This volume is rooted in two convictions: first, sexuality is far more comprehensive and more fundamental to our existence than simply genital sex, and, second, sexuality is intended by God to be neither incidental nor detrimintal to our spirituality but a fully integrated and basic dimension of that spirituality. The authors address what our sexual experience reveals about God, the ways we understand the gospel, and the ways we read scripture and tradition and attempt to live faithfully.
Christian discourse on sexuality, spirituality, and ethics has continued to evolve since this book's first edition was published in 1994. This updated and expanded anthology featuring more than thirty contemporary essays includes more theologians and ethicists of color and addresses issues such as the intersection of race/racism and sexuality, transgender identity, same-sex marriage, and reproductive health and justice.
In many ancient faiths sexuality was the ultimate sacred act and symbolized the central holy sacrament. Lust originally meant a religious joy experienced as unity with the godhead. This gift book explores the origins and practices of religious sexuality in many cultures worldwide. Included are the erotic sculpture and paintings of ancient Greece and Rome, illustrations from Japanese pillow books, Asian temple art, erotic Indian and Persian miniatures, as well as the work of well-known European artists from the Classical, Renaissance and Romantic periods.
A historical, cross-cultural survey of sexuality as a sacred spiritual practice • Examines sacred sexuality in the world’s religious and mystery traditions • Explores contemporary “sexual stress syndrome” resulting from the absence of the sacred in sexual practice • Reveals how to find the sacred in the ordinary This book examines the history of sexuality as a sacramental act. In spite of our culture’s recent sexual liberalizations, sexual intimacy often remains unfulfilling. Georg Feuerstein instructs that the fulfillment we long for in our sex lives can only be attained once we have explored the spiritual depths of our erotic natures. Feuerstein delves into a wide variety of spiritual traditions--including Christianity, Judaism, goddess worship, Taoism, and Hinduism--in search of sacred truths regarding sexuality. He reveals that all of these great teachings share the hidden message that spirituality is, in essence, erotic and that sexuality is inherently spiritual. From the erotic cult of the Great Mother and the archaic ritual of hieros gamos (sacred marriage) to the institution of sacred prostitution and the erotic spirituality practiced in the mystery traditions, Feuerstein offers a wealth of historical practices and perspectives that serve as the bases for a positive sexual spirituality suited to our contemporary needs.
Based on a vast diversity of religious and spiritual traditions, this comprehensive exploration of sexuality's spiritual dimensions uncovers deeply hidden messages about sexuality and shows how to incorporate the concepts of Hinduism, Christianity, Judasim, and other philosophies into our lives. Illustrated.
At a moment when "freedom of religion" rhetoric fuels public debate, it is easy to assume that sex and religion have faced each other in pitched battle throughout modern U.S. history. Yet, by tracking the nation's changing religious and sexual landscapes over the twentieth century, this book challenges that zero-sum account of sexuality locked in a struggle with religion. It shows that religion played a central role in the history of sexuality in the United States, shaping sexual politics, communities, and identities. At the same time, sexuality has left lipstick traces on American religious history. From polyamory to pornography, from birth control to the AIDS epidemic, this book follows religious faiths and practices across a range of sacred spaces: rabbinical seminaries, African American missions, Catholic schools, pagan communes, the YWCA, and much more. What emerges is the shared story of religion and sexuality and how both became wedded to American culture and politics. The volume, framed by a provocative introduction by Gillian Frank, Bethany Moreton, and Heather R. White and a compelling afterword by John D'Emilio, features essays by Rebecca T. Alpert and Jacob J. Staub, Rebecca L. Davis, Lynne Gerber, Andrea R. Jain, Kathi Kern, Rachel Kranson, James P. McCartin, Samira K. Mehta, Daniel Rivers, Whitney Strub, Aiko Takeuchi-Demirci, Judith Weisenfeld, and Neil J. Young.
Experience the orgasmic rapture of Sacred Union with your Twin Soul and the Divine • Includes practices in sacred sexuality, emotional intimacy, and soul awareness to awaken the Love, Power, and Wisdom of your soul, attract your Twin Soul, and satisfy your soul’s longing to reunite with God • Draws on teachings from Gnosticism, Sufi mysticism, the Kabbalah, Kundalini yoga, sexual shamanism, the Egyptian Mystery schools, and Christ Consciousness • Offers examples of Sacred Union, including Jesus and Mary Magdalene and Rumi and Shams as well as experiences of modern couples Jesus and Mary Magdalene, Rumi and Shams, King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba, Isis and Osiris--in these sacred unions we recognize the merging not only of Twin Souls but also of these lovers with the Divine. In Sacred Sexual Union, Anaiya Sophia shows this Holy Marriage, complete reunification with your Twin Soul and God, is not a secret reserved for the initiated or a tradition lost to the ages. It is a potent, living spiritual path enabling two beloveds to experience the primordial state of creation as one soul blessed by the Divine Light and Love of their Creator. Drawing on teachings from Gnosticism, Sufi mysticism, the Kabbalah, Kundalini yoga, sexual shamanism, the Egyptian Mystery Schools, and Christ Consciousness, the author reveals the complete alchemical process of Sacred Union. She provides physical, meditative, and psychological practices that combine sacred sexuality, emotional intimacy, and transparent soul awareness to awaken the magnetic energies of your soul, draw your Twin Soul to you, and, with Twin Souls reunited, experience the passionate rapturous remembrance of becoming one with God. She explores ancient writings and rituals of Sacred Union--known as Hieros Gamos in ancient Sumeria, Sacred Marriage in the Kabbalah, Yab Yum in Tibetan Buddhism, and the Bridal Chamber in Gnostic Christianity--and offers examples of Sacred Union throughout the ages, including experiences from her own spiritual journey. More than a meditative or yogic practice, Sacred Sexual Union offers a transformative spiritual path to embrace the threefold flame of Power, Love, and Wisdom and satisfy your soul’s longing for wholeness and reunion with the Divine.
Sex, Gender and the Sacred presents a multi-faith, multi-disciplinary collection of essays that explore the interlocking narratives of religion and gender encompassing 4,000 years of history. Contains readings relating to sex and religion that encompass 4,000 years of gender history Features new research in religion and gender across diverse cultures, periods, and religious traditions Presents multi-faith and multi-disciplinary perspectives with significant comparative potential Offers original theories and concepts relating to gender, religion, and sexuality Includes innovative interpretations of the connections between visual, verbal, and material aspects of particular religious traditions
