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Just Love: A Framework for Christian Sexual Ethics
This long-awaited book by one of American Christianity's foremost ethicists proposes a framework for sexual ethics whereby justice is the criterion for all loving, including love that is related to sexual activity and relationships. It begins with historical and cross-cultural explorations, then addresses the large questions of embodiment, gender, and sexuality, and finall...more
Hardcover, 322 pages
Published
March 1st 2006
by Continuum
(first published 2006)
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Farley does an excellent job of surveying the history of sexual ethics and attempts to introduce cross-cultural examples, although, by her own admission, those are limited in this book in order to get to the specific work at hand, carefully looking at information from a variety of disciplines and contexts, how we understand embodiment, gender, and sexuality, as well as how we relate justice to love, and then examine various frameworks of sexual ethics, keeping all of that in mind. Finally, she g...more
I did not actually read every word of this scholarly work. I have heard Margaret Farley lecture and so I went looking for the parts which interested me most. Years ago I heard her speak about the importance in moral decision making of asking questions. She posed 7 questions to ask and I have used those questions for a wider range of issues. (When my good friend wanted to kill herself as she was dying of cancer, and her family wondered if they could help her: I used these questions. When my son m...more
An excellent text, Farley begins with a brief review of questions as to why this should be studied and why we need a framework at this time for sexual ethics. She then follows this with a long discussion of sexuality in historical, religious, and socio-cultural contexts and traditions. A discussion of sexuality and its meanings, including an examination of gender makes up a significant portion of what follows. There is then a short look at preliminary considerations and sources of Christian sexu...more
It's been a while since I've read a theology or ethics book, and I got inspired to read this when the pope recently censored Ms Farley and her writing, and then a former professor of mine made a comment about her on Facebook. Turns out it's a fabulous book, and I'm soaking up the gently written perspectives.
Today I read and re-read the paragraph about "the biblical witness" that "claims to present truths that will heal us, make us whole; that will free us, not enslave us to what violates our ver...more
Today I read and re-read the paragraph about "the biblical witness" that "claims to present truths that will heal us, make us whole; that will free us, not enslave us to what violates our ver...more
In March 2012 the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith reported the presence of doctrinal errors in this book, where Sr. Farley did not present a correct understanding of Church teaching, and publication of her errors have caused confusion among the faithful. The report can be read here.
For example:
Sr. Farley writes: "Masturbation… usually does not raise any moral questions at all. … It is surely the case that many women… have found great good in self-pleasuring – perhaps especially in th...more
For example:
Sr. Farley writes: "Masturbation… usually does not raise any moral questions at all. … It is surely the case that many women… have found great good in self-pleasuring – perhaps especially in th...more
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With great care and lucidity, Margaret Farley accomplishes in this book just what the subtitle suggests -- she establishes a framework for Christian sexual ethics. She spends very little of the book (only the last chapter) doing much in the way of addressing specific issues in sexual ethics but the book is an important and needed step in setting the ground rules for conversation on a host of topics.
Sr. Margaret (R.S.M.) begins with a survey of sexual ethics from a number of historical and cultur...more
Sr. Margaret (R.S.M.) begins with a survey of sexual ethics from a number of historical and cultur...more
There is much in this book that is worth reading. It presents interesting and well researched thoughts about how concepts related to sex and morality are developed and maintained in various cultures. It also presents thoughts and suggestions that challenge some current views. The presentation style seemed much like a college lecture to me. After reading it I was a bit surprised that it was the subject of such strong criticism from the American Conference of Catholic Bishops. Although it explored...more
Margaret Farley has dedicated her life to this work, and this book is a masterpiece. It is accessible and offers a paradigm of justice towards which we all should strive in every relationship, sexual or platonic. And, she certainly practices what she teaches in this book.
In a funny way, the Vatican did us all a favor by issuing a harsh rebuke about this book six years after it was first published. Never mind all that, Farley wrote a thoughtful, readable argument for ethical standards in matters of love and sexuality. Norms of commitment, equality, mutuality may or may not sound revolutionary but her claim that justice must be a component of all our relationships does. Farley convinces us that social justice is a necessary part of couple and familial relationship...more
Farley's framework is systematic and reconciles the much-needed ethic of justice to understanding healthy relationships. However, Farley's efforts at making this a "Christian" ethic stray too far afield from Christian theology to claim that label with much support. Her ethical framework still may yet overlap with a Christian one, but it is difficult to tell how her approach is uniquely and explicilty Christian.
Jun 18, 2012
Selena
marked it as to-read
I want to read this mostly because the Catholic church condemns it. Being told not to do something makes you want to do it even more.
A tough dissertation-like read, definitely worth the effort. I would love to join a discussion group about her framework.
Thorough, generally good but very dense and abstract
The Vatican condemns it, so of course I have to read it. :D
Jun 05, 2012
Jennifer
marked it as to-read
Anytime the Vatican condemns something, I wanna read it!
eponis wrote: My favorite book so far on sexuality and Christianity is Margaret Farley's Just Love. She goes beyond disproving classic critiques of homosexuality to create a framework of ethical Christian sexuality that's sensible, Scriptural, and genuinely challenging. It's easy to say "srsly, y'all, gay people are okay"; she says "okay, so given the myriad of human sexualities, how can our sexual identities be incarnated with justice and love?" It's fabulous.
-http://eponis.livejournal.com/4219...more
-http://eponis.livejournal.com/4219...more
I read up to 80 or so pages, reads too scholarly for me like a dissertation. No more!
Not very good considering the length. It's pretty much derivative of James Nelson and Marie Fortune.
A dot-the-Is,cross-the-Ts case by a leading religious ethicist for re-examining and revising christian teachings on Sexuality and creating a new sexual ethic based on a christian understanding of justice rather than on ancient fads and misunderstandings of biology.
Not easy reading, and gentler of Vatican sensibilities than is truly warranted.
Not easy reading, and gentler of Vatican sensibilities than is truly warranted.
I am grateful to the Vatican for drawing my attention to this excellent book. Review shortly...
A really great book that I read over the course of my semester.
Jun 13, 2013
Waynewalter
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Jun 09, 2013
Kelsi
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Karen Trifonoff
is currently reading it
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May 18, 2013
Christina
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