Free resources + worksheets as discussed at Pub Theology + ways to connect with their work more!
Hebrew Bible
a great modern analog for thinking about the instructions to be fruitful in the land and the focus on procreative sex is Nobody Wants This—one character tells another that the reason he’s getting so much social pressure about his dating choices is because Jewish faith and culture survives by Jewish people marrying each other and having Jewish children
Song of Solomon: the lovers are not married and many of the sex acts alluded to are for pleasure and not procreative. Some theologians interpret Song of Solomon as an allegory for how God loves the church, but this seems like too much, I hope they chill out
Ruth and Boaz are not married, and uncovering his feet has nothing to do with shoes
New Testament
References to sexuality immorality as in 1 Thessalonians 4 shouldn’t be conflated with healthy, consensual sexuality
Paul doesn’t even lift up marriage as a ‘right choice’—-it is better to marry than to burn with passion (1 Corinthians 7:9)
Jesus talks more about money than sex— in 1 Timothy, modesty doesn’t refer to the length of your shorts—it’s about not flaunting wealth
Lust vs. attraction: Lust is objectifying, don’t conflate it with healthy attraction