Posted on 08/25/2016 5:24:13 PM PDT by Gamecock
Bucking against conservative Christian tradition advising against extra-marital sex, the Rev. Bromleigh McCleneghan, a married mother of three and associate pastor for ministry with families at Union Church of Hinsdale in Illinois, says single Christians can have sex as long as it's "mutually pleasurable and affirming."
Citing 1 Corinthians 6:18-20, many Mainline Protestant and evangelical churches like the Assemblies of God Church, advise against sexual relations among single Christians.
"Today within our society singles exist for one of two reasons — by choice, or by circumstance. In either case the Bible's mandate is clear for all unmarried individuals: they are to remain sexually pure (1 Corinthians 6:18-20)," the Assemblies of God church warned.
For McCleneghan, however, whose views are comprehensively captured in her new book, Good Christian Sex: Why Chastity Isn't the Only Option — And Other Things the Bible Says About Sex, single Christians don't need to abstain from sex to remain pure since being chaste is about moderation.
"American Christians sometimes conflate celibacy and chastity, too, which is a problem. Chastity is a virtue, related to temperance — it's about moderating our indulgences and exercising restraint. We're all called to exercise chastity in a variety of ways, though the details will vary given our individual situations," McCleneghan said in an op-ed for The Washington Post.
"In the official teaching of the Catholic Church and some other churches, however, chastity requires restraining oneself from indulging in sexual relationships outside of the bounds (and bonds) of marriage. That is, chastity for singles means celibacy — no sex. … I'd argue that we can be chaste — faithful — in unmarried sexual relationships if we exercise restraint: if we refrain from having sex that isn't mutually pleasurable and affirming, that doesn't respect the autonomy and sacred worth of ourselves and our partners," she explained.
McCleneghan believes it's unfair to ask single Christians who haven't been called to a life of celibacy to refrain from sexual intimacy when both men and women need sex.
"There are those who feel that they are called to seasons of celibacy, or even years of celibacy, and if answering that call is life-giving and purposeful, then they should take it up as a spiritual discipline. But no call can be forced on an unwilling person, especially not if they find themselves single only by virtue of circumstance," she wrote.
"Plenty of women and men love sex, and need it — we need bodily pleasure, remember — and the abundant life for them will involve seeking out relationships of mutual pleasure. Chastity, or just sex, requires that whether we are married or unmarried, our sex lives restrain our egos, restrain our desire for physical pleasure when pursuing it would bring harm to self or other," she added.
The Christian Post reached out to McCleneghan to further discuss her book on Monday but she was unavailable for comment at the time this story was published.
While some Christian scholars have offered praise for McCleneghan's views, not everyone thinks her advice is sound.
"We are to be Holy people, blameless and spotless unto Jesus Christ. One man and one woman married until death, not extra-marital affairs (adulterous behavior) even fornication. That is sin that will lead anyone to eternal Hell. Please show me Scripture that backs up your belief," wrote Trish Nastasi, a longtime married Christian woman on McCleneghan's Facebook page.
McCleneghan, who began her ministry at Hinsdale in July 2015, is responsible for worship, pastoral care, ministry leadership, teaching at the church. Her special focus is on helping people with children at home better their ability and commitment to raising those children in the Christian faith, according to the Church.
Paul said it is better to marry than to burn. A lot of fire and brimstone preachers took this to mean burn in hell later, whereas it meant to marry rather than to burn with lust. Nevertheless, it shows that Paul understood the “burning” desire of humans, especially men I guess, and told them “don’t burn, marry the person and make it legal.”
Woe to the wicked!
Disaster is upon them!
They will be paid back
for what their hands have done.
Youths oppress my people,
women rule over them.
My people, your guides lead you astray;
they turn you from the path.
Is there much paperwork involved?
She has to affirm her view. Think this out: IF the church is to affirm “Gay non-celibate Christian members” THEN those nasty provisions that deny sexual relations to ANY Christian not in a marriage relationship with a member of the opposite sex must be removed to remove the inconsistency.
