SEXUAL ETHICS Annotated Bibliography and Glossary Department of Theology

Bethel Theological Seminary Compiled by Justin Sundberg and Robert Rakestraw  

Abbreviations for Sources of Annotations and Definitions.

C--From Clark, David K., ed. Readings in Christian Ethics. Vol. 2, Issues and Applications.
     Grand Rapids: Baker, 1996.
CH--From Childress, James F., and John Macquarrie, eds. The Westminster Dictionary of Christian
        Ethics. Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1986.
CT--From Cook, Kaye and Stanley Grenz. "Further Reading." Christianity Today (October 2, 1987): 46.
G--From Grenz, Stanley. Sexual Ethics. Dallas: Word, 1990.
H--From Harrison, R.K., ed. Encyclopedia of Biblical and Christian Ethics. Revised. Nashville: Thomas
      Nelson, 1992.
K--From Knox, David. Human Sexuality: The Search for Understanding. St. Paul: West, 1984.
R--From Rakestraw, Robert V., ed. Readings in Christian Ethics. Vol. 2, Issues and Applications.
     Grand Rapids: Baker, 1996.
S--From Stafford, Tim. Sexual Chaos. Revised. Downers Grove: InterVarsity, 1993.

ABORTION

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Although somewhat dated, an impressive collection of essays by well known ethicists of a variety of ecumenical and theological hues.

Essentialist defense of a prolife position by a convert to that view (C).

Thinks that more than simply a new legal precedent is needed to overturn the mentality that inaugurated Roe vs. Wade. Rather, an entire transformation of minds and values must be forthcoming.

Collection of five powerfully argued essays by a noted Catholic scholar (C).

Entire issue devoted to prochoice arguments from theological perspectives.

The unborn fetus, in Hebrew culture, was seen as fully human. Although the value assigned to the fetus was less than that of an adult, Congdon believes the fetus still maintained the status of personhood.

Significant discussion of Ex. 21:22-25 which questioned the traditional interpretation of that key passage (C).

Good collection of essays on philosophical aspects of abortion (C).

Discussion of conflicting perspectives on abortion in the first five centuries of the church (C).

Prominent statement of the feminist perspective on abortion by a liberal Christian (C).

Extensive anthology of prolife essays which includes medical, legal, social, and philosophical approaches (C).

A helpful collection of essays which discuss abortion in an interdisciplinary (sociological, political, historical, biblical, theological, ethical, biological, and psychological) manner. Thorough and comprehensive.

Well known evangelical discussion of several bioethics issues (C).

Strong essay written by a formerly evangelical feminist supporting a prochoice position in public policy (C).

Results from an important 1968 conference of evangelical scholars representing a wide range of disciplines (C).

Stafford shows that the current war against abortion is not a singular event in history; it has been preceded by at least two other periods where abortion has been prevalent, the early centuries of Christianity in the Greco-Roman world and in North America in the mid-nineteenth century.

Classic essay arguing that fetuses having a right to live is consistent with a moderate prochoice position (C).

Very important work by a philosopher campaigning aggressively for both abortion and infanticide (C).

           Fine philosophical analysis by an evangelical who argues that abortion is usually morally wrong but should not be criminalized (C).
 
 

ABUSE

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    Alsdurf, James and Phyllis Alsdurf. Battered Into Submission: The Tragedy of Wife Abuse in the Christian Home. Downers Grove: InterVarsity, 1989.

An extremely important work on a neglected topic.

Very helpful essays covering both the academic and the practical.

Valuable essays focused on ways to help.

ADDICTION

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According to Dan Allender, this is "the finest work available for all who struggle with their sexuality or want to understand and help those who do."     Written by a therapist who works with sex addicts.

A rather curious and highly personal account of sexual sin, with valuable insights on being set free.

ADULTERY

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Maintains that textual evidence reveals that this Johannine passage is an insertion to the original text, yet concludes that it should be kept parenthetically because of the way in which it has edified the church.

R. Ruth Barton speaks of this as a "wonderful" book about much more than adultery as such.

BIRTH CONTROL

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    "Is Birth Control Christian?" Christianity Today (November 11, 1991): 34-45.

The feature article of this issue consists of a series of essays by evangelicals who disagree on when life begins, how contraceptives work, and the morality of refraining to have children.

    Spitzer, Walter O. and Carlyle L. Saylor, eds. Birth Control and the Christian. Wheaton: Tyndale House, 1969.
 
 

CLERGY INTEGRITY

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    Alcorn, Randy C. Sexual Temptation. Downers Grove: InterVarsity, 1989.

    Barnhouse, Ruth T. Clergy and the Sexual Revolution. Washington, D.C.: The Alban Institute, 1987.

    Friberg, Nils and Mark R. Laaser. Before the Fall: Preventing Pastoral Sexual Abuse. Collegeville: Liturgical Press, 1998.

Valuable guidance for seminarians and those in ministry.

    Lebacqz, Karen and Ronald G. Barton. Sex in the Parish. Louisville: Westminster John Knox, 1991.

A significant and helpful work.

