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Love, Sex, & Marriage
Monday, November 16
A 2015 Discussion: How does Christian love challenge American ideology about marriage and sex? How should the church respond to the Supreme Court’s same-sex marriage decision? How should Christian leaders explain issues of love, sex, marriage, and singleness to their congregation and community?
SPEAKER
LAURA SMIT
CALVIN COLLEGE | AUTHOR, LOVES ME, LOVES ME NOT: THE ETHICS OF UNREQUITED LOVE
ABOUT
How does Christian love challenge American ideology about marriage and sex?
How should the church respond to the Supreme Court’s same-sex marriage decision?
How should Christian leaders explain issues of love, sex, marriage, and singleness to their congregation and community?
A Christian sexual ethic is radically countercultural.
We don’t have to be caught in debates about equality versus complementarity since the Bible clearly affirms both the significant and beautiful difference of men and women AND the radical equality of men and women.
We don’t have to be caught in a culture of divorce or serial monogamy since the Bible clearly calls us to keeping our covenant promises regardless of our emotional fulfillment at any given moment.
We don’t have to be caught in a culture of pleasure as the goal of life. And in our haste to affirm the goodness of sex within marriage we must not make sex the goal or end of marriage.
And we must not be caught up in an idolatry of the family that equates family values with Biblical values. We must instead affirm the radically counter-cultural option of celibate singleness as an obedient, meaningful, fruitful and honorable way of life. This sort of affirmation must not be simply theoretical. These different ways of construing a healthy and happy human life must capture our imaginations and our hearts. We must see these alternatives as beautiful.
As Christian pastors and teachers we need to think about ways to present such a Christian understanding of sexuality in ways that are compelling and appealing, that draw people closer.
SCHEDULE
Monday, November 16, 2015
11:15 AM
Registration opens
11:30 AM
Welcome // Invocation
11:45 AM
Laura Smit, “Love, Sex, & Marriage: Pastoral Responses to Singleness & Same-Sex Marriage”
1:30 PM
Event Close
CONTACT
cct@biola.edu
562-777-4081
@BiolaCCT
ABOUT CCT PASTORS’ LUNCHEONS
Every fall and spring, the Biola University Center for Christian Thought hosts a free lunch and lecture for southern California pastors, church leaders, and seminarians, to support their work and ministry, offering insightful wisdom from leading Christian thinkers and an opportunity to network with other church leaders.
On November 16, 2015, we’re hosting a special event dedicated to Love, Sex, & Marriage: Pastoral Responses to Singleness & Same-Sex Marriage, featuring theologian and pastor Laura Smit (Calvin College; author of Loves Me, Loves Me Not: The Ethics of Unrequited Love).
FAQ
Is the lunch really free?
Yep. Totally free for southern California pastors, church leaders, and seminary students.
Can I bring a friend or spouse who is not actively in ministry?
Unfortunately, no. Space is limited and we want to serve as many pastors, leaders, and those in ministry as we can.
What is the Center for Christian Thought?
Biola University’s Center for Christian Thought exists to reconnect Christian Scholarship with the Academy and the Church. For more information, visit cct.biola.edu.
What is The Table?
The Table is a resource of the Biola CCT focused on reaching out to thoughtful Christians with transforming Christian wisdom, from a variety of perspectives and disciplines and themes. Check out Issue No. 4 of The Table online at cct.biola.edu/journal.
CCT is sponsored by the generous support of the:
