Sexual ethics

Question 1

What is sexual ethics all about?

Answer 1

Are religious approaches to sex compatible with modern day liberal attitudes, does religion still have a role to play when thinking about sex?

Question 2

What two points does peter Vardy raise in ‘the puzzle of sex’?

Answer 2

1. The variation in laws on sex across the world (age of consent, legality of homosexuality etc.) shows that we do not have a clear consensus on the issue of sex. 2. He thinks that sex has become a commodity legitimized by science and encouraged by the mass media, it has lost its reproductive purpose. He points out the increase in divorce rates and declining marriage rates.

Question 3

Give two key questions raised by Vardy’s ideas

Answer 3

1. Should religion concern itself with sexual choices? 2. Have modern ideas meant religion has had to adapt to a new approach to sexuality?

Question 4

Give four Old Testament teachings on sex.

Answer 4

1. Detailed accounts of incest such as Lot’s story. 2. Moving stories of love such as that of Ruth. 3. A celebratory hymn for sex in the Song of Songs. 4. Strict rules and laws- no sex with non-Israelites, adultery punishable by stoning, women have to be virgins when they married.

Question 5

What were St. Paul’s views on sex?

Answer 5

He was very misogynistic “a man is the head of the household as Christ is the head of the church.” It is important to note, however, that the ideas of the Bible reflect the society in which it was written.

Question 6

What were the early church’s views on sex?

Answer 6

Celibacy was seen as the ideal as it was modeled on the life of Jesus. Sex was seen as immoral for any other purpose then procreation as god commanded us to “go forth and multiply.”

Question 7

What is the broadly Roman Catholic view on sex?

Answer 7

It stems from the teachings of natural law, the purpose of sex is procreation and it can only be carried out in a heterosexual marriage. Pre marital and extra marital sex, as well as divorce, masturbation, homosexuality and abortion are all immoral.

Question 8

What are the three Roman Catholic purposes of marriage?

Answer 8

1. Faithfulness. 2. Reproduction. 3. Divine union. Any sex act which goes against one of these is wrong.

Question 9

Why is homosexuality seen as wrong in Roman Catholicism?

Answer 9

St. Paul described it as “dishonoring the body”. The purpose of sex is procreation and homosexual couples can’t reproduce. Marriage was created as a sacred union between a man and a woman. Homosexuality goes against both divine and natural law.

Question 10

What is the opposing Roman Catholic view of homosexuality?

Answer 10

It is a test from god and is moral as long as it is not acted upon, homosexuals should be accepted into the church and treated like everyone else, we were all created as equals.

Question 11

What do critics of the natural law approach to homosexuality say?

Answer 11

It has non reproductive purposes such as sex between infertile people, sex after the menopause and sex on periods.

Question 12

What is the Roman Catholic view on contraception?

Answer 12

It is sinful, morning after pills are akin to murder and artificial contraception is wrong as it encourages immoral actions and reduces respect for women and the institute of marriage.

Question 13

Why does the Roman Catholic Church oppose IVF?

Answer 13

Children are a gift from god, not a right. The usage of donor eggs/sperm goes against the integrity of marriage and IVF procedures discard some embryos which is akin to murder.

Question 14

How has Pope Francis changed the Roman Catholic views?

Answer 14

He accepts that contraception is the lesser of two evils in some cases (stopping the spread of the Zika virus), but still sees abortion as evil.

Question 15

How did jack dominian criticize the Roman Catholic view?

Answer 15

He said their teachings on sex were too absolute and legalistic, their view on marriage as an unbreakable sacred bond does not stop marriages breaking down.

Question 16

In what four ways does Dominian see sex?

Answer 16

1. As a personal expression that communicates recognition and appreciation. 2. As a reflection of god’s love. 3. Couples should be able to access pre and marital counseling. 4. He questions the Roman Catholic view on homosexuality, abortion, marriage and contraception.

Question 17

According to Dominian, what does the church need to do?

Answer 17

It must change with the times, it is possible to be a good Catholic and also accept contraception and homosexuality. Homosexual couples should be treated as equals and supported by the church, sex is a gift from god and as long as the relationship is loving, it is moral.