DIVORCE and REMARRIAGE

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Sometimes abrasive Christian defense of remarriage in cases of adultery (C).

Well-documented (though inelegantly written) justification of permission for innocent partners to remarry (C).

This entire first issue of Winnipeg Theological Seminary's journal is devoted to the topics of divorce, remarriage, and singleness.

Briefly defends permission for innocents to remarry and for remarried divorcees to enter pastoral care (C).

A scholarly argument against biblical permission for remarriage after divorce.

Four authors' views representing the spectrum of positions plus responses by each writer to the other three essays (C).

In spite of God's disdain for divorce, Kaiser finds no textual support for the contention that a person must remain unmarried if she divorced within scriptural guidelines.

    Laney, J. Carl. "Deuteronomy 24:1-4 and the Issue of Divorce." Bibliotheca Sacra (Jan.-March 1992): 3-15.

Discusses Deuteronomy 24:1-4 in relation to divorced and remarried Christians today.

Defense of a very conservative view that all divorce is sinful (C).

Sees battering as a legitimate grounds for divorce since it violates the marital relationship to (at least) the same extent as adultery. Further, the term porneia found in Matthew 19:9 is best rendered "immorality" and thus gives warrant to the possibility of biblically permissible divorce.

Very detailed defense, on biblical grounds, of the view that concedes remarriage in certain situations (C).

Landmark evangelical statement of permission for victims of spouse's adultery or desertion to remarry (C).

Semantic and linguistic problems render the clarification of Matthew 19:9, via logic, impossible.

Powerful anecdotal account of the devastating consequences of divorce (C).

Insightful discussion of "the husband of one wife" qualification for elders and deacons in light of general biblical teaching on marriage (C).

From a historical perspective, lucid and helpful.

    ________. "Divorce." Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels, ed. Joel B. Green and Scot McKnight. Downers Grove: InterVarsity, 1992. Pp. 192-99.

    Trinity Journal 11 (Fall 1990).

Two essays in this issue focus on the history of the church's view on divorce while a third presents a substantial exegesis of Matthew 19:3-12.

A philosophical approach to understanding the "exception clause (Matthew 19:9)." Wiebe contends that "exception" clauses in statements produce, in effect, two sentences. Thus, Jesus' statement allows remarriage when the basis for divorce is unchastity.

GENDER ROLES

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Valuable account for both women and men to develop into the person you were meant to be.

One of egalitarianism's foremost spokesman fleshes out biblical roles for women in the context of creation, fall and redemption. Briefly discusses most relevant passages.

Prominent theologian crafts a sensitive hierarchicalism as an alternative both to traditional patriarchy and to contemporary feminism (C).

Essay on the difficulty of combining the theological methods of feminism with the biblical commitments of evangelicalism (C).

A lengthy, detailed, and competent book defending traditional views on gender roles (C).

Essays and responses representing a spectrum of Christian views (C).

Ground-breaking critique of sexism in Catholicism by former Catholic, now radical feminist (C).

Key text is interpreted as consistent with women's ordination (C).

Documentation of evangelical influences in early feminism (C).

Argues against women's role of leadership over men (R).

Magna Carta for third wave feminism, the contemporary, secularized feminism (C).

Solid argumentation for gender equality in ministry, drawing upon biblical, historical and theological resources.

One of the best-argued books from the egalitarian perspective.

Exhaustive essay arguing for a hierarchicalist view of kephale ("head") in the NT based on its use in classical Greek Literature (C).

Defense of evangelical feminism from an EWC point of view (C).

Comprehensive traditionalist discussion of problems in biblical interpretation regarding gender roles; especially strong in historical backgrounds (C).

Controversial evangelical statement defending equality of the sexes (C).

Very detailed analysis of key Pauline texts in light of early Christian literature (C).

Brief traditionalist essay on women's roles in marriage and the church (C).

Strong model of womanhood presented for the lay reader (C).

A collection of addresses delivered at a 1984 conference exploring biblical feminism. Quite valuable (C).

Detailed exposition of a central passage on women's ordination by a strong traditionalist (C).

Concerted response to biblical feminism by twenty-two essayists representing the CBMW (C).

Well-known exposition of traditionalist thinking (C).

Significant essay bringing feminist consciousness into a major evangelical magazine; first suggestion in evangelical circles that women are oppressed (C).

Seminary professor discusses her understanding of women's call to ministry and ordination (C).

Psychological insights applied to understandings of Christian maturity (C).

Essay emphasizing the distinctions of male and female as they approach work, church, and family life (C).

HOMOSEXUALITY

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Helpful review of literature followed by a judicious and broadly-based evangelical study of major theological, biblical and scientific factors (R).

Argues that not only is homosexual practice sin, but also that one's homosexual orientation, for which one is morally responsible, is itself sinful (R).

Marks the beginning of serious non-traditional thinking within the Church; widely influential in the subsequent debate, especially for its prohomosexual treatment of the biblical texts (R).

Contends that while the specific biblical passages on the subject condemn homosexual practices, there are biblical grounds for giving full recognition to Christian homosexual relationships (R).

