Sex and the Sacred: Gay Identity and Spiritual Growth

Copertina anteriore
Routledge, 6 dic 2012 - 260 pagine
A down-to-earth look at the spiritual power of sex

Sex and the Sacred examines the spiritual dimension of human sexuality in a way that is free of religious affiliation but still open to traditional religion and belief in God. Dr. Daniel Helminiak, author of the best-selling What the Bible Really Says about Homosexuality, looks at the relationship between sexuality and spirituality, first, from a humanistic perspective and, then, a more familiar Christian point of view. In particular, he encourages LGBTI people to reclaim their spiritual heritage without apology. This unique book emphasizes spiritual commitment as an essential facet of LGBTI/queer consciousness and addresses such burning themes as coming out, the importance of self-acceptance, gay marriage, gay bashing, and the ethics of gay sex.

Sex and the Sacred combines a psychological approach to spirituality with common sense and compassion, inspiring a break from moralistic religion and an understanding of what true spirituality means. The book applies this understanding to Christian topics such as the Bible, Fundamentalism, and the future of Christianity, and shows how coming out was an issue for Jesus, how homosexual experience relates to the Christian Trinity, and how Western Civilization became so sex-negative.

Sex and the Sacred presents in the end a radical vision of Christianity open to all people. Religious leaders of all denominations, educators, counselors, members of the gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgender community, non-religious spiritual seekers, and anyone interested in the relationship between spirituality and sexuality will find this book enlightening and uplifting.

Sex and the Sacred examines:
  • the spiritual drive that is built into human sexuality
  • the standard religious arguments against gay marriage
  • a sustained argument that Biblical Fundamentalism is not Christian
  • spiritual lessons from the AIDS epidemic
  • the right and wrong of sex—queer and otherwise
  • homosexuality in Catholic teaching and practice
  • sexual ethics without religion
  • a vision for a renewed Christianity within a global community
 

Sommario

Chapter 1 The Spiritual Dimension of the Lesbian and Gay Experience
1
Chapter 2 A Spiritual Lesson from the AIDS Epidemic
13
Friends Not Foes
35
Chapter 4 Sexual SelfAcceptance and Spiritual Growth
53
Chapter 5 Sexual Pathways to Spiritual Growth
65
Chapter 6 Sexual Ethics Without Religion
81
Chapter 7 The Right and Wrong of Sex Queer and Otherwise
87
Chapter 8 The Spiritual Crisis in Religion and Society
99
Chapter 10 The Trinitarian Vocation of the Gay Community
129
Chapter 11 Homosexuality in Catholic Teaching and Practice
143
A Response to the Vatican
153
Chapter 13 Why Biblical Literalism Is Not Christian
165
Chapter 14 The Bible Homosexuality and Christianity
187
Religious Perversion
203
Appendix A Statement of Spirituality
211
Index
213

A Model for Coming Out
111

Altre edizioni - Visualizza tutto

Parole e frasi comuni

Informazioni sull'autore (2012)

Daniel A Helminiak

Informazioni bibliografiche