Solid logic, but a faulty premise that is not supported by the revelation of scripture.
That aside, she is a cutie, but she AIN’T a pastor.
Affirming sex, would mean you have to encourage others to have sex out of marriage, you can’t just tolerate it............
How did we get it so wrong, for so long?
I think you misinterpreted the adultery commandment.
She should be immediately removed from her unbiblical position within the church and subject to the steps of church discipline clearly laid out and defined in Matthew chapter 18.
18 "And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write: The Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and His feet are like burnished bronze, says this:
19 "I know your deeds, and your love and faith and service and perseverance, and that your deeds of late are greater than at first.
20 But, I have this against you, that you tolerate the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, and she teaches and leads My bond-servants astray so that they commit acts of immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols.
21 I gave her time to repent, and she does not want to repent of her immorality.
22 Behold, I will throw her on a bed of sickness, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of her deeds.
23 And I will kill her children with pestilence, and all the churches will know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts; and I will give to each one of you according to your deeds.
24 But I say to you, the rest who are in Thyatira, who do not hold this teaching, who have not known the deep things of Satan, as they call them, I place no other burden on you.
25 Nevertheless what you have, hold fast until I come.
26 He who overcomes, and he who keeps My deeds until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations;
27 and he shall rule them with a rod of iron, as the vessels of the potter are broken to pieces, as I also have received authority from My Father;
28 and I will give him the morning star."
29 "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."
(Revelation 2:18 - 29)
It used to enrage me that the holy see made comment on sex within the marital chamber. UNTIL in great Britain the homos wanted private rooms in the rear of their bars, stating that the state had no right to dictate or place bounds on their pleasure. After that I real z ed the wisdom of the Church’s stance that sex is primarily for procreation. Not much empathy was given or addressed to those who found themselves unintentionally childless or the passion and continued bonding after child bearing years have passed. When younger I resented being told sex was primarily for procreation. My entire view changed and respect deepened for those who could see well ahead to this and similar situations and headed it off at the pass. Health issues also disrupt, sometimes permanently, the pleasure and bonding of intimacy between two long married people.Many ‘normal’ singles find themselves I n the unhappy position of years without intimacy, which makes her view tempting. Ah, there is the rub, the word, TEMPTATION!!!!! Billed and sold as happiness, completeness, filling whatever void you crave in mortal ecstacy. But ruefully a trick, mean, more like an addiction bringing discontent and unhappiness, often ruin to at the very least the life of the partaker, more often than not reaching in to destroy those who touch that soul. Ah Earth, that unhappy demension where perfection is sought but never achieved permanently. A fleeting, deceptive tease of what is impossible to attain. Unfortunately the Ecumenitical Counsel, in an effort to bring more happiness to its faithful started the softening off the Christian guidelines, offering a suffering, a denial up as a penance, difficult yes, but cleansing to the spirit and soul. A true trusting in the wisdom of the Creator. IMHO
She sounds like she’s from a pretend church.
Precisely. What some here cannot take, perhaps because of the "equality" cult they learned in the public education system, is that there is an entire system, through the Scripture, risen up through the disobedience of Mrs. Adam. There is Samson's wife, Jezebel, Athaliah, the 'Queen of Heaven," the mother of James and John, the women who usurp authority over men in the New Testament ministry, etc."
GET THE WOMAN OUT OF THE HOME; OUT FROM UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF A FATHER OR HUSBAND. That is the devil's design.
That "Jezebel Chain," if you will, is the basis of the women's suffrage movement, later the women's rights movement, later "N.O.W.," and the unisex movement, and the modern homosexual, alphabet soup pervert movements, the pretending that females can do the same on the battlefield as males, the transgenders, and now the genderless.
Yet people will respond, "Well males do the same thing," etc.
God lays out for us the problem with a whole system of Eve's daughters. If Satan will go behind Adam to get to his bride in Genesis, he will do the same today.
Satan wants the undermining and destruction of God's order of authority. Any person here who comes back with, "Well, men are just as bad," only demonstrate their own foot caught in the devil's snare.