Valuable summary of recent literature, especially on types of homosexuality and causation (R).

Three booklets arguing against traditional Christian prohibitions, and against the permanency of change in constitutional homosexuals (R).

Massive scholarly historical work studying the presence of homosexuals in the Church and society, as well as social and religious attitudes to them; prohomosexual reinterpretation of biblical texts (R).

Contends that in many cases homosexual orientation is inborn; for such persons, living together in celibate, lifelong homosexual "covenants" can be beneficial (R).

A brief but helpful account of homosexuality.

A response to scholars (such as Derrick Sherwin Bailey and John Boswell) who look to the Septuagint in support of their prohomosexual interpretations of Old Testament passages.

Argues that usage of the Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha to marshal a prohomosexual interpretation of Old Testament passages is contrived and nothing short of "revisionist" in design.

Concludes that, based on grammatical, historical, and contextual analysis of the word physis, Paul rejects all homosexual activity.

Contends that Boswell is wrong in asserting that Paul does not condemn homosexuality in Romans 1. Although very helpful in many ways, Boswell's exegesis is flawed at points.

    Lanning, Cynthia, ed. Answers to Your Questions About Homosexuality. Wilmore, KY: Bristol, 1988.

    Lovelace, Richard. Homosexuality and the Church. Old Tappan: Revell, 1978.

Highly regarded evangelical work treating scriptural and theological issues with sensitivity and careful scholarship (R).

    McNeill, John J. The Church and the Homosexual. 3rd ed. Boston: Beacon, 1988.

Influential study by a defrocked Jesuit; largely accepts Bailey's exegesis (R).

A psychoanalytic interpretation focusing on root causes. Argues that the fulfillment of legitimate developmental needs has been blocked by ambivalence to members of the same sex (R).

Very helpful for its fourfold classification of attitudes within the Church toward homosexuality (R).

Argues that the word Apenokoitai, in 1 Cor. 6:9 and 1 Tim. 1:10, cannot be translated "homosexuals."

Outstanding study by a medical doctor showing that acceptance of alternative sexual lifestyles is supported neither by science nor valid ethical reasoning.

    Scanzoni, Letha and Virginia Mollenkott. Is the Homosexual my Neighbor? Another Christian View. Rev. ed. San Francisco: Harper and Row, 1980.

The [formerly] evangelical authors urge a rethinking of the biblical passages and an attitude of understanding toward homosexuals; favor practicing homosexual unions (R).

The best all around study of the issues; the most comprehensive, persuasive, and readable Christian books on the topic.

Maintains that the New Testament judgments against homosexual behavior are not relevant to today's debate (R).

Supports most same-gender partnerships/marriages.

Spong, an Episcopalian Bishop, affirms homosexual relationships that "produce the fruits of the spirit. . ." Further, he concludes that it is possible for a single adult to engage in "holy sex." Controversial.

An adaptation from Stott's book, Involvement: Social and Sexual Relationships in the Modern World. Reasons that although homosexual practice can only be seen as a deviation from God's norm, we must love homosexuals and encourage them to abstain from homosexual behavior and extend to them the Christian call of hope.

This book is written for parents who need some practical guidelines and encouraging support as they learn of their child's homosexuality (CT).

Maintains that while the homosexual condition is a "perversion" of God's created order, "ethically responsible" unions can be acceptable (R).

Argues that the Old Testament injunctions in Leviticus 18:23 and 20:13 against homosexuality are still binding because they are found in the New Testament as well (Romans 1:26-27; 1 Cor. 6:9-11; 1 Tim. 1:9-10). Further, Ukleja lends biblical support to the traditional understanding of the story of Sodom in Genesis 19.

Maintains that 1 Cor. 6:9 and 1 Tim. 1:10 relate to homosexuality rather than "moral laxity" and "male prostitutes," respectively.

Argues that the Old Testament condemnation of homosexual acts relates to the doctrine of creation in Genesis 1 and 2. God created humanity in two genders to allow them to procreate, support and complement one another, among other things. Thus, to sanction homosexual behavior would be to thwart God's intended pattern.

Williams reviews the issue of homosexuality from a biblical perspective. Taking the position that homosexuality is learned (a debatable conclusion), he argues that the proper biblical perspective is that homosexuality is a sin. A useful book (CT).

Excellent study of same-sex relations in the cultures of the biblical writers. Evangelical conclusions.

High quality, conservative treatment of the key scripture texts; addresses contemporary objectors like Scroggs and Boswell.

The author of this article argues that the Apostle Paul is concerned with homosexual activity (and not prostitution or primarily adult/juvenile homosexual acts). Much careful exegesis.

Valuable articles from evangelical contributors on the major aspects of the topic (R).

MARRIAGE

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Theology of marriage (C).

Christian psychologists develop a theology of marriage (C).

Brief statement outlining the theological meaning of marriage and opposing the remarriage of divorced individuals (C).

Teaches that we can meet our basic needs for security and significance through our Christian faith resources, and encourages better relationships as a result.

The title explains this book well (B).