Question 18

What is the broadly Protestant view on sex?

Answer 18

Sex is an act to preserve the institute of marriage and is not only for procreation and contraception is moral in some situations as smaller families are better for the parents’ health.

Question 19

What is the broadly liberal Protestant view on sex?

Answer 19

We should not interpret the Bible literally or follow natural law, what matters is the loving nature of the relationship, as long as sex is between two consenting adults, it is moral, it is love that matters.

Question 20

What does liberal Protestantism think of homosexuality and divorce?

Answer 20

They are both moral, in the case of homosexuality, what matters is the quality of the relationship, homosexual people were also created in the image of god, so should be treated the same. Divorce is accepted within the case of a marriage breakdown or adultery.

Question 21

What are the liberal Protestant views on contraception and fertility treatments?

Answer 21

Contraception is good to limit the size of families as smaller families are better for parents’ health. Sex has purpose beyond reproduction and can help to strengthen relationships. Fertility treatments are allowed as they can bring happiness to people who would otherwise not be able to have children.

Question 22

How can it be argued that liberal Protestantism is not a religious view?

Answer 22

It goes against key laws stated in the Bible, it is too relativistic and justifies what many see as immoral. However, it reflects the teachings of Jesus and the key message of love as stated in the New Testament.

Question 23

Give four features of evangelical Protestantism

Answer 23

1. A literal interpretation of the Bible. 2. Emphasis on conversion experiences and being ‘born again.’ 3. Salvation comes from god’s grace, not human actions. 4. Mission work is seen as important.

Question 24

What is the evangelical view on marriage?

Answer 24

They see it as a sacred union. Sex can be for pleasure as well as procreation, but only within a heterosexual marriage. Evangelical groups such as true love waits campaign for celibacy amongst teenagers.

Question 25

What is the evangelical view on homosexuality?

Answer 25

They see it as a sin as it is condemned by the Bible, even so, homosexuals should still be welcomed into the church. Evangelical churches also tend to advocate harmful conversion therapies which claim to be able to turn people into heterosexuals.

Question 26

What is conversion therapy?

Answer 26

It is a pseudoscience which claims to be able to convert LGBTQ+ individuals into heterosexuals, it is false and has many negative consequences such as drug abuse, homelessness, mental illness and suicide.

Question 27

What do evangelical churches think of fertility treatments?

Answer 27

They permit IVF and artificial insemination, but not surrogacy as it goes against family.

Question 28

How is the evangelical approach seen?

Answer 28

As a middle way between the flexible liberal Protestant views and the dogmatic and legalistic nature of Roman Catholicism, however, its views on homosexuality have raised concerns.

Question 29

What is the libertarian approach to sex?

Answer 29

Sex is seen as a contractarian ethic wherein anything is permissible so long as it is between consenting adults and causes no harm. What matter are freedom and autonomy.

Question 30

What is Mill’s approach to sex?

Answer 30

Mill said that any act was acceptable, so long as it caused no pain, freedom of choice is paramount to human progress and we have to be able to make out own choices.

Question 31

What are some issues created by the libertarian approach?

Answer 31

1. How to we draw the lone between harm and offense? What of something like pornography which can create harmful attitudes to sex? 2. Some conservative thinkers argue that the libertarian approach is harmful to society.

Question 32

What was the wolfenden report?

Answer 32

In 1957, it was proposed homosexuality be legalized in England, leading to a debate between Devlin and hart. Hart argued for the decriminalization of it, based on Mill’s arguments from ‘on liberty’, Devlin disagreed and argued the homosexuality undermined the stability of society.

Question 33

What is the feminist approach to sex?

Answer 33

It says that the Christian view has a view of women that disempowers them and sees them as submissive, giving them little in the way of rights for centuries. The liberal approach is also wrong as it assumes a level playing field between the sexes, yet this is not the case as women are more judged for sexual relationships.

Question 34

What did Catherine MacKinnon say about sex?

Answer 34

In ‘feminism unmodified; discourses on life and law’ she said that moral sexual relationships were impossible until sexuality is reimagined and remade.

Question 35

What is a contractarian ethic?

Answer 35

A theory that says that individuals make the right choices for themselves under some form of social contract.