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God and Sex: What the Bible Really Says
An examination of sex and the Bible by one of the leading biblical scholars in the United States.
For several decades, Michael Coogan's introductory course on the Old Testament has been a perennial favorite among students at Harvard University. In God and Sex, Coogan examines one of the most controversial aspects of the Hebrew Scripture: What the Old Testament really says about sex, and how contemporary understanding of those writings is frequently misunderstood or misrepresented. In the engaging and witty voice generations of students have appreciated, Coogan explores the language and social world of the Bible, showing how much innuendo and euphemism is at play, and illuminating the sexuality of biblical figures as well as God. By doing so, Coogan reveals the immense gap between popular use of Scripture and its original context. God and Sex is certain to provoke, entertain, and enlighten readers.
For several decades, Michael Coogan's introductory course on the Old Testament has been a perennial favorite among students at Harvard University. In God and Sex, Coogan examines one of the most controversial aspects of the Hebrew Scripture: What the Old Testament really says about sex, and how contemporary understanding of those writings is frequently misunderstood or misrepresented. In the engaging and witty voice generations of students have appreciated, Coogan explores the language and social world of the Bible, showing how much innuendo and euphemism is at play, and illuminating the sexuality of biblical figures as well as God. By doing so, Coogan reveals the immense gap between popular use of Scripture and its original context. God and Sex is certain to provoke, entertain, and enlighten readers.
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First published October 1, 2010
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About the author
Michael D. Coogan
46 books49 followersMichael David Coogan is Director of Publications for the Harvard Semitic Museum and Professor of Religious Studies at Stonehill College. For several decades, he has taught an introductory course on the Hebrew Scriptures at Harvard University, as well as at Wellesley College, Boston College, and Stonehill College. One of the leading biblical scholars in the United States, he is the author of The Old Testament: A Historical and Literary Introduction to the Hebrew Scriptures, and editor of the acclaimed third edition of The New Oxford Annotated Bible.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews
February 1, 2011
This book is meant to be understood. Its title is not only provocative, but also stamped prominently in gold. The book is printed like a cheap bible (imitation leather and gold stamping with "religious" art on the flypapers) and so even though I was in search of another book on the topic, this one jumped out at me. The language in simple to understand. Its lacks jargon and is heavy on example.
However, it is still a scholarly, intelligent book. The author is concerned neither with dogma nor politics. For example, to the dismay of the gay activists, he doesn't think Johnathan and David were lovers, but to the dismay of the homophobes, he doesn't think Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed because of homosexuality. It's forthright, it's got pictures, and if you sit around arguing about what the Bible has to say on the topics of sexuality or gender, you should give it a read. It won't take you very long and you will learn a lot without being drawn into an irrelevant emotional fervor.
However, it is still a scholarly, intelligent book. The author is concerned neither with dogma nor politics. For example, to the dismay of the gay activists, he doesn't think Johnathan and David were lovers, but to the dismay of the homophobes, he doesn't think Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed because of homosexuality. It's forthright, it's got pictures, and if you sit around arguing about what the Bible has to say on the topics of sexuality or gender, you should give it a read. It won't take you very long and you will learn a lot without being drawn into an irrelevant emotional fervor.
January 19, 2011
If you're hoping for a biblical Harlequin, look elsewhere. This is a heavy little book, even a little overwhelming, as it delves into the sexual inequalities of biblical times. I found the book rather dark in places; an obvious agenda of the author is to extol how grateful we should be to have outgrown the biblical view of women as property. Indeed there are multiple horror stories of how women were treated in the Bible, but is it healthy to overdose on this topic? Coogan touches only briefly on the other side of the coin--the radical change in treatment encouraged by Jesus and his earliest followers. Even Paul, says Coogan, suppressed women, as he argues against current scholarship that many of the suppressive teachings recorded by "Paul" were actually later writings.
But, thankfully, the book isn't entirely about sexual inequality. Some of the topics are more light-hearted. You'll learn about sexual innuendos which shed light on several passages in the Bible; you'll find out whether David and Jonathan were gay lovers (they weren't); you'll learn about the sin of Sodom and Gomorrah (it wasn't sodomy, or even sexual perversity); you'll learn about Yahweh's wife in Israel’s most primitive beliefs, including several passages from the Bible. I highly recommend the book, and I guarantee you'll learn from it.
But, thankfully, the book isn't entirely about sexual inequality. Some of the topics are more light-hearted. You'll learn about sexual innuendos which shed light on several passages in the Bible; you'll find out whether David and Jonathan were gay lovers (they weren't); you'll learn about the sin of Sodom and Gomorrah (it wasn't sodomy, or even sexual perversity); you'll learn about Yahweh's wife in Israel’s most primitive beliefs, including several passages from the Bible. I highly recommend the book, and I guarantee you'll learn from it.