Egalitarian work that treats many passages of Scripture on male-female roles.

Survey of views of marriage in Christian history (C).

An important study.

Compilation of official statements about marriage (C).

Maintain that the biblical (and best) ideal for marriage is striving to become "one flesh" and that this bonding to "one flesh" is only possible through commitment to Christ, time, and mutual subjection.

Brief marriage enrichment manual that defends the view of marriage as an unbreakable covenant (C).

Counters the objection raised by some feminists that the Bible is misogynistic and that God is male. He maintains that a proper understanding of the Scriptures reveals a mutuality among males and females. Specifically, Genesis sets forth a paradigm of covenantal mutuality. He presents the historical background of the scriptures while not neglecting biblical and theological considerations.

POLYGAMY

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Sees polygamy as acceptable given certain biblical criteria.

PORNOGRAPHY

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According to the editors, writing in Winter, 1988, this article generated more mail from readers than any other article before or since.

A sequel by the same anonymous writer of the Fall, 1982, article.

    Drakeford, John and Jack Hamm. Pornography: The Sexual Mirage. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1973.

A comprehensive view of the problems of pornography are discussed in this book (B).

A brief but valuable essay, not from a Christian perspective, revealing the degrading effect pornography has on men.

REPRODUCTIVE TECHNOLOGIES

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Rejects any enhancement of human nature through genetic engineering, but approves of genetic technology to correct disease (R).

Attempts to dispel misguided fears associated with genetic engineering, focusing instead on important issues such as universal principles, common cliches and anxieties (R).

Contributors grapple with scientific, legal, and ethical problems, considering the last from the perspectives of both secular moral philosophy and theology (R).

Contends that there are neither conceptual nor biblical reasons for considering artificial conception--specifically AID--adulterous, as is sometimes alleged, although there may be other bases for questioning the practice (R).

A blistering critique of new reproductive procedures, detailing how women are victimized and exploited by technologies that disregard both medical and moral norms (R).

Reports on the findings of a nationwide survey of infertility clinics, warning against overly optimistic reports on the success rates of IVF and GIFT (R).

Very helpful discussion of the issues from an evangelical perspective (R).

Excellent selection of both issues and contributors, including Arthur Caplan, LeRoy Walters, Hans Tiefel, and Lori Andrews. Highly informative (R).

Careful reflection from a scientific and Christian perspective. A valuable study (R).

Discusses the implications (yet offers no solutions) of the New Reproductive Technologies (i.e. AID and IVF) for Christians in particular and humans--biological and spiritual unities--in general.

Views the project positively, as evidence of our "co-creatorship" with God in shaping the future of the human story (R).

Interacts with feminist objections to new reproductive technologies from the point of view of an infertile man (R).

Rejects surrogacy, embryo transfer, and AID, but allows AIH and, more cautiously, IVF. Contends that infertility is sometimes God's will.

Answers objections to the claim that IVF is inherently immoral, but admits that certain ethical problems could arise with ova and embryo banking.

Argues that the new reproductive technologies should be considered in a moral and religious context more sensitive to women (R).

The best book on the topic from an evangelical perspective.

SEXUAL ETHICS--GENERAL

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    Atkinson, David J., David H. Field, Arthur F. Holmes, and Oliver O'Donovan, eds. New Dictionary of Christian Ethics and Pastoral Theology. Downers Grove: InterVarsity, 1995.

Very high quality work, including articles (sometimes too brief) on many topics related to sexuality.

An important work in the ethics of sex written from a mainstream Protestant point of view (CT).

Scholarly yet readable study of sexual ethics in the New Testament and their implications for today; non-conservative conclusions (R).

Excellent study of the importance of character in the study and practice of sexuality.

This British psychiatrist explores the issues of love and sexuality from a Christian perspective, realistically and practically discussing issues relevant to teenagers, young marrieds, older marrieds, and the aged. He does not take a position on issues (CT).

Foster's four chapters (on sex, spirituality, singleness, marriage, and fidelity) are worth the price of the book.  Formerly titled Money, Sex and Power.

 A highly influential book which makes the claim that the sexual revolution is not a reversal of Victorianism, but a continuation. Not light reading (S).

An analysis of the classical Greek heritage in regard to sexuality (S).

An analysis of Greco-Roman sexuality in the period leading up to the Christian era (S).

This much-hated book is original and thought-provoking. Some conservative Christians love Gilder because he is in favor of the traditional family and against feminism, but they should temper their enthusiasm.  Approaching the relationship of male and female as an evolutionary adaptation, as Gilder does, yields a sub-Christian idea of family. Still, there is lots to learn here (S).

Interesting Jewish perspective on sexual ethics.

Tim Stafford weaves together the thoughts of five Christian scholars (Judith Balswick, Kaye Cook, Stanley Grenz, Kenneth Kantzer, and William Stafford) who discuss the question, "How should Christians deal with their sexuality?" Specifically, five areas are addressed: sexual vulnerability, sexual desires, hope for broken marriages, singleness, and church ministry as it relates to sexual needs.

