A Conversation about Brian McLaren’s A New Kind of Christianity
Responding to Brian McLaren’s Question # 7: The Sex Question
Welcome: You’re reading Part 9 of my blog series responding to Brian McLaren’s book A New Kind of Christianity (read Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, and Part 8). Many have engaged Brian’s thinking by focusing on a systematic theology response (visit here for a boatload of links). My focus is on pastoral theology or practical theology. As a pastor, counselor, and professor who equips the church for biblical counseling and spiritual formation, I’m asking: “What difference does our response to each question make for how we care like Christ (biblical counseling) and for how we live like Christ (spiritual formation)?”
Fundasexuality?
As I engage Brian’s take on each of his ten questions, each time I’m looking for something that sincerely invites a fair and balanced conversation. Unfortunately, through question seven, I’ve not sensed a genuine invitation.
Brian words his sex question, “Can we find a way to address human sexuality without fighting about it”? If Brian doesn’t want to fight over sexuality, why would he begin with a two-and-half-page satirical and judgmental diatribe that diagnoses those who disagree with him as having the disease of “fundasexuality”—“a reactive, combative brand of religious fundamentalism that preoccupies itself with sexuality” (p. 174)?
I understand that Brian could claim, “I’m only talking about extremists.” But if your view is solidly biblical and your intent is loving conversation, then why consistently posed the discussion as your best view against their worst view—a stereotyped, extreme, marginal position?
Sadly, this chapter is filled with false stereotypes of those who disagree with Brian. He claims that others are focused on homosexual sins and ignoring the sinfulness of heterosexual sin. Biblical counselors address a myriad of heterosexual sin issues. Let’s put it more accurately and more positively. Biblical counseling proactively has developed robust models of sexuality, gender, maleness, and femaleness. We’re asking, and lovingly and biblically helping people to address, “What does it mean, according to the Bible, to be a healthy, whole, and holy sexual, gendered being?”
A Robust Biblical Counseling and Spiritual Formation Approach to Human Sexuality
Brian asks that we begin to construct a more humane sexual ethic and a more honest and robust Christian anthropology. I agree 100% with Brian’s goal. That’s why I’ve spent the past twenty-five years developing a Christian anthropology (Creation/People), a Christian hamartiology (Fall/Problems), and a Christian soteriology (Redemption/solutions) for biblical counseling and spiritual formation (see Soul Physicians) (as have other biblical counselors for over a generation). Because of our trust in the sufficiency and relevancy of Scripture, biblical counselors apply the Creation/Fall/Redemption biblical model to the question of human sexuality. No, we don’t use the stereotyped “Greco-Roman model” that Brian creates and then trashes (see my response to Brian’s narrative question).
We examine God’s original design for sexuality, sex, sexual identity, gender, maleness and femaleness, masculinity and femininity (Creation/people/Christian anthropology). We probe the far-reaching, deeply-relevant implications of the fact that God created us male and female. We’re amazed at the beauty, symmetry, and loving purpose of God’s original design.
We also explore how our Fall into sin mars everything—including human sexuality (Fall/problems/Christian hamartiology). We allow the biblical text, in context, to speak for itself because we’re confident not only in the sufficiency of Scripture but also in the profundity of Scripture. Both in specific passages and in overall theological presentation, the Bible profoundly addresses issues of fallen sexuality—sexual abuse and sexual abuse recovery, sexual identity and sexual identity confusion, sexual passion and sexual “addiction.”
We further study what the Bible says about God’s restoration of human sexuality (Redemption/solutions/Christian soteriology). The Bible has relevant insights for real people with real questions and real problems of human sexuality. Through biblical counseling and spiritual formation, we help people to find not simply answers, but God’s healing hope and victory in significant areas such as sexual abuse recovery, sexual identity, and sexual “addictions.”
The biblical counseling and spiritual formation question is not simply, “Can we find a way to address human sexuality without fighting about it?” Our question is more profound, relevant, positive, and hopeful. “How can we biblically and lovingly address human sexuality so that we can be healthy, whole, and holy sexual, gendered beings?”
A Way Forward: Or How to Discuss Biblical Sexuality in Truth and Love
Part of Brian’s goal is laudable. He wants us no longer to hide the truth of our sexuality—in all its beauty and agony, in all of its passion and pain, in all of its simplicity and complexity. The more we hide, the sicker we become. Agreed.
To make this happen, let’s further agree that the Bible is totally sufficient for developing a theology of sexuality. Let’s further agree that the Bible is totally sufficient for developing a “methodology” for helping one another to live whole, healthy, and holy lives as gendered, sexual, male, or female, beings. Let’s, therefore, agree to examine everything about sex, sexuality, gender, maleness, femaleness, masculinity, and femininity through a biblical lens that we attempt to interpret without cultural bias and in love.
The Rest of the Story
In our next post, we respond to Brian’s answer to the future question. He asks, “Can we find a better way of viewing the future?” We’ll ask, “What are the implications of our view of our future for how we live and how we minister?”
