A House Divided - Sex and Morality - A Textbook

 A House Divided

Sexuality, Morality, and  

Christian Cultures

By

Geoffrey W. Sutton

Reviewed by

  Various Reviewers

Several authors read A House Divided and provided reviews. This post quotes from some of the reviews and provides links to those published in journals.

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"As we march ominously toward the November 2020 elections, this book, A House Divided: Sexuality, Morality, and Christian Cultures, becomes increasingly relevant. It really is about how we might be more intellectually humble—but it deals specifically with religious humility as it touches on and intertwines with political humility. Churches split. Denominations break apart. Families disintegrate. Christians have divided into (at least) two camps that at times seem hostile to each other. People do not seem to be listening to each other anymore. A generation of young people are leaving the church or never seriously considering it. A House Divided asks, What, if anything, can be done to mend the rending of the Christian garment?"

     Geoffrey W. Sutton’s book, A House Divided: Sexuality, Morality, and Christian Cultures, is a great book for seminaries, for college classes, for churches that want to encourage their parishioners to understand the contemporary issues in Christianity that are related to sex, and for thoughtful individual readers interested in the various controversies around sex-related ideas. It will stretch your understanding. It is a work that must have taken Sutton thousands of hours of research and thinking to be able to identify and explain the issues so clearly, coherently, and comprehensively. And I believe A House Divided will have some positive effect in increasing the reader’s political humility (Worthington, 2017). I think it will move readers toward finding a common ground, or at a minimum will help inform their own thinking about these important issues in churches and how those issues are dealt with within society. For the practitioner, it is an invaluable resource for informing one about sticky issues that Christian patients bring to counseling regularly. For this reason (and for others I’ve mentioned), I highly recommend the book.

-- Ev Worthington, Commonwealth Professor Emeritus, Department of Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University reviewed in Journal of Psychology and Theology (2020).

BOOK AVAILABLE ON GOOGLE BOOKS 

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"For a Church that serves one Master, Christians seem to be divided over a surprisingly large number of issues. Several of these divisive issues fall within the domain of sexuality. This book is an attempt to help two sides of the Christian family tree (“conservative” and “progressive”) appreciate that the opposing side is coming from a reasoned and faithful position. Sutton does this through a careful consideration of scripture, moral foundation theory, and Christian cultures and individuality in the context of several divisive sexual issues. It is a job well done."

--Rod Bassett, Professor of Psychology, Roberts Weslyan College, review published in Journal of Psychology and Christianity (2017)

 BOOK AVAILABLE ON AMAZON 

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"Dr. Sutton examines morality and sexuality with a scholarly but accessible book. It will keep your students thinking and pondering their framework and philosophy for morality and sexuality as they face complex issues in current events"

     —Jennifer Ripley, PhD, Professor of Psychology, Regent University

BOOL  AVAILABLE FROM WIPFANDSTOCK

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“A blend of hermeneutics, research, and moral psychology to survey social challenges facing Christians today. Sutton’s book provides a thoughtful exploration of how various faith groups approach issues of sexuality based on views of morality. This volume highlights how emotion, thought, and tradition impacts six dimensions of morality; illustrating what divides us. The text shows divergent views but also points to commonalities, illuminating a shared desire to live a moral life.”
     —Kelly Reiner, PsyD, LCP

Purchasing Information

  Publisher: Pickwick Books - A WipfandStock print

 Instructor Desk Copies available from the Publisher: WIPFandSTOCK

Also available from

  AMAZON BOOKS

   Google Books

Christian Morality and Moral Psychology

  Perspectives on ...

Abortion, 

Birth control, 

Cohabiting, 

Contraception, 

Incest, 

Marriage, 

   -Plural marriage

  -same-sex marriage

Premarital sex, 

Pornography, 

Rape

Sexual abuse, 

Sexual development, 

Sex education, 

Psychological perspectives derived from: Moral Foundations Theory

Religious focus: Progressive vs. Conservative Christianity

References

Bassett, R. L. (2017). A House Divided: Sexuality, Morality, and Christian Cultures. Journal of            Psychology and Christianity, 36(1), 83+.

Sutton, G. W. (2016). A House Divided: Sexuality, morality, and Christian cultures. Eugene, OR: Pickwick. ISBN: 9781498224888

Sutton, G. W., Kelly, H. L., & Huver, M. (2019). Political identities, religious identity, and the pattern of moral foundations among conservative Christians. Journal of Psychology and Theology, 48, pp. 169-187. Online October 16, 2019. Issue published September 1, 2020. ResearchGate Link     Academia Link

Worthington EL. How to Discuss Controversial Sexual Issues with Christians Who Don’t (and Do) Agree with You (2020). Journal of Psychology and Theology, 48(3):229-233. doi:10.1177/0091647120908017

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