A primer article indicating results of research done for his book Sexual Ethics; we are created as sexual beings with the intent to bring us closer to God and others. We are incomplete without relationships with each other and God.

This masterfully balanced work contends that the nature of our sexuality is a function of bonding--being a community of male and female in marriage and/or in the body of believers.  The best book on sexual ethics by an evangelical.

Reconstruction of Christian sexual ethics from a very liberal perspective.

Helpful overview of Catholic controversies in the post-Vatican II era (R).

This, and his more recent ReBonding, offers helpful insight in to the process by which male and female become one flesh. Interesting treatment of the concept of porneia, which Joy might define as casual sex. Joy is one of a handful of evangelical authors making a serious attempt at studying human sexuality from a Christian perspective (CT).

A very interesting popular book that (along with its predecessor, Bonding) reinterprets biblical sexual ethics in light of anthropological studies on bonding. Joy sometimes falls into an almost biomechanical understanding of love and marriage, but in mild doses this serves as a corrective to the spiritualized understanding often current today (S).

    Lazareth, William A., ed. Theological Ethics. Vol. 3, The Ethics of Sex, by Helmut Thielicke. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1964.

Although dated, parts of this work by the renowned Lutheran theologian, Thielicke, are still relevant and helpful. It discusses everything from the nature of humanity as it relates to sexuality to a theological analysis of birth control; very highly regarded.

Whole issue devoted to Christian sexual themes and problems, from an evangelical pastoral perspective (R).

This practical guide provides a generous supply of ideas, suggestions, and activities to help families talk positively about sexuality (CT).

Very helpful study of sexually transmitted diseases and risky behaviors by a Christian medical doctor.

While not a Christian approach, contains much valuable information on a topic that (sadly) affects Christian families (R).

    Nelson, James B. Between Two Gardens: Reflections on Sexuality and Religious Experience. New York: Pilgrim, 1983.

A liberal ethicist builds upon his earlier work, Embodiment, arguing for a "sexual theology" rather than a theology of sexuality (R).

A significant, often-quoted work on sexuality written from a "mainline" Christian perspective. Nelson does not treat sex as physical acts, but as forms of communication. Tim Stafford writes, "on the whole an example of how the spirit of the age can be packaged as Christian theology" (CT).

An excellent survey of the great religions and their teachings about sex (S).

This book provides the Christian community with a much-needed developmental approach to sexuality. The authors present the natural sexual responsiveness from birth through old age. This is a helpful book (CT).

Controversial book on a controversial topic by the controversial author of Was Jesus Married? (Phipps argues yes.) Includes chapters on celibacy and sexual renunciation in western history. Phipps wrote an earlier work with the same title (Harper & Row, 1973).

An evangelical call to marriage-centered sexual life; sees "self-pleasuring" as acceptable for singles (R).

This brief book, controversial and in some areas alarming, is a forthright discussion of women's experience of their sexual selves. The author discusses alternatives for meeting sexual needs, including premarital sex, touching, and intimate nonsexual relationships (CT).

Written by a prominent Christian sociologist, this is a helpful volume on the subject.

Well-written account of the historical development of Christian thinking about sex, and a scripturally-based theology of sexuality (R).

Smedes discusses sexuality positively, arguing against premarital and extramarital sex. He proposes that "responsible petting" is biblically acceptable and in the process addresses the question of "what's the line" between appropriate sexual expression and abuse (CT).

This work by the highly controversial and liberal Episcopal bishop of Newark, N.J., strongly rejects biblical and traditional norms. Time Magazine says this is "probably the most radical pronouncement on sex ever issued by a bishop."

Excellent application of biblical principles to the contemporary sexual confusion (R). Superb chapter on "celibacy as asign of the knigdom."

    Trobisch, Walter and Ingrid. My Beautiful Feeling. Downers Grove: InterVarsity, 1976.

Letters between the Trobisches and a young woman about her struggle with masturbation.

Sees human sexuality as very good, but not the highest good, and to be enjoyed according to the maker's instructions (R).

This book has important implications for clinicians as it discusses human concerns in light of biblical principles. Topics include guilt, freedom, responsibility, adultery, homosexuality, healing, and discipline (CT).

A psychologist at Conservative Baptist Seminary, Wilson discusses masturbation, voyeurism, promiscuity, homosexuality, and pornography, as well as premarital sex. His model of sexual sin is the addiction model of Alcoholics Anonymous: Sexual obsession is an addiction and sin.

SINGLENESS

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A positive, practical, biblically based guide to celibacy, written in an easily readable format. Beslow does not assume that all Christians will marry, nor does she speak only to young singles, as so many of these books do (CT).

A historical look at the early church reveals that remaining single was, when chosen, not always merely for ascetic reasons, but also due to a desire to be able to advance the kingdom of God.

Argues that a balanced, biblical view is one that honors singleness as a status equal to marriage.  Attempts to debunk the myth of the "gift of singleness." Closes with an insightful interview with single theologian John Stott.

Instead of celibacy for singles, argues for "vulnerability," defined as the willingness to be exposed or wounded (R).

