Dennis P. Hollinger - The Meaning of Sex: Christian Ethics and the Moral Life

Dennis Hollinger does the world a wonderful service by helping us all to understand the liberating good news of what sex can be. People must still choose whether to embrace this good news. But many are likely never to know about it without reading this book, which in turn will point them to the meaningful counsel of the One who created sex in the first place.

John F. Kilner, Trinity International University

Dennis Hollinger offers here a careful, well-researched, up-to-date, and well-written evangelical account of sexual ethics against the backdrop of the sexual chaos and confusion of our time. This text may become the standard account of evangelical sexual ethics. Highly recommended.

David Gushee, Mercer University

Dennis Hollinger has put sex in its place. He provides a broad and thoroughgoing analysis of various frameworks played out in sexual practices and continually points readers to Gods intended purposes for sexual expression in the context of marriage. This book is an important resource that offers us rich theological and moral language to make normative judgments about the expression of human sexuality based on the witness of Scripture, Christian tradition, reason, and experience. Characteristic of Hollingers pastoral proclivities, he also offers helpful suggestions for churches desiring to help Christians find their way in a sex-crazed world.

Wyndy Corbin Reuschling, Ashland Theological Seminary

In a culture that is careening toward sexual nihilism, we desperately need teachers like Dennis Hollinger. His account of the meaning and purpose of sex calls us to a path of healing and wholeness. With wisdom and compassion he considers specific areas of sexual life. His teaching shows us clearly and concretely what life could look like if we received our sexuality as a gift and lived sexually in line with Gods redemption of creation.

Jonathan R. Wilson, Carey Theological College

The Meaning of Sex is a well thought out and superbly articulated work of Christian sexual ethics. Here Hollinger sets the issues in their proper context in a Christian worldview and constructs a thorough theoretical framework through which to view them. He does not shy away from any of the important issues in this field, and he is faithful to Scripture and to the theological framework he lays out. At the same time, Hollinger helps the reader to think creatively about how to apply the biblical text to the issues at hand. This is not simply an academic work on sexual ethics, for it has a pastoral dimension that emerges throughout the book, especially in the final section on living in our sex-saturated society. Its a terrific contribution.

Scott B. Rae, Talbot School of Theology, Biola University

THE
MEANING
OF
SEX

CHRISTIAN ETHICS
and the
MORAL LIFE

DENNIS P. HOLLINGER

2009 by Dennis P. Hollinger

Published by Baker Academic
a division of Baker Publishing Group
P.O. Box 6287, Grand Rapids, MI 495166287
www.bakeracademic.com

Printed in the United States of America

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any meansfor example, electronic, photocopy, recordingwithout the prior written permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Hollinger, Dennis P., 1948
The meaning of sex : Christian ethics and the moral life / Dennis P. Hollinger.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references.
ISBN 978-0-8010-3571-5 (pbk.)
1. SexReligious aspectsChristianity. 2. Sexual ethics. I. Title.
BT708.H625 2008
241'.66dc22

2008052872

Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, Todays New International Version. TNIV. Copyright 2001, 2005 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations labeled NLT are from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations labeled NRSV are from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1989, by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations labeled KJV are from the King James Version of the Bible.

To Mary Ann,
whose covenant love these many years
embodies the meaning and beauty
of Gods good gift of oneness

CONTENTS

I am deeply appreciative of the many people who have contributed to the ideas, shape, and writing of this book. First, special thanks to three individuals who read the entire manuscript and offered exceptional suggestions: Esther Bruland (ethicist), Dennis Sullivan (physician/biologist), and Eric Brown (pastor). I am also grateful for the feedback from two theologians who responded to my theological chapters: David Wells and Ken Miller. Old Testament scholar David Dorsey was most helpful on bibliography and ideas on the Song of Songs, ethicist James Thobaben provided thoughtful feedback for my chapter on homosexuality, and youth-culture specialist Walt Mueller was both encouraging and helpful in thinking about the books relevance to those who work with youth.

I have always found significant input from nonprofessional ethicists and young adults who interact with my material. My daughter, Naphtali Mitten (kindergarten teacher), and son-in-law, Nathan Mitten (engineer), read and responded to several chapters, and my Byington Scholar at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, Jonathan Ogden, tracked down numerous citations and provided useful feedback on several chapters. I also want to thank the many students who over the years have reflected with me on the ideas that are at the heart of this book. Their tough questions have engendered greater clarity and depth.

My thanks to the trustees of Evangelical Theological Seminary for granting a writing leave to concentrate on this work and to my friends and colleagues at Fuller Theological Seminary, who provided rich hospitality for that time away as a scholar in residence. And I express deep appreciation to the encouragement of my new colleagues and friends at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary where I now serve.

INTRODUCTION
Whats at Stake in Sexual Morality?

W e live in a sex-crazed world. A day in the life of an American or European can hardly go by without one encountering numerous sexual images, innuendos, or appeals. In marketing clothing, cars, computers, and cameras there is invariably some appeal to our sexual instincts. The nightly fare of family TV is filled with sexual references and implied or fairly explicit sexual acts. Sexual behavior that was hidden in the media closet a decade ago is now quite common. One out of every four Internet hits is pornographic in nature. The expectations for a casual relationship often assume sexual relations. Surely a visitor from another planet would say of this age, Sex is everywhere and always on their minds.

But we are simultaneously a sexually confused society. The same culture that appeals to sex to get us through the day seeks to set limits that frequently appear incongruent to a person bombarded all day by sexual imagery and allusion. The same culture that seems to say anything goes has cracked down rigorously on wayward teachers, priests, and underage provocateurs. Sexual harassment regulations and laws abound, while the surrounding culture displays and glories in sexually provocative images, art, film, and music. Some colleges and universities have even experimented with requiring a written statement of consent between students to have sexual intercourse, at the same time that the university ethos breathes sexual freedom.