October 10, 2010
Whilst searching my libraries to see if any had a copy of Stephen Prothero's God Is Not One: The Eight Rival Religions That Run the World--and Why Their Differences Matter (2 did, huzzah!), I came across this interesting, potential gem.
___________________________
God and Sex is a short discussion (195 pages text) of the many places in the Bible where “sex” and related subjects come up. There’s no real discussion of any particular passage but Coogan’s point in this brief book is that the Bible says many things about sex, marriage, divorce, homoeroticism*, etc., and that much of it is contradictory, ambiguous and culturally relative. He does provide citations for all the passages he quotes and a useful bibliography at the end for people who want to explore the subject further.
This is not solely a refutation of the Biblical literalist however. I don’t know whether Coogan is Christian or Jewish but he is a believer and wants to affirm that the Bible, for all its contradictions and unsavory stories, is an important foundation for a moral life. To do that he is forced to concoct a theory about the scripture’s subtext. As he writes in his conclusion:
As a “weak” atheist, I find the argument forced. If anything, my take on Western intellectual history is that the Bible is a touchstone against which thinkers created our modern, Western notions of individuality and liberty. I’m also not sure how this would appeal to a believer who wants certitude. Coogan would throw up biblical interpretation to a continual reinterpretation by each generation. A prospect I find exciting but not one I think many believers want when they go to Sunday school (or its equivalent). I’m reminded of a sentence I recently read in Sean Wilentz’s The Rise of American Democracy: Jefferson to Lincoln where he’s discussing the concept of “democracy.” Substitute the words “freedom of conscience” for “democracy” and I think the point’s equally valid:
I’d recommend it, nevertheless, as Coogan performs a valuable service collecting the information in an easy-to-read-and-use format and (as I noted above) provides a nice bibliography for further study.
TANGENTIAL ASIDES:
• The binding of this book is interesting: It’s black, faux leather with endpapers of Jacob Jordaens’ “The Temptation.” When the librarian brought it from the hold shelf and handed it over, I felt like I was buying a copy of Hustler. A forbidden, salacious tome that no self-respecting person would be caught in public with.
• I liked Coogan’s characterization of the Bible as not a book but a “library,” a collection of disparate, if related, writings.
• I was also powerfully struck by Coogan’s discussion of women in the Bible. I know that there’s not much in the book for a feminist but the author’s juxtaposition of citations and clear-headed discussion makes it all the more apparent that even in the best and most enlightened of circumstances a woman was nothing more than the property of some man, whether father or husband or son.
* Coogan prefers the term “homoeroticism” because our notions of homosexuality and heterosexuality are modern inventions.
___________________________
God and Sex is a short discussion (195 pages text) of the many places in the Bible where “sex” and related subjects come up. There’s no real discussion of any particular passage but Coogan’s point in this brief book is that the Bible says many things about sex, marriage, divorce, homoeroticism*, etc., and that much of it is contradictory, ambiguous and culturally relative. He does provide citations for all the passages he quotes and a useful bibliography at the end for people who want to explore the subject further.
This is not solely a refutation of the Biblical literalist however. I don’t know whether Coogan is Christian or Jewish but he is a believer and wants to affirm that the Bible, for all its contradictions and unsavory stories, is an important foundation for a moral life. To do that he is forced to concoct a theory about the scripture’s subtext. As he writes in his conclusion:
“One can thus trace a kind of trajectory from biblical times to the present and into the future. The trajectory moves toward the goal of freedom for all, in an inclusive community. This goal, this inspired ideal, is the underlying principle of the Bible – its subtext, as it were. Any specific biblical text is an incomplete formulation of the ideal because it is historically conditioned, and so it should not be taken as absolute in any sense. Moreover, no single biblical text adequately expresses the ideal, and in fact some texts clearly are counter to it from our perspective. Taken as a whole, however, the Bible can be understood as the record of the beginning of a continuous movement toward the goal of full freedom and equality for all persons, regardless of social status, gender, ethnicity, age, or sexual orientation. How…a particular text speaks to an individual or a community in the present must be determined by testing it with the touchstone of fair and equal treatment of the neighbor, as seen in the strikingly similar sayings of Hillel and Jesus.” p. 194-95
As a “weak” atheist, I find the argument forced. If anything, my take on Western intellectual history is that the Bible is a touchstone against which thinkers created our modern, Western notions of individuality and liberty. I’m also not sure how this would appeal to a believer who wants certitude. Coogan would throw up biblical interpretation to a continual reinterpretation by each generation. A prospect I find exciting but not one I think many believers want when they go to Sunday school (or its equivalent). I’m reminded of a sentence I recently read in Sean Wilentz’s The Rise of American Democracy: Jefferson to Lincoln where he’s discussing the concept of “democracy.” Substitute the words “freedom of conscience” for “democracy” and I think the point’s equally valid:
“Democracy is never a gift bestowed…. It must always be fought for…. Democratic successes are never irreversible.” p. xix
I’d recommend it, nevertheless, as Coogan performs a valuable service collecting the information in an easy-to-read-and-use format and (as I noted above) provides a nice bibliography for further study.
