Back in the 1970s my dad was studying theology and history at Durham University. Some of the Christian students decided to hand out some printed leaflets which made the case that as people and cultures turn away from God, they get into more and more of a mess when it comes to sex.
Many students who read these leaflets were absolutely outraged by what they were reading. How can you be so judgmental? Why are Christians so obsessed with sex anyway? There were calls for the leaflet to be banned (and this was in an age before no-platforming had become commonplace).
What nobody seemed to realise was that these Christian students had simply taken a section out of the book of Romans from the Bible – arguably the most influential single piece of literature ever written – and printed it without attribution. Even in the 1970s, society had so changed that the Bible was being seen as extremist in its views.
Move forward four or five decades and Christianity has moved from being near the centre to the very periphery of cultural influence, and nothing is more obviously distinct about Christians than their views on sex. We are simply speaking a different language when we try and articulate an ethic of sex that slams headfirst into so much of what is believed and practiced today.
Are we overly concerned with this issue? Or is it more important than we think?
The next Salt Live event (Tuesday 30th April) will aim to speak to this issue. It’s an evening designed for those who don’t go to church to hear something of why we think this issue matters, and I’m certain that everyone will walk away provoked, helped, and maybe even persuaded that Christians have something that needs to be said on this matter.
Jeremy Moses – our resident sexpert – is speaking that night. I’m really looking forward to it :)
Andrew
Why are Christians so weird about sex?
Date and Time
Tues 30th April 2019
19.30 – 21.30 BST
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Location
Coin Street Neighbourhood Centre
108 Stamford Street
London
SE1 9NH