Posted on 08/25/2016 5:24:13 PM PDT by Gamecock
Bucking against conservative Christian tradition advising against extra-marital sex, the Rev. Bromleigh McCleneghan, a married mother of three and associate pastor for ministry with families at Union Church of Hinsdale in Illinois, says single Christians can have sex as long as it's "mutually pleasurable and affirming."
Citing 1 Corinthians 6:18-20, many Mainline Protestant and evangelical churches like the Assemblies of God Church, advise against sexual relations among single Christians.
"Today within our society singles exist for one of two reasons — by choice, or by circumstance. In either case the Bible's mandate is clear for all unmarried individuals: they are to remain sexually pure (1 Corinthians 6:18-20)," the Assemblies of God church warned.
For McCleneghan, however, whose views are comprehensively captured in her new book, Good Christian Sex: Why Chastity Isn't the Only Option — And Other Things the Bible Says About Sex, single Christians don't need to abstain from sex to remain pure since being chaste is about moderation.
"American Christians sometimes conflate celibacy and chastity, too, which is a problem. Chastity is a virtue, related to temperance — it's about moderating our indulgences and exercising restraint. We're all called to exercise chastity in a variety of ways, though the details will vary given our individual situations," McCleneghan said in an op-ed for The Washington Post.
"In the official teaching of the Catholic Church and some other churches, however, chastity requires restraining oneself from indulging in sexual relationships outside of the bounds (and bonds) of marriage. That is, chastity for singles means celibacy — no sex. … I'd argue that we can be chaste — faithful — in unmarried sexual relationships if we exercise restraint: if we refrain from having sex that isn't mutually pleasurable and affirming, that doesn't respect the autonomy and sacred worth of ourselves and our partners," she explained.
McCleneghan believes it's unfair to ask single Christians who haven't been called to a life of celibacy to refrain from sexual intimacy when both men and women need sex.
"There are those who feel that they are called to seasons of celibacy, or even years of celibacy, and if answering that call is life-giving and purposeful, then they should take it up as a spiritual discipline. But no call can be forced on an unwilling person, especially not if they find themselves single only by virtue of circumstance," she wrote.
"Plenty of women and men love sex, and need it — we need bodily pleasure, remember — and the abundant life for them will involve seeking out relationships of mutual pleasure. Chastity, or just sex, requires that whether we are married or unmarried, our sex lives restrain our egos, restrain our desire for physical pleasure when pursuing it would bring harm to self or other," she added.
The Christian Post reached out to McCleneghan to further discuss her book on Monday but she was unavailable for comment at the time this story was published.
While some Christian scholars have offered praise for McCleneghan's views, not everyone thinks her advice is sound.
"We are to be Holy people, blameless and spotless unto Jesus Christ. One man and one woman married until death, not extra-marital affairs (adulterous behavior) even fornication. That is sin that will lead anyone to eternal Hell. Please show me Scripture that backs up your belief," wrote Trish Nastasi, a longtime married Christian woman on McCleneghan's Facebook page.
McCleneghan, who began her ministry at Hinsdale in July 2015, is responsible for worship, pastoral care, ministry leadership, teaching at the church. Her special focus is on helping people with children at home better their ability and commitment to raising those children in the Christian faith, according to the Church.
heretic, burn at the stake
And this has been the problem (women taking unauthorized position) since Genesis chapter 3.
Well, once you ignore the scriptures about female ‘pastors,” there’s no reason to follow the rest of them.
Well,there are the Ten Commandments and there are the Nine Suggestions.
I thought I was pretty knowledgeable on the Bible, but I am unable to recall which passages affirm her conclusion, while I can remember a whole lot of passages that contradict her. Am I missing something?
Her parents were hippies...right?
LOL
Freegards
LEX
Another reason for falling evangelism and church attendance: false preaching and stupid, Antichrist “pastors.”
Hyperbole becomes you... heh he
Yup. Doesn need to be a woman to be a heretic though.
However she misses the point of why sex outside of marriage is sinful. The two are made one flesh. There is a connection that people make when they have sex that is profound and deep and is not appropriate for people who are not in a life long committed relationship, i.e. married.
"Affirming" has become one of those warm and fuzzy words that basically means "abandon you principles".
My people hath been lost sheep: their shepherds have caused them to go astray, they have turned them away on the mountains: they have gone from mountain to hill, they have forgotten their resting place.
“Can” as in to be able to.
1 Timothy 2:12 is not a popular verse of Scripture today, but it is still Scripture.
2 Timothy:4
3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
Plenty of men also propagate this nonsense.
2 Timothy 4:3-5
For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.
Yep it is Men’s fault, he he EVERYTHING is WASP Males fault.. heh heh
“However she misses the point of why sex outside of marriage is sinful. The two are made one flesh. There is a connection that people make when they have sex that is profound and deep and is not appropriate for people who are not in a life long committed relationship, i.e. married. “
People also forget or never knew what sin is. They think it means doing evil things when it means missing the mark, not hitting the bullseye.
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