Excerpt from the book, The Sexual Christian, (now titled Sexual Chaos) maintaining that the Bible affirms both the married and single person whose life is devoted to Christ.

A variation of his doctoral thesis, Yarbrough provides new insight on the Apostle Paul's view of marriage and sexual morality. Careful exegesis and theological reflection of 1 Thess. 4:3-8 and 1 Cor. 7 mark this work and, supplemented by an analysis of Greco-Roman society, Yarbrough concludes that Paul's preference for Christians remaining single is primarily pragmatic (and does not reflect a negative view of sexuality); that is, a single person, in a community of believers, could most devote himself to the service of God.

A helpful collection of brief articles by single Mennonite Christians. These articles discuss the single life as it relates to the church, the identity of the single person, sexuality, relationships, and the single's professional life. The goal is to see the Church move toward a more proper balance of ministering to the needs of both families and singles.

TECHNIQUE

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This clinical psychologist and nurse therapist wrote this book for married Christians placing sex in a biblical context and in the larger context of a couple's relationship. It reviews, for example, sexual functioning, barriers to sexual satisfaction, and sexual issues for persons of all ages. Lewis Smedes says, "The best book about sex and marriage I have ever read" (CT).

Written by a medical doctor and his wife, this "definitive Christian sex manual," as some call it, is a popular, easy-to-read reference book for couples. It begins with marriage and honeymoon, and discusses for example, impotence, infertility, parenting, sex, and aging (CT).

GLOSSARY

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Abortion. "Intentional termination of a pregnancy using any one of a variety of medical interventions; spontaneous abortion, commonly called miscarriage, happens naturally and is not morally significant" (C).

Actuality Principle. "A kind of functionalism affirming that a human organism has a right to life if and only if it has actually developed a minimal ability to express self-conscious, personal life" (C).

Adultery.

• ". . .the intentional (and perhaps repeated) breach of the marital bond and its attendant violation of marriage as the reflection of the divine reality" (G).
• "Voluntary sexual intercourse between a married person and someone other than his or her marriage partner; also includes voluntary thoughts of such activities" (R).

Agape. ". . .love with the added dimension of being other-regarding. . .redemptive love and Christian interpersonal love" (H).

AIDS. "Acquired immune deficiency syndrome, in which the immune system of a person's body is weakened so that it becomes vulnerable to disease and infection" (K).

Amniocentesis. "A test for a fetus's genetic health; involves examining the genetic structure of cells found in amniotic fluid drawn by needle from the amniotic sac" (C).

Androgyny. "The state of having a blend of feminine and masculine traits" (K).

Annulment. "An official cancellation of a marriage; unlike a divorce which recognizes the legitimacy of the marriage it ends, an annulment declares that the attempted marriage never really came into being" (C).

Artificial insemination (AI) [R]. "The injection of sperm either into a woman's vagina or into her uterus, with the hope that it will fertilize the woman's ovum (egg) and lead to pregnancy. The sperm may be from the woman's husband (AIH) or from someone else--a donor (AID). Quite often the donor is unknown to the prospective mother; the sperm is obtained from a "sperm bank."

Bestiality. ". . .an animal is a sexual partner. . ." (H).

Biblical feminism. "Feminism of those who combine evangelical commitments with their defense of egalitarianism" (C).

Birth Control. See Contraception.

Bisexuality. "Persons who have emotional and sexual attractions to members of their own and opposite genders" (K).

Celibacy. "State of being unmarried and sexually abstinent; understood either as a gift from God or simply as a circumstance of life" (R).

Chastity. "Sexual purity and responsibility in actions and thoughts, either within or outside of marriage" (R).

Cohabitation. "Two people of the opposite gender living together and sharing a common bed without being legally married" (K).

Coitus interruptus. ". . .the male withdraws the penis from the female's vagina prior to ejaculation" (G).

Condom. "Also referred to as 'rubber,' 'safe,' and 'prophylactic,' it is a thin sheath, usually made of synthetic material, which is rolled the erect penis before intercourse to provide a barrier to the sperm entering the vagina" (K).

Constitutional homosexual. "A person claiming that his or her attraction to those of the same sex is so deeply rooted that it is part of his or her essential being, and thus not possible to change. A constitutional homosexual is not necessarily a practicing homosexual" (R).

Contraception. ". . .an attempt to prevent a female's ovum from being fertilized as a result of male impregnation" (H).

Decisive moment views. "Views holding that a human zygote, embryo, or fetus becomes a full person in a moment, for example, at conception, at ensoulment, or at birth" (C).

Divorce. "A legal dissolution of a duly consummated marriage" (C).

Divorce (sacramental view). "Catholic view which considers marriage a sacred covenant before God and which entails that marriage is unbreakable except by death: in this view, annulment is permissible under certain circumstances, but divorce never is" (C).

Egalitarianism. "View that leadership roles in social relationships are open to both genders equally" (C).

Embryo. "Early stages in a human's development after the zygote stage and before it takes its distinctive form; roughly the first seven weeks of gestation (C).

