Research Proposal on "Healthy Sexuality"

Research Proposal 7 pages (1957 words) Sources: 5 Style: APA

[EXCERPT] . . . .

Gift of Sex

Health Sexuality through Christian Practice and Perspective: Where the Bible Meets Biology

Human sexuality has been a prominent feature of the species and the culture since time immemorial, for reasons both obvious and more subtle. It is only in the modern era that this subject received true scrutiny from a scientific point-of-view; sexuality and sexual practices have been discussed humorously or dismissed as vulgarities, but not until the modern era was it brought to light as a truly important feature of the human experience on Earth and a necessary part of becoming physically and mentally healthy and fulfilled. The study that sexuality has received in the modern era has led to new understandings of who we are as a species and as individuals, and how we relate to each other.

The new understandings of sexuality that have been reached through such study have also necessarily led to changes in the ways in which many religions view and dialogue with this sexuality, and Christianity is certainly no exception. Though the subject was considered taboo by many Christians, and still is to a large degree, this tide has been shifting for quite some time now (Berecz 2002). As sexuality becomes better understood and a more acceptable and less taboo area of humanity -- when discussed and approached in a healthy and respectful manner, of course -- it also becomes a more approachable subject from religious perspectives. As a natural and potentially very fulfilling part of human being's lives, religion is most definitely concerned with sexuality in a positive way, and not just in the negative sense of prohibitions and limitations as is often incorrectly thought.

In their book The Gift of Sex: A Guide to Sexual Fulfillment, Clifford and Joyce Penner discuss how to build and maintain a healthy sexual relationship with a married partner as God intended, based on an actual understanding of the Bible and sexuality. The married authors make recommendations not only on how to maintain a solid and healthy sexual relationship for both married partners in a couple, but also discuss certain problems that might arise (or fail to) in the bedroom, and ways of addressing these issues in a way that is mutually healthy and fulfilling. Their overall message is that sex is something Christian coupes should be comfortable with and embrace as a fulfilling part of their lives and of God's plan for them and for humanity (Ferrebee 1995). The five major themes into which the book is divided make the authors' purpose very clear and easy to follow along with.

A Biblical Perspective

The first point that the Penners make absolutely clear is that sex is celebrated by the Bible and the true Christian perspective, as long as it is something that takes place between a married man and woman. It is only in a committed married relationship that sexuality can be truly made into a gift from God, as it is in this relationship that the trust can be formed and the time taken to make sexual acts truly fulfilling and fully enjoyable for both individuals. It is true that there are passages in the Bible that have been interpreted as suggesting that sex is meant solely for procreative purposes and not for the enjoyment of the participants (Clark 2000). Penner and Penner, however, point out many other passages that truly celebrate sex and its role in the marriage bed.

Through their very lucid and straightforward tone, the Penners quite quickly and simply put their readers at ease. The subject matter of the first major theme they explore, namely the Bible's perspective on sex and sexuality, is also an excellent way to introduce readers that might be uncomfortable with the subject matter of the book to a frank discussion of sexuality and sexual practices. Many Christians have less than healthy attitudes towards sex, thinking of it as something dirty and somehow unsanctified, and by making it clear that the Bible does not take this view but indeed takes a very opposite tack, the Penners are going a great length towards making these readers more comfortable. By rooting the discussion of sexuality in an examination of the Bible's teaching and God's plan for our enjoyment of our bodies, this book is able to develop more explicit themes in a healthy and welcoming manner.

The Physical Dimension

After introducing the concepts of sexuality from the Biblical perspective, and setting the tone and perspective of the book from this perspective, the Penners move on to the meat of the issue. They make it clear, however, that the physical dimension of sex and sexuality cannot be divorced from the Biblical perspective on these issues. As a part of God's creation, the Penners assert that "even our sexual parts are good," and encourage the exploration of our bodies and of the possibilities of intimacy because of this (Penner & Penner 1981). Experimenting and learning to enjoy both our own bodies and that of our partners is the true way to celebrate God's gifts of sexuality, and love and marriage.

The Penners remain quite frank and straightforward in their discussions of anatomy and the various methods of exploring the sexual aspects of an individual's own body and that of their partner's. In exploring the physical dimension of sexuality, which is of course that aspect that with which most people are at least aware, if not truly familiar, the Penners remain rooted in Biblical interpretation and the Christian perspective. The unification of these major themes makes it quite explicit how, in the Penners' interpretation, God means for the human body and the various pleasures it can bring couples to be fully explored and enjoyed. The discussion of the physical aspect of sex and sexuality in this book is developed along the lines of providing an understanding of the physical nature of sex and the human body, so that these explorations can be carried out on solid ground.

The Total Experience

Sex is not merely about the act of sexual intercourse, of course, and the Penners also make this clear throughout their book. The theme of the total experience is used to demonstrate how integral sexuality and sexual behaviors are in the fundamental interest and love one marriage partner shows for another, in both sexual and non-sexual ways. This includes border areas between sexual and non-sexual practices, such as the facial caress exercise that can be a very simple yet profound (and non-sexual) loving gesture and a way to reveal many sexual attitudes and personal feelings that have a direct impact on sexuality (Penner & Penner 143). This is part of bringing the total experience to the marriage partnership.

Making it clear that sex and sexuality are normal and necessary parts of a successful Christian marriage in all of its aspects is one of the most important themes that Penner and Penner address in this book, and this explains why the section devoted to the total experience is the longest in the book. There must be a sense form each marriage partner that they are wanted and desired by their counterpart in their relationship; feeling needed and being able to provide for the marriage partner's needs are the fundamental ways in which a relationship is shored up and maintained, and sexuality is an important part of this relationship (Lana 2008). The Penners make it clear that there are many conscious ways that an individual's and a couple's understanding of sexuality and of their partner's (and their own) sexual needs and desires can lead to a greater fulfillment of their own desires and of God's gift.

Moving Past Sexual Barriers

Throughout the book, the Penner's make sure to accommodate many common areas of discomfort that they have witnessed in their work. There are a great many sexual barriers that might exist in a couple, and the reasons behind these barriers range from the religious to the psychological to the purely physical. When medical conditions are not present, the Penners examine a host of possible psychological/religious hang-ups that many individuals have in regards to sexuality, including problems with anger, a sense of immorality, and even regarding the sex act as a necessary evil or sin (Penner & Penner 239-45). There are also simple problems related to differences in desires, both in levels and for certain activities.

The Penners make it clear that such differences of opinion need not be prohibitive to developing a full and rewarding sexual relationship with a marriage partner. This is, in fact, why the context of a marriage is so vital to the construction of a healthy sexual relationship; the trust and level of comfort that exists between the two partners must be such that these differences and other issues can be tackled head-on, but with the patience and understanding that real change requires. Above all, the Penners stress that sexuality is something to be enjoyed, but that due to a variety of societal and deeply personal reasons this pleasure is often tainted by other feelings. Learning… READ MORE

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