TANGENTIAL ASIDES:
• The binding of this book is interesting: It’s black, faux leather with endpapers of Jacob Jordaens’ “The Temptation.” When the librarian brought it from the hold shelf and handed it over, I felt like I was buying a copy of Hustler. A forbidden, salacious tome that no self-respecting person would be caught in public with.
• I liked Coogan’s characterization of the Bible as not a book but a “library,” a collection of disparate, if related, writings.
• I was also powerfully struck by Coogan’s discussion of women in the Bible. I know that there’s not much in the book for a feminist but the author’s juxtaposition of citations and clear-headed discussion makes it all the more apparent that even in the best and most enlightened of circumstances a woman was nothing more than the property of some man, whether father or husband or son.
* Coogan prefers the term “homoeroticism” because our notions of homosexuality and heterosexuality are modern inventions.
March 29, 2022
意外的很好讀。
作者從聖經文本中提及性與性別的段落，從譯文、古文以及文本變化中去剖析聖經（作者們）對神和性、和性別之間的想法、思考，以及在聖經成形的年代中對這些的想法以及社會脈絡。
我覺得作者切入的角度以及試著將經文還原到被書寫以及逐漸定型下來的年代，然後梳理經文呈現的想法這個方式很有一讀的價值，而他也提出他認為聖經，或說神的言語中最核心、最重要的概念是「善待你的鄰人」，不對他人做你不願遭遇之事。將可能含帶歧視、貶抑或仇恨的經文和這個核心價值比較，雖然作者沒有明確做出道德判斷（畢竟他一再強調的，是解讀經文時必須同時理解那個年代的社會普遍價值觀，我同意這一點），但當他將「善待你的鄰人」做為最高原則的時候，我想他對世界、甚至對宗教，都帶著溫柔的善意。
看下來或許這個善意才是最吸引我的部份。
作者從聖經文本中提及性與性別的段落，從譯文、古文以及文本變化中去剖析聖經（作者們）對神和性、和性別之間的想法、思考，以及在聖經成形的年代中對這些的想法以及社會脈絡。
我覺得作者切入的角度以及試著將經文還原到被書寫以及逐漸定型下來的年代，然後梳理經文呈現的想法這個方式很有一讀的價值，而他也提出他認為聖經，或說神的言語中最核心、最重要的概念是「善待你的鄰人」，不對他人做你不願遭遇之事。將可能含帶歧視、貶抑或仇恨的經文和這個核心價值比較，雖然作者沒有明確做出道德判斷（畢竟他一再強調的，是解讀經文時必須同時理解那個年代的社會普遍價值觀，我同意這一點），但當他將「善待你的鄰人」做為最高原則的時候，我想他對世界、甚至對宗教，都帶著溫柔的善意。
看下來或許這個善意才是最吸引我的部份。
February 25, 2025
A summary and interesting analysis of the realities of sex, sexuality, marriage, and, to a degree, gender roles in the Bible. I appreciated the anthropological, historical, and literary tone of the analysis -- it felt as frank as the title of the book itself.
The book is framed as a tool to help make sense of what the Bible REALLY says about sex, especially relevant as the Bible is used to justify all kinds of political and theological stances in the modern day. However, I felt the application of the text was somewhat lacking. That's not me wishing it would simply tell me what I wanted to hear -- you're right and the Bible says so! So much as wishing it would tell me what to do with ANY of the information gathered in the book. Especially since it contained several jarring facts and inconsistencies!
I guess what I wanted out of the book was beyond its scope, and I should start looking for some other books to read about theories of biblical application and interpretation in the modern day.
All in all, a fascinating, illuminating, and very accessible read.
The book is framed as a tool to help make sense of what the Bible REALLY says about sex, especially relevant as the Bible is used to justify all kinds of political and theological stances in the modern day. However, I felt the application of the text was somewhat lacking. That's not me wishing it would simply tell me what I wanted to hear -- you're right and the Bible says so! So much as wishing it would tell me what to do with ANY of the information gathered in the book. Especially since it contained several jarring facts and inconsistencies!
I guess what I wanted out of the book was beyond its scope, and I should start looking for some other books to read about theories of biblical application and interpretation in the modern day.
All in all, a fascinating, illuminating, and very accessible read.
