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Sexual Virtue: An Approach to Contemporary Christian Ethics
Uses virtue ethics to offer a sexual ethics inclusive of LGBT and straight people, one that challenges the longstanding procreative patriarchal norm.
Richard W. McCarty offers a compassionate and inclusive conception of sexual virtue, one that liberates Christians from traditional patriarchal requirements for heterosexuality, marriage, and procreation. Daring to depart from ongoing debates about what Aristotle or Aquinas had to say, this book sets a new course centered on virtue ethics. It employs new insights from the sciences, biblical scholarship, analyses of church traditions, and revisionist natural law thinking. Eschewing simple deconstruction of traditional Christian norms for sexual morality, McCarty offers constructive ideas about what might count as real human goods for people in a wide variety of sexual relationships. Recreation, relational intimacy, and selective acts of procreation are three ends of sexual virtue that promote human happiness and can be appreciated in a broad Christian framework. While primarily referencing the Roman Catholic intellectual tradition, McCarty’s work is also vital and accessible to those from Protestant backgrounds. Addressed to LGBT and straight readers, Sexual Virtue provides a compassionate sexual ethics for our time.
Richard W. McCarty offers a compassionate and inclusive conception of sexual virtue, one that liberates Christians from traditional patriarchal requirements for heterosexuality, marriage, and procreation. Daring to depart from ongoing debates about what Aristotle or Aquinas had to say, this book sets a new course centered on virtue ethics. It employs new insights from the sciences, biblical scholarship, analyses of church traditions, and revisionist natural law thinking. Eschewing simple deconstruction of traditional Christian norms for sexual morality, McCarty offers constructive ideas about what might count as real human goods for people in a wide variety of sexual relationships. Recreation, relational intimacy, and selective acts of procreation are three ends of sexual virtue that promote human happiness and can be appreciated in a broad Christian framework. While primarily referencing the Roman Catholic intellectual tradition, McCarty’s work is also vital and accessible to those from Protestant backgrounds. Addressed to LGBT and straight readers, Sexual Virtue provides a compassionate sexual ethics for our time.
- GenresPhilosophy
305 pages, Paperback
First published January 8, 2015
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May 8, 2021
Intellectual spaciousness. This is a phrase the author uses once but one that describes the suggested approach to morality (an ethic of sexual virtue) herein.
If you were raised in the church it is highly likely that you never were encouraged to think much about sexuality and are ill equipped to contribute meaningfully to any related discourse. Christian 'sex education' is often painfully and detrimentally shallow.
This book is expansive in that it situated common Christian takes on sexuality in a much broader context, always zooming in and out. It is not prescriptive but rather suggests principles to live by which ought to be constantly open to revision. The only qualm I have is that because the author does not necessarily believe in the premise of Christianity, some conclusions though convincing, fail to fall under the category of 'Christian ethics'. Nevertheless, this book is a good read for Christians and non-Christians alike as it gives ways to bridge the gaps that exist between various ideologies when discussing sexual morality.
If you were raised in the church it is highly likely that you never were encouraged to think much about sexuality and are ill equipped to contribute meaningfully to any related discourse. Christian 'sex education' is often painfully and detrimentally shallow.
This book is expansive in that it situated common Christian takes on sexuality in a much broader context, always zooming in and out. It is not prescriptive but rather suggests principles to live by which ought to be constantly open to revision. The only qualm I have is that because the author does not necessarily believe in the premise of Christianity, some conclusions though convincing, fail to fall under the category of 'Christian ethics'. Nevertheless, this book is a good read for Christians and non-Christians alike as it gives ways to bridge the gaps that exist between various ideologies when discussing sexual morality.
Displaying 1 of 1 review