Interdisciplinary Book and Film Reviews

A Gift for All Ages A Family Handbook on Sexuality  by Clifford and Joyce Penner Reviewed by Geoffrey W. Sutton, PhD   A Gift for All Ages by Clifford and Joyce Penner is a comprehensive family handbook on sexuality that provides a developmental approach to understanding human sexuality from birth through old age. The authors, both experts in their fields, aim to help the Christian community embrace sexuality as a natural and positive aspect of life. They discuss various stages of sexual development and offer practical advice for families to talk openly and positively about sexuality. The book is designed to be a helpful resource for parents, educators, and anyone interested in promoting healthy sexual attitudes and behaviors. The Penners present a specific Christian approach that is generally consistent with an evangelical worldview. For example, their views on contraception are different from Catholic teaching and their views on motherhood and same sex relationships (their ...

  The Bible Now By Richard Elliott Friedman & Shawna Dolansky   2011 Reviewed by    Geoffrey W. Sutton In their thought-provoking book, The Bible Now , Friedman and Dolansky delve into the Hebrew Bible, exploring its relevance to contemporary social and political issues. The authors meticulously examine what the Bible actually says—or doesn’t say—about a wide range of topics, including homosexuality, abortion, women’s status, capital punishment, and environmental concerns . The Bible has long been a touchstone for moral and ethical debates, but it is often misused or misunderstood. Friedman and Dolansky aim to rectify this by shedding light on the biblical texts, revealing their true intent and context. Here are some key insights from their work: Homosexuality :  Contrary to popular belief, the Bible does not clearly condemn homosexuality. While the story of Sodom is often cited, it does not specifically address same-sex relationships. Addi...

  Spotlight Director   Tom McCarthy Writers   Tom McCarthy   Josh Singer US Release 6 November 2015 My wife and I saw the award-winning film,  Spotlight . We both came away shocked and disturbed. The actors did a superb job at evoking a strong emotional response to the outrageous behavior of church and community leaders who covered-up child sexual abuse in Boston. The damage to human lives is horrendous. For me, the timing of the film is ironic. Two days before seeing the film, I reviewed proofs on my book  A House Divided:  Sexuality, Morality, and Christian Cultures . The book represents two years of work examining sexuality in the church from the perspective of moral psychology. I aim to promote open discussions of healthy Christian sexuality. But I also wrote about sexual abuse because it would be irresponsible to ignore it. As  Spotlight  illustrates, sex abuse happens in the church and a lot of people get seriously hurt. Spotlight is th...

  Authentic Human Sexuality             An Integrated Christian Approach   By    Judith K. Balswick    Jack O. Balswick Reviewed by    Geoffrey W. Sutton The Balswicks provide a primer on human sexuality for evangelical readers. They draw on scientific research and integrate those findings with a Christian worldview. In contrast to authentic sexuality in the context of relationships, they illustrate inauthentic sexuality in terms of harassment, pornography, and rape. I read their book in the context of writing A House Divided: Sexuality, Morality, and Christian Cultures (2016). The book is divided into four parts. The first part reviews human sexuality. They opine that “all human beings struggle with their sexual nature and come short of the sexual wholeness that God intended (p. 14).” They advocate readers approach the subject with “humility and compassion.” They present authentic sexuality as t...

  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. *************** "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 me...

  God and Sex What the Bible Really Says   By     Michael Coogan   2010 Reviewed by    Geoffrey W. Sutton Coogan sets the stage for a biblical view of sex by citing the popularity of the Bible in US society--over 90% of us have "The Book." He challenges readers who believe the Bible is simply "God's Word" rather than a collection of works by multiple authors to consider some obvious inconsistencies easily recognized by anyone who has taken the time to read the text. Coogan want readers to see the unfolding of the biblical message in ways that allows a nuanced approach to modern life. Thus, he will write about women as equals, sexual prohibitions, and the stories of rape. Chapter 1 We begin with an invitation to see the biblical past as life in a foreign country with a different language, culture and values. He quickly shows readers love and sex through the eyes of the Song of Solomon. Then opens readers' eyes to biblical sex by lifting the veil of...