Join the Conversation
How do we address human sexuality biblically and lovingly?
How do we address human sexuality biblically and lovingly? I think by not taking it for granted. By understanding the power of outside influences. By not fearing the biblical standards and boundaries for sexuality.
Terrill, Thanks for responding. I’d be very interested to hear you develop your three points further. What would it look like not to take human sexuality for granted? What are the outside influences on human sexuality that we need to understand? Why do we fear the biblical standards on human sexuality? If you have time, please add more to these three great issues you raised. Bob
The complexity of human sexuality and the lack of specifics here may suggest the Bible does not have all the answers on this topic. Are we going with the wives must submit model? Are we going with the women can’t attend church while menustrating model (practiced by some students at CBS). The “you can change your orientation if you you wear make up and dresses” (or “wrestle with men”) model (although I’ve yet to find the verses for that). What do we do with that small percentage of children who are born with both male and female genitalia? Pick a gender for them? Why do some churches allow adulterers and gluttons to be members but not homosexuals? What does the Bible say about that?
Doreen, I appreciate your engaging comment. I believe the complexity of human sexuality actually suggests that our only hope for comprehensive answers are from our Creator through His Word. Now, the lack of specifics would be due to it being one 900-word blog post, rather than a book, or series of books, or 40 hour MA level course, etc. I would also use the word “model” differently than I think your comment does. I would not call “wives submit to men” or “don’t attend church …” not models, but specific applications that may or may not come from “models.” A Creation/Fall/Redemption (People/Problems/Solutions) “model” is much more comprehensive and foundation. We ought to derive our specific views and applications from the theological models–from a biblical psychology of the soul. By the way, I’m certainly not suggesting any simplistic approach such as “wear make-up and your orientation will change.” I doubt there’s anyone out there who seriously thinks these issues through who would say that comprehensively summarizes their approach. Again, this is where I believe we need a Christ-centered, comprehensive, compassionate, and culturally-informed model of biblical counseling and spiritual direction.
You then ask a specific and important question, and you word it accurately. “The small percentage…” Some want to throw out entire approaches based upon small “exceptions to the norm.” I would say that the Bible addresses the “exception to the norm” in several ways–one being that we live in a fallen world in fallen bodies. Another being that the Bible engages the vital issue of the complex interworking of the mind/body, soul/brain complex. I would turn the question around to anyone asking it and say, “How does your model address this exceptional issue?” Whether it is Brian’s model, Bob’s model, or Doreen’s model–we all have to attempt to account for our observations. I believe the Bible accounts for all observations. In a brief comment/reply, I can’t do justice to a full answer–but that doesn’t mean the Bible doesn’t fully answer all issues of the soul and give insight into issues of the body/soul. As for your last question, does anyone who steps back and reads that believe that is the right/biblical thing to do? Obviously we would all agree that sin is sin and we need to graciously address any sin issue by speaking and living the truth in love–whether that sin is gossip or gluttony or a heterosexual affair. I’d be interested to hear how your model addresses these significant issues that you raise. Thanks again for taking the time to thoughtfully comment. Bob
Well Bob, I thought I could get away with just suggesting the three areas I think should be part of the discussion. Each, like you’ve said about other comments, could take a book. In todays world, sexuality is now something that is personal and doesn’t want others opinions, especially from scripture. Yet it is a hot topic since the fall. Even fallen angels wanted to know about this procreation thing. I believe it is one area for the reason the world was flooded. Satan has attempted to change the standard God has for sex or sexuality, to destroy or bring down God, so he can be on top as God, making all of creation his domain. So, from a spiritual perspective, it would be our loss to take sexuality/sex for granted since the devil makes this a front line battle ground for control of our lives by offering options to God’s intent for a man and a woman.
This really goes along with understanding the power of outside influences. Since ultimately, this is a spiritual battle to destroy and control men, which includes the believer too, the sphere of influences range from first, our own hearts and the flesh, and then into what the world has to offer. I think of the word [whatever] used in our world to include or mean, anything is alright to do sexually, that ultimately will destroy relationship with each other and especially with the Lord. [Whatever] has to be challenged biblically. Accountability for ones thoughts and actions may not come until we stand before the Lord Jesus Christ. I would hope it does out of fear for the loss to be experienced because of sexuality that is against what God intended. So, we need to be aware of and understand outside influences on this topic.
The boundaries are there in scripture for sexuality. It was easy to make Adam believe a lie. He was accountable for his judgment. It just seems folk want to leave the accountability thing since Adam, off the table, since God has included all of us in that judgment. It has become all about me. The thing is, trust is an issue when it comes to sexuality or sex. Man doesn’t trust God, his word, on this , because Satan has succeeded in turning the truth into a lie again. The lie is God can’t be trusted. Man wants to believe we are victims of unjust judgment and fears that the righteousness of God spelled out in the scriptures concerning sin, takes away what we feel entitled to have. Our own choice in this matter. Now isn’t that a whopper of a lie?
Terrill, I’m glad I encouraged you to share more. I appreciate the depth of your practical insights. Bob