September 7, 2019
I love the premise of this book, and it had a lot of potential. Coogan is (apparently) a top biblical scholar, and wrote this book for the American masses to explain just what exactly the Bible does have to say about marriage, adultery, homos, pregnancy and abortion, prostitution, the status of women, and any sex- or gender-related topic that people talk or vote about these days. His purpose is to contextualize the passages that people cite simplistically for political reasons.
I love some good historical rigor, but after a strong introduction (complete with an erotic poem comparing a woman's hair to a flock of goats!) the book completely loses its cohesiveness. There's very little synthesis of ideas, only endless examples that generally end with "and that is what the book of X has to say about Y." It's a terrible read, and a mediocre reference book at best. To its credit, it is also highly informative, and I'd be lying if I said I didn't learn a good deal about the culture in which both testaments of the Bible were written. Spoiler: it was sickeningly xenophobic.
In the final chapter, Coogan speculates about the sexuality of the Hebrew God himself (or his prototype, whom Coogan argues had a divine wife). It's much more interesting than the rest of the book-- more ambitious and more stimulating. It's too bad that the other chapters couldn't draw conclusions together or reach across time in the way that the ending does.
I love some good historical rigor, but after a strong introduction (complete with an erotic poem comparing a woman's hair to a flock of goats!) the book completely loses its cohesiveness. There's very little synthesis of ideas, only endless examples that generally end with "and that is what the book of X has to say about Y." It's a terrible read, and a mediocre reference book at best. To its credit, it is also highly informative, and I'd be lying if I said I didn't learn a good deal about the culture in which both testaments of the Bible were written. Spoiler: it was sickeningly xenophobic.
In the final chapter, Coogan speculates about the sexuality of the Hebrew God himself (or his prototype, whom Coogan argues had a divine wife). It's much more interesting than the rest of the book-- more ambitious and more stimulating. It's too bad that the other chapters couldn't draw conclusions together or reach across time in the way that the ending does.
August 7, 2014
I choose this book hoping that it would present an objective view of the bible as a piece of literature; however I was left disappointed in many aspects. The author is a Harvard lecturer on the Old Testament and as a result most of his focus is on the Old Testament, which is fine.
However, when he does mention the New Testament he offers a very incomplete and flawed picture of the text. He makes statements that I can easily refute using common texts and commonly accepted treatment of the text by both secular and religious readers, and I am far from a Harvard scholar. That fact combined with his often mocking tone and unnecessary digs shows me that he is not entirely objective, he has his own agenda to serve that goes beyond merely stating the facts.
I did enjoy his referral to the original terms in the Greek and Hebrew and a look at how certain terms have changed over the thousands of years since the Bible began.
I found this book to be thought provoking, but nothing earth shattering, this is by no means a must read. In my own subjective and often cynical opinion I believe Coogan is simply cashing in on the taboo surrounded by the subject of God and Sex but really has very little to offer on the subject that could be considered ground breaking or faith altering.
However, when he does mention the New Testament he offers a very incomplete and flawed picture of the text. He makes statements that I can easily refute using common texts and commonly accepted treatment of the text by both secular and religious readers, and I am far from a Harvard scholar. That fact combined with his often mocking tone and unnecessary digs shows me that he is not entirely objective, he has his own agenda to serve that goes beyond merely stating the facts.
I did enjoy his referral to the original terms in the Greek and Hebrew and a look at how certain terms have changed over the thousands of years since the Bible began.
I found this book to be thought provoking, but nothing earth shattering, this is by no means a must read. In my own subjective and often cynical opinion I believe Coogan is simply cashing in on the taboo surrounded by the subject of God and Sex but really has very little to offer on the subject that could be considered ground breaking or faith altering.
October 31, 2010
I picked this up on the spur of the moment in the library today, and I'm fairly pleased. It's not a perfect work -- I personally would have liked to see a LOT more hard linguistic discussion in such a textual topic -- but I appreciated its historo-critical approach. That's probably the biggest hurdle for a potential reader. But then, if the reader isn't OK with a historical approach, he or she probably isn't going to be on board with a book that subtitles itself "What the Bible Really Says."
December 9, 2010
I was somewhat disappointed with this work. Despite the glowing reviews I found a book that lacked cohesion and was devoid of any conclusion.
Although I agree with the author on two of his main premises, that the Bible can only really be viewed in the primitive context in which it was written and that all theological language is nothing more than metaphor, I felt that he did nothing with the texts to provide a modern-day interaction.
A so-so effort.
Although I agree with the author on two of his main premises, that the Bible can only really be viewed in the primitive context in which it was written and that all theological language is nothing more than metaphor, I felt that he did nothing with the texts to provide a modern-day interaction.
A so-so effort.
