So what does the church actually teach about sex? We unpick the widely held view within Christianity that sex is only morally acceptable when it takes place within a marriage, and how this view is reinforced.

Content warning: This series covers issues of sexual relationships, abuse, gender and identity, so listener discretion is advised. Please look after yourselves.

We discuss how, for all the church’s squeamishness when it comes to sex and pleasure, society hasn’t necessarily served us any better. Power, purity and gender roles all come under the microscope and the role of shame in policing behaviour is explored.

We ask what we would do differently when it comes to talking about sex and relationships. We begin to outline a more positive and holistic framing and at one point, Simon even explores the implications of thinking about Jesus during sex.

Coming up

Our first Q&A episode is on 13 October, so if you’d like to ask a question on anything you’ve heard from the podcast so far, then make sure you get your question to us by Friday 3 October to feature. Contact us via email, social media or our Substack page.

Episode 3 – Marriage in the Bible is a binfire – is released on 27 October, where resident our biblical scholar Dr Charlotte Naylor Davis takes us on a whistle stop tour through the Bible, as we go hunting for the mythical model of a good Christian marriage.

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