In the church, " LET THE WOMAN LEARN IN SILENCE WITH ALL SUBJECTION. I SUFFER NOT A WOMAN TO TEACH, NOR USURP AUTHORITY OVER THE MAN, BUT TO BE IN SILENCE." And the reference back to Genesis chs. 2 and 3 are placed there as the reason----that is where the woman problem began.
Why was ‘Adam’ punished if the garden party was all Eve’s fault? IF you note God is recorded speaking directly to Adam.. Where is it WRITTEN God instructed Eve? When men follow Christ’s lead as commanded, they will NOT need to have their authority usurped. Bunch of whiners.
Mrs. Adam was deceived.
1 Timothy 2.
We don't believe Adam was innocent. What we KNOW from Scripture is what God said about the place of the woman AS A CONSEQUENCE of what took place there.
The woman is more susceptible to being deceived by Satan and the spiritual realm, and needs a head. 1 Cor. 11 tells us that "the head of the woman is the man." She needs a man to have a covering. Abraham and Sarah discovered this through their incident with Abimalech.
The woman preacher that is telling singles that sex outside of marriage is okay is DECEIVED, and that by Satan more directly because she is usurping authority that is not hers in the religious realm.
Paul said it is better to marry than to burn. A lot of fire and brimstone preachers took this to mean burn in hell later, whereas it meant to marry rather than to burn with lust. Nevertheless, it shows that Paul understood the “burning” desire of humans, especially men I guess, and told them “don’t burn, marry the person and make it legal.”
...and your sending this to me because...
And IF a man is of the mind of Adam, the woman should NOT be an idiot and follow him.
Mrs. Adam was deceived. 1 Timothy 2. We don't believe Adam was innocent. What we KNOW from Scripture is what God said about the place of the woman AS A CONSEQUENCE of what took place there.
Paul also gave this warning to ALL also having the 'weakness' of being deceived. IICorinthians 11:2 For I am jealous over *YOU* with godly jealousy: for I have espoused *YOU* to one husband, that I may prevent you as a chaste virgin to Christ.
3 BUT I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve (holy seduced) Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.
Paul's warning was not directed at, or limited to the woman. But Paul used Eve as a type of the mindset Paul warned that would afflict those that call themselves Christian.
The woman is more susceptible to being deceived by Satan and the spiritual realm, and needs a head. 1 Cor. 11 tells us that "the head of the woman is the man." She needs a man to have a covering. Abraham and Sarah discovered this through their incident with Abimalech.
Christ is the ultimate covering for male and female. AND God uses whomever He chooses.
The woman preacher that is telling singles that sex outside of marriage is okay is DECEIVED, and that by Satan more directly because she is usurping authority that is not hers in the religious realm.
This woman is an idiot. I am not sure she needs the devil's whisperings as an excuse. But hey idiots playing preachers are a dime a dozen, whatever it takes to get people to fill the pews and collection plates. Those most adept in religious circles tap into government subsidies to keep their rackets in business, and then have the gall to call it charity.
This creature doesn’t even have a passing acquaintance with the Bible.
I’m curious about how many Christians are actually virgins when the get married these days.....
If you work for a company, it probably has a flow chart of authority or leadership. You acknowledge and obey it. When God gives his in 1 Corinthians ch. 11, and it is there to direct family and social order for His glory, you deliberately marginalize it. You cannot see that your standard for Bible interpretation is tainted by your liberal public education and the women's rights movement.
There are still clusters of families around the nation, members of solid Bible preaching churches, where there is a common union between homes. Home schoolers, mothers at home every day, children constantly exposed to the Bible and prayer, and resultant principles; no dating, family observed courtships (not pre-arranged or forced), young people marry as virgins.
Here in a six county area there are probably a half-dozen such congregations: not Amish or Mennonite. You might notice them because of their dress being modest and distinct between the sexes. Strong fellowships of believers who are determined to have in-depth doctrinal teaching---not shallow "