Embryo transfer. "The transfer of an embryo conceived in one womb to the womb of another woman. The embryo is transferred before it can implant in the original womb" (R).

Eros. ". . .The human longing to possess and be possessed by the object of one's desire . . .[it] encompasses a broad range of human actions and desires, and it participates even in the religious dimension of life in the form of the desire to know and be known by God" (G).

Erotic. "Having to do with sexual arousal and desire" (R).

Essentialism. "The view that a creature is a human person and thus has a right to life by virtue of being a member of a class, the natural kind human, rather than by being able to perform certain functions" (C).

Eugenics. ". . .improving the human race through a combination of selective breeding and selective birth control. . .applying manipulative techniques to the human species as well, with the goal of improving the genetic makeup of humankind" (G).

Eunuch. "A person who has been castrated" (K).

Exception clause. "The phrase except for adultery (Mt. 5:32 and 19:9); whether Jesus permits an innocent victim of divorce to remarry depends on how this phrase relates to surrounding clauses" (C).

Exhibitionism. ". . .sexual excitement is achieved by displaying one's sexual organs, without sexual contact. . ." (H).

Feminism. "Movement of any, male or female, who advocate laws and social policies that promote social, political, and economic equality between the genders" (C).

Fetishism. ". . .a specific object or nonerotic part of a person is sexually exciting. . ." (H).

Fetus. "The individual unborn human in the later stages of development roughly from the end of the second month of pregnancy until birth" (C).

Fornication. "Voluntary sexual intercourse between an unmarried man and woman" (R).

Functionalism. "The view that an organism is a human person by virtue of its ability to function personally; an organism is a human person if it can or will act personally, that is, if it acts as a moral, intellectual, spiritual agent" (C).

Gay. "Homosexual; homosexual women prefer to speak of themselves as lesbians, while homosexual men refer to themselves as gay men" (R).

Gay liberation movement. "An informal association of thousands of gay people bonding together to further the rights of gay individuals" (K).

Gender. "Maleness and femaleness" (R).

Gender role. "The socially accepted characteristics and behaviors typically associated with one's gender identity" (K).

Genetic engineering. "A term most broadly and most commonly used to refer to the use of genetics to design human descendants and the manipulation of the entire ecosystem for the supposed benefit of humanity. More precisely, the term denotes any technical intervention in the structure of genes, for such purposes as the removal of a harmful gene, the enhancement of a particular genetic capacity, or the changing of an organism's genetic structure. Genetic engineering is also referred to as genetic manipulation, gene cloning (the artificial reproduction of an identical twin), and recombinant DNA technology. Sometimes the term is used to refer to reproductive technologies in general as well as more specific procedures just mentioned" (R).

Genetics. "The study of genes (the chromosome units that determine one's hereditary characteristics) and the application of that knowledge in a number of experimental and clinical uses" (R).

Gradualist views. "Those views holding that a fetus gradually becomes a human person through a developmental process" (C).

Head. "Key Greek word (kephale) for understanding Paul; interpreted by biblical traditionalists to mean 'authority' and by biblical feminists to mean 'source'" (C).

Hedonism. "The doctrine that pleasure is good and should be the aim of action" (K).

Hermaphrodite. "Condition in which an individual has both ovarian and testicular tissue. In some cases, the individual has one ovary and one testicle" (K).

Hierarchicalism. "View that males must fill certain leadership roles in social relationships; in certain contexts, women must follow the leadership and/or authority of men" (C).

Homophobia. "An irrational fear of homosexuals often leading to an attitude of personal hostility toward them" (R).

Homosexual. "As a noun, a person (male or female) with a homosexual orientation, who may or may not be a practicing homosexual; as an adjective, referring to same-sex desires and/or practices" (R).

Homosexual orientation. "The disposition or permanent preference of a person for same-gender relationships; also known as constitutional homosexuality and inversion" (R).

Homosexuality. "The persistent and predominant sexual disposition of an individual toward persons of the same sex" (R).

In vitro fertilization (IVF). "The combining of a woman's egg(s) and a man's sperm in a petri dish, followed by the insertion of the fertilized egg into the womb" (R).

Incest. "Sexual relations between close relatives, most commonly reported between a father and daughter" (R).

Intercourse (sexual). "Intimate sexual activity involving penile penetration; also known as coitus" (R).

Inversion. See homosexual orientation.

Lesbian. "A homosexual woman" (R).

Lex talionis. "The law of retaliation ('eye for eye, tooth for tooth, life for life') found in Lev. 24:17-20 and relevant to Ex. 21:22-25" (C).

Lust. "Strong desire for unlawful sexual involvement" (R).

Marriage.

• ". . .the monogamous union of a male and female in a lifelong commitment to one another which is to be characterized by fidelity" (G).
• "A union of one man and one woman as husband and wife through an official ceremony of vows by which the man and woman promise faithfulness to each other; marriage is recognized by society as well as by the church and is consummated in a full sexual union" (C).

Masochism. ". . .sexual excitement is sustained by injury to oneself. . ." (H).

Masturbation. ". . .the act of 'achieving sexual release by oneself through stimulating the erogenous zones of the body. . .'" (G).   "Stimulating oneself sexually, usually to orgasm" (R).

Misogyny. "Latent or explicit hatred of women" (C).

Monogamy. ". . .the condition of having a single marriage partner at any one time" (CH).

Nocturnal emission. "Male ejaculation during sleep while having an erotic dream" (K).

Patriarchy. "Systems of social life and language that preserve male role leadership; feminists argue that patriarchy subtly oppresses women" (C).

Pauline privilege. "The idea that an innocent Christian deserted by an unbelieving spouse is not bound to the marriage vow and is therefore free to choose remarriage; based on one interpretation of the phrase not bound in 1 Cor. 7:15" (C).

Pedophilia. "Term used to describe an adult (usually a male) who seeks contact with young children as a repeatedly preferred or exclusive method of achieving sexual excitement and gratification" (K).

Petting. "Fondling another person's sexually excitable body parts" (R).

Philos. ". . .employed commonly for human affection, including the kiss of greeting" (H).

Polygamy. "Literally meaning 'many marriages' but effectively meaning more than one marriage alliance" (H).

Pornography. "Sexually explicit pictures, writing, or other artistic materials designed to arouse sexual desires" (R).

Potentiality Principle. "A kind of functionalism affirming that a human organism possesses a right to life if it has developed or has the natural capacity for developing self-conscious, personal life" (C).

Practicing homosexual. "A person who regularly engages in same-sex genital activity" (R).

Prochoice. "An adjective describing views that regard the value of reproductive freedom more highly than the value of fetal life" (C).

Prolife. "An adjective describing views that regard the value of fetal life more highly than the value of reproductive freedom" (C).

Promiscuity. "Sexual behavior characterized by casual, superficial relationships and frequent changes of partners" (R).

Prostitution. "The practice of engaging in sexual activity for immediate compensation in money or other valuables, in which affective and emotional investment are minimal or absent, and in which the selection of sexual partners is relatively indiscriminate" (CH).

Puberty. "The age at which the testes of the male and the ovaries of the female begin to function and the person becomes capable of reproduction, usually around age 12 or 13. At this time secondary sex characteristics begin to appear" (K).

Rape. "Sexual intercourse without the consent of one of the partners" (R).

Rhythm method. ". . .follow[ing] the woman's monthly cycle, with the couple avoiding intercourse during those days in which the chances of pregnancy are high" (G).

Sadism. ". . .sexual excitement is enhanced by cruelty to the sexual partner. . ." (H).

Sex. "Either the reality of being male or female (gender), or the erotic attraction and/or genital activity between partners" (R).

Sexism. "Gender based prejudice" (C).

Sexual harassment. "Unwelcome sexual advances, whether verbal, nonverbal, or physical, that create a hostile work environment or make submission to the abuse a condition of employment or the basis of performance evaluation" (C).

Sexual Intercourse. ". . .it is the sacrament of marriage, a reenactment of the wedding vow which signifies and seals the covenant between husband and wife. . .it is an expression of the principle of mutual submission within the marital relationship. . .it is a declaration of the married couple's openness to receive new life, to widen the marriage bond by forming a family bond" (G).

Sexuality.

• ". . .a divinely given aspect of our humanness which demands that we live together as the community of male and female" (G).
• ". . .our fundamental maleness or femaleness. . ." (G).
• ". . .an aspect of our being that lies behind, produces, and is given expression by physical sexual characteristics and reproductive capacity" (G).
• ". . .our way of being in the world and relating to our world as male or female" (G).
• "The quality of being male or female, or (more commonly) the awareness of and responsiveness to this aspect of human existence" (R).

Sexually transmitted diseases (STD's). "Diseases that are transmitted primarily through sociosexual contact; formerly known as venereal or social diseases" (K).

Sodomy. "In the strictest sense, sexual union by anal penetration, whether homosexual or heterosexual; in the broader sense, sexual activity of any kind involving homosexuals" (R).

Surrogacy. "Most often the process in which a couple chooses another woman (the surrogate) to be artificially inseminated with the man's sperm and to carry the baby to term, giving it up to the couple at birth. Also refers to the process in which the parent couple's sperm and egg are combined in vitro, and the embryo placed in the womb of the surrogate (gestational or genuine surrogacy)" (R).

Therapeutic abortion. "An abortion performed to save the mother's life" (C).

Transsexual. "An individual who has the external genitals of one gender, the self-concept of the other gender, and the desire to have his or her genitals altered to fit the gender of the self-concept" (K).

Transvestite. "A person of one gender who dresses in the clothing of the opposite gender for sexual pleasure and emotional gratification. Transvestites are usually male heterosexuals who do not desire sex reassignment as a female" (K).

Virginity. ". . .as a physical state, is innocence of physical intercourse, and may be predicated of either sex. . ." (CH).

Voyeurism. ". . .sexual pleasure is vicarious through watching the sexual activity of others. . ." (H).

Zygote. "The product of the union of a sperm and an ovum in its first days of life" (C).

 

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Rev. 1999

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