? Homosexuality and Sexual Expression: The Outward Expression of the Homosexual Orientation – The Question of Homosexual Marriage – Options for Homosexuality – The Church and Homosexuality • Epilogue: The Church and Human Sexuality Sexuality and the Community of God: Bonding and Community with God – Bonding and Community with Christ The Role of Human Sexuality in the Church: As the Church Welcomes the Gifts of Both Marriage and Singleness – As the Church Welcomes the Gifts of Both Sexes – As the Church Includes the Sexual Dimension of Life The Penultimate Nature of Sex Ethics: The Relationship between Ethical Guidelines and God’s Ideal – The Noneternal Nature of Human Genital Expression