June 29, 2022
This is the book to read if you want all of your preconceived notions about the Bible and how it informs our personal and sexual relationships blown completely out of the water. So interesting and important to read a book from a theology scholar like Michael who dissects the text without a religious lens.
October 31, 2021
Very strong book despite its provocative title. The book gives a fairly straight, non partisan or faith based description of various passages in the bible pertaining to sex or gender, and their historical context as well as possible interpretations. The interpretations are given from a non religious perspective, treating the Bible as a historical document written over a long period of time by various authors differing in their moral ideals and interpretations of prior portions of the document. Thus the Bible contains various contradictions indicating differing perspectives of these authors.
The cultural context of the time period in which the Bible was written is very interesting and strongly differing from our own. Though the Bible has helped inspire much of modern Western moral bases, these resulting moral values are the product of a long historical process of a culture reinterpreting and building on the original Biblical text, over time picking out or ignoring various portions of the text which support or contradict evolving cultural norms. For example, the writers of the bible were strongly patriarchal and polygynous, as evidenced by laws demanding that 50 shekels be paid as reparation to the the father of a raped virgin (Deuteronomy 22.28-29), as well as the various and commonplace mentions of polygynous marriage and prostitution, without any hints of moral reprehension.
The book is therefore interesting on three interleaving levels - firstly as a description of the contents of an incredibly important religious text which has helped shape the world, secondly as an account of the formation of this historical document and the various historical forces involved, and finally as a vivid description of an ancient society and its social norms and historical context.
Not at all what I expected when I picked up the book, but was not at all disappointed.
The cultural context of the time period in which the Bible was written is very interesting and strongly differing from our own. Though the Bible has helped inspire much of modern Western moral bases, these resulting moral values are the product of a long historical process of a culture reinterpreting and building on the original Biblical text, over time picking out or ignoring various portions of the text which support or contradict evolving cultural norms. For example, the writers of the bible were strongly patriarchal and polygynous, as evidenced by laws demanding that 50 shekels be paid as reparation to the the father of a raped virgin (Deuteronomy 22.28-29), as well as the various and commonplace mentions of polygynous marriage and prostitution, without any hints of moral reprehension.
The book is therefore interesting on three interleaving levels - firstly as a description of the contents of an incredibly important religious text which has helped shape the world, secondly as an account of the formation of this historical document and the various historical forces involved, and finally as a vivid description of an ancient society and its social norms and historical context.
Not at all what I expected when I picked up the book, but was not at all disappointed.
September 2, 2021
I finished this book in June, I’m now reviewing it in September.
Upon my second year of consistent reading in the Biblical & Theological academic world, it takes a lot to shock me. Maybe it’s my lack of Biblical knowledge. I didn’t have too many strong church leaders telling me to believe any certain way growing up.
The day that I heard Moses probably didn’t write the Pentateuch, I didn’t flinch and was confused as to why those around me cared.
I suppose my faith is built on experiencing God and not reading tradition. I’m just now getting to enjoy the second aspect, and I believe it’s a worthy and necessary way in which we may learn something of God.
I digress, the point is that I was going into this book with a fairly open mind.
I appreciate Coogan for doing what he does best— historical critical analysis. He does this inarguably well. Alas, It seems that this is all he does. I don’t believe one can read the Bible and discover much about God if they only employ historical criticism.
And if we are to be intellectually honest, some of the history that Coogan banks on treads murky waters. We aren’t as sure about some of these ANE historical details as this book would make it sound.
Nonetheless, I appreciate Coogan’s frankness and impressive ability to make ANE history somewhat understandable to the modern reader. The book is accessible and a pleasant length.
Though I was disappointed with the theological principles that Coogan arrives at, I feel that this book is a great intro to a rather unique way to interpret the Bible. I enjoyed it.
Upon my second year of consistent reading in the Biblical & Theological academic world, it takes a lot to shock me. Maybe it’s my lack of Biblical knowledge. I didn’t have too many strong church leaders telling me to believe any certain way growing up.
The day that I heard Moses probably didn’t write the Pentateuch, I didn’t flinch and was confused as to why those around me cared.
I suppose my faith is built on experiencing God and not reading tradition. I’m just now getting to enjoy the second aspect, and I believe it’s a worthy and necessary way in which we may learn something of God.
I digress, the point is that I was going into this book with a fairly open mind.
I appreciate Coogan for doing what he does best— historical critical analysis. He does this inarguably well. Alas, It seems that this is all he does. I don’t believe one can read the Bible and discover much about God if they only employ historical criticism.
And if we are to be intellectually honest, some of the history that Coogan banks on treads murky waters. We aren’t as sure about some of these ANE historical details as this book would make it sound.
Nonetheless, I appreciate Coogan’s frankness and impressive ability to make ANE history somewhat understandable to the modern reader. The book is accessible and a pleasant length.
