More on sex, theology and humanness
The discussion of sex and humanness has continued on various blogs, including the following:
- The comments continue over at Halden's blog
- Jason discusses marriage and sexuality
- Adam had a cranky rant, but it led to some good discussion and clarification
- Andy questions the whole idea of defining humanness (I really like this approach)
- Brett has a sacramental view of marriage
- Simone appreciates the freedom of triviality
- Dave Warnock has a summary
- David points to the significance of OT texts on friendship
- A reader pointed to a new essay (on systematic theology, desire, and the transfiguration of gender) by the inimitable Sarah Coakley: you can download the publication here
- Damian asks what marriage is for
- Nathan likes it
- Jacob and Melissa weigh in with some Zizioulas
- And Daniel discusses the contemporary obsession with sex
- Another post on sex in Ireland
Does anyone know when Sarah Coakley's systematics will be published? It's been announced for a while now.
Patrick
First volume is said to be available 2009/10. Still doesn't seem to be available for pre-order.
I recently posted a summary of the Coakley article that you are referencing: http://jatyson.wordpress.com/category/gender/
I've just written a semi-alternative take on this issue - http://thinkingblueguitars.wordpress.com/2009/06/18/penis-rings-you-may-why-sex-doesnt-matter/ - by considering it in terms of what Slavoj Žižek has defined as the postmodern superego: rather than the castrating 'No!' of the father, we now have the polar opposite 'You may!'. This leads to a compulsion to consume, in which, in my opinion, sex plays an integral role. In this context,Rowan Williams' quotation seems not only morally radical, but also politically so.
"You may" isn't the bad thing -- it's the "you must because you can," the compulsory enjoyment. "You may" is the stance that psychoanalysis supposedly opens up, i.e., it is "good" for Zizek's purposes.
Might I add my two cents? About a year ago I posted on how marriage unites man and woman to create the "one flesh" that more fully bears God's image in his tri-unity.
http://belovedbeforetime.blogspot.com/2008/03/is-marriage-commandment.html
Sarah Coakley's article debunks Halden's too neat dismissal of gender and sexuality from what is of "ultimate significance" in understanding our humanness. There is here a radical difference in the construal of Christology in particular, and of theological language and method in general.
Post a Comment