Though I was disappointed with the theological principles that Coogan arrives at, I feel that this book is a great intro to a rather unique way to interpret the Bible. I enjoyed it.
February 13, 2022
Maybe the title of this book is inaccurate. A more suitable name might have been "The Bible and Women". And although, there is a connection between the two, it appeared this book was far more interested in exploring how women are treated in Scripture than how the God of the Bible views sex.
Not that there is anything wrong with that.
And to his credit, Coogan does a fine job of outlining, in the first 2 chapters or so, how the Bible contains more references to sex than we perhaps realise.
Many of these references are hidden in euphemistic language like "knees", "waist", "to know" among others.
Most of the rest of the book is a discussion of how patriarchal the culture in which the Bible is written was. And more troublingly, how the God of the Bible seemed to be complicit in it.
I disagreed with some of the author's interpretations and conclusions, but it's always refreshing to hear arguments against things you believe.
There is one last section on "the wives of God" which is nothing short of nonsense and was shocking in the mishandling of the cited passages. For example, the author seems to believe that Wisdom in the Proverbs is a literal deity, when orthodox interpretations view these descriptions as literary devices.
Interesting book but might not be what you think it is.
Not that there is anything wrong with that.
And to his credit, Coogan does a fine job of outlining, in the first 2 chapters or so, how the Bible contains more references to sex than we perhaps realise.
Many of these references are hidden in euphemistic language like "knees", "waist", "to know" among others.
Most of the rest of the book is a discussion of how patriarchal the culture in which the Bible is written was. And more troublingly, how the God of the Bible seemed to be complicit in it.
I disagreed with some of the author's interpretations and conclusions, but it's always refreshing to hear arguments against things you believe.
There is one last section on "the wives of God" which is nothing short of nonsense and was shocking in the mishandling of the cited passages. For example, the author seems to believe that Wisdom in the Proverbs is a literal deity, when orthodox interpretations view these descriptions as literary devices.
Interesting book but might not be what you think it is.
June 22, 2023
Naprawdę świetna książka, muszę ją kupić, żeby móc czytać, kiedy będę się źle czuć. Bardzo podoba mi się styl autora: nie jest drętwy i potrafi pisać z poczuciem humoru (nazwał Biblię Króla Jakuba czcigodną). Z książki można się dowiedzieć wielu ciekawych rzeczy, np. tego, dlaczego stopa znaczy seks. Minusem jest niestety zdecydowaniem za krótki rozdział o Jezusie, co jest wręcz skandaliczne. Na pocieszenie mogę dodać jednak, że jeśli przeczytacie książkę do końca, to poznacie najlepszy ship w historii i ponadczasowe love story.
A teraz ciekawostka: Kiedy wnosiłam tę książkę do czytelni w bibliotece, to ochroniarz po zobaczeniu jej zapytał "A o czym to tak właściwie jest? Bo aż jestem ciekawy".
A teraz ciekawostka: Kiedy wnosiłam tę książkę do czytelni w bibliotece, to ochroniarz po zobaczeniu jej zapytał "A o czym to tak właściwie jest? Bo aż jestem ciekawy".
Read
October 2, 2018I’ve technically read this, but it was like 9 years ago or so, so I can’t quite comment much on it yet. Which means I need to re-read it. I do remember it being fascinating and how much it points out inconsistent findings on the act of sex and what it really says. But like I said, I need to re-read again. Philosophy/Religious texts are generally always interesting to read to find out meaning and thought process.
January 11, 2019
Nothing new or enlightening in this one for me - and I’m someone who’s pretty new to Christian nonfiction, so that’s saying something.
In the first chapter that covers innuendos etc, the bible translation I have (NIV) uses the actual words anyway.
Something that bothered me about this book was that the hundreds of verses quoted are referenced using endnotes rather than in the text, so every time I wanted to know where a verse was from I had to flip to the end of the book to find it.
In the first chapter that covers innuendos etc, the bible translation I have (NIV) uses the actual words anyway.
Something that bothered me about this book was that the hundreds of verses quoted are referenced using endnotes rather than in the text, so every time I wanted to know where a verse was from I had to flip to the end of the book to find it.
November 25, 2019
He made it easy to understand the metaphors in the Bible, explaining what each meant in the context of the times. I walked away with a deeper understanding of the text as it concerns sex and relationships.
As with other books, we must realize that it was written at a certain time. What was acceptable to society at that time is not now. The premise of respect and love is the same, just not how we portray those things.
As with other books, we must realize that it was written at a certain time. What was acceptable to society at that time is not now. The premise of respect and love is the same, just not how we portray those things.
May 29, 2020
Fine introduction to many matters related to women, men and sexuality. The focus is on the Old Testament. My only disappointment is that Coogan didn't delve deeper into how one might read the NT in connection with its insistence on love of neighbour to rethink sexuality. He mentions it, but is more interested in God's consort and children. Can't blame him (he's an OT scholar, not an ethicist). This is fascinating stuff.
October 15, 2020
Now here is a book that will get you thinking and raising your eyebrows. Worth going through a few more times and taking specific notes on certain aspects and areas of the text. Perhaps it is even worth re-reading the mentioned scriptures in multiple versions of the printed Bible to get the grasp on what is being said and how it is is meant to be interpreted.
December 1, 2022
Easy enough to understand for me, someone not raised in the church, but detailed enough to feel like I was getting a good grasp of the broader field. I found it informative and educational, if not the most riveting.
February 27, 2024
This book presents a broad academic consensus on a variety of controversial topics. If you've never been exposed to an academic perspective of one of the six chapters in this book then I'd pick this book up. Otherwise this book presents nothing new.
October 24, 2012
I read this at about the same time as I read Unprotected Texts: The bible's Surprising Contradictions about Sex and Desire by Jennifer Wright Knust. And then I got busy and waited a bit to write this review, so I'm afraid the two books are now hopelessly and inextricably smooshed together (yes, that's a technical term) in my brain. So please keep that in mind as you read the review...
Dr. Coogan starts out laying the foundation of his premise regarding the Bible: "These books [the books included in the Bible] were written over the course of many centuries, and, like all other books, they reflect the presuppositions and prejudices, the ideas and ideals of their authors (almost entirely men) and of the societies in and for which they were written." As a result, "in studying the past, we have to learn how they did things there, being careful not to project our own values and social constructs onto other cultures, and recognizing that words can have different meanings and nuances." This is infinitely difficult to do because we are often unaware of the assumptions we make based on our current societal expectations, but it's so vital to evaluating the Bible and its statements on their own merits.
For example, "the Bible's pervasive patriarchal bias has been selectively utilized by past and present religious leaders, who find in the Bible license, even authorization, for the subordination of women." But do we read this today as simply a reflection of the societies at the time those passages were written, or a universal truth that should be applied to all children of God throughout all time?
Again, "in our culture, marriage is closely connected with the idea of romance." However, "this was not the pattern in ancient times, notably in the biblical world...The primary function of marriage was to produce offspring--especially, as in most patriarchal societies, male offspring."
One interesting perspective I gained had to do with the passages in Leviticus that cover certain aspects of the Mosaic law. "Keeping categories distinct underlies...prohibitions, including some dietary laws and laws against crossbreeding animals, plowing with two different species of animals, planting different crops in the same field, wearing clothing woven from different kinds of yard, and cross-dressing." Dr. Coogan points out that the writers of Leviticus included same-sex relationships in this list and states "it is arbitrary to assert on the basis of biblical authority that some of them, such as sex between men, are intrinsically wrong, whereas others, such as wearing clothing made from wool and linen, are not: the biblical writers make no such distinction." Moving to the New Testament, Dr. Coogan parses Paul's definitions of "natural" and "unnatural" in conjunction with this line of thinking as well.
One point that gets me steamed is the ancient law that rape is not considered a crime against the woman raped; rather, "the damage is to the woman's father rather than to her, and the man is obliged to marry the woman he had deprived of her virginity." In that society, rape "violated the rights of the men under whose control the victims were--their fathers, brothers, fiances, or husbands. What had happened to the raped women themselves was of minor significance."
Slightly off the titular topic, but also interesting, is this insight: "For most of ancient Israel's history...strict monotheism was not the norm. Worship of other gods and goddesses is repeatedly attested, and polytheism pervades biblical language." As evidenced by the number of times Israel is rebuked for worshiping other gods and exhorted to worship Jehovah alone, it was obviously an ongoing issue for Israel.
Dr. Coogan asserts that "we must [read] the Bible on its own terms--what it meant to its original writers and audiences. That also means reading the entire Bible, in all its grandeur and complexity and horror, not privileging only those parts that say what we think it should say or what we want it to say. We should not use it just as an anthology of proof texts to be cherry-picked for scriptural support for preconceived conclusions." There's a great deal of insight to be gained from the struggle to reconcile the contradictions and troubling passages and there is value in that struggle as opposed to sweeping it under the rug or glossing over the difficult parts.
I love this from his conclusion: "Taken as a whole...the Bible can be understood as the record of the beginning of a continuous movement toward the goal of full freedom and equality for all persons, regardless of social status, gender, ethnicity, age, or sexual orientation...To put it somewhat differently, like the Constitution, biblical teachings have proven to be flexible, adaptable to new situations vastly different from their original contexts. Like the Constitution as well, the Bible must be interpreted--interpreted critically--to ensure that its underlying principle of love of neighbor in fact does apply."
For more book reviews, come visit my blog, Build Enough Bookshelves.
Dr. Coogan starts out laying the foundation of his premise regarding the Bible: "These books [the books included in the Bible] were written over the course of many centuries, and, like all other books, they reflect the presuppositions and prejudices, the ideas and ideals of their authors (almost entirely men) and of the societies in and for which they were written." As a result, "in studying the past, we have to learn how they did things there, being careful not to project our own values and social constructs onto other cultures, and recognizing that words can have different meanings and nuances." This is infinitely difficult to do because we are often unaware of the assumptions we make based on our current societal expectations, but it's so vital to evaluating the Bible and its statements on their own merits.
For example, "the Bible's pervasive patriarchal bias has been selectively utilized by past and present religious leaders, who find in the Bible license, even authorization, for the subordination of women." But do we read this today as simply a reflection of the societies at the time those passages were written, or a universal truth that should be applied to all children of God throughout all time?
Again, "in our culture, marriage is closely connected with the idea of romance." However, "this was not the pattern in ancient times, notably in the biblical world...The primary function of marriage was to produce offspring--especially, as in most patriarchal societies, male offspring."
One interesting perspective I gained had to do with the passages in Leviticus that cover certain aspects of the Mosaic law. "Keeping categories distinct underlies...prohibitions, including some dietary laws and laws against crossbreeding animals, plowing with two different species of animals, planting different crops in the same field, wearing clothing woven from different kinds of yard, and cross-dressing." Dr. Coogan points out that the writers of Leviticus included same-sex relationships in this list and states "it is arbitrary to assert on the basis of biblical authority that some of them, such as sex between men, are intrinsically wrong, whereas others, such as wearing clothing made from wool and linen, are not: the biblical writers make no such distinction." Moving to the New Testament, Dr. Coogan parses Paul's definitions of "natural" and "unnatural" in conjunction with this line of thinking as well.
One point that gets me steamed is the ancient law that rape is not considered a crime against the woman raped; rather, "the damage is to the woman's father rather than to her, and the man is obliged to marry the woman he had deprived of her virginity." In that society, rape "violated the rights of the men under whose control the victims were--their fathers, brothers, fiances, or husbands. What had happened to the raped women themselves was of minor significance."
Slightly off the titular topic, but also interesting, is this insight: "For most of ancient Israel's history...strict monotheism was not the norm. Worship of other gods and goddesses is repeatedly attested, and polytheism pervades biblical language." As evidenced by the number of times Israel is rebuked for worshiping other gods and exhorted to worship Jehovah alone, it was obviously an ongoing issue for Israel.
Dr. Coogan asserts that "we must [read] the Bible on its own terms--what it meant to its original writers and audiences. That also means reading the entire Bible, in all its grandeur and complexity and horror, not privileging only those parts that say what we think it should say or what we want it to say. We should not use it just as an anthology of proof texts to be cherry-picked for scriptural support for preconceived conclusions." There's a great deal of insight to be gained from the struggle to reconcile the contradictions and troubling passages and there is value in that struggle as opposed to sweeping it under the rug or glossing over the difficult parts.
I love this from his conclusion: "Taken as a whole...the Bible can be understood as the record of the beginning of a continuous movement toward the goal of full freedom and equality for all persons, regardless of social status, gender, ethnicity, age, or sexual orientation...To put it somewhat differently, like the Constitution, biblical teachings have proven to be flexible, adaptable to new situations vastly different from their original contexts. Like the Constitution as well, the Bible must be interpreted--interpreted critically--to ensure that its underlying principle of love of neighbor in fact does apply."
For more book reviews, come visit my blog, Build Enough Bookshelves.
March 16, 2017
This was a really interesting and informative book! Despite being one of the most popular books in human history, most people have not actually read the Bible from to cover, and as a result, there is a great deal of misinformation in the general public around what the Bible does and does not say, particularly on issues related to sex, gender, and sexuality. What Coogan does best in this book is making clear to the reader that the Bible is often inconsistent and contradictory on matters of sex, gender, and sexuality. He also makes a great point for why the Bible should not be viewed as a sexual guidebook for our modern, more egalitarian society. He writes in a way that makes this book accessible to anyone who picks it up. This is a must read for anyone interested in the Bible and/or matters related to sex, gender, and sexuality.
May 30, 2018
Leaving this book with more questions than answers. :l
March 28, 2021
Excellent book. Easy to read. Modeen critical reading of the relevant sections. Will not read feet in the text the same again.
October 17, 2021
Captivating case studies and well-presented.
September 9, 2022
Very thought provoking. A different look at the biblical view on sex.
April 29, 2024
thank god this class is over but this book was really helpful
October 23, 2024
God was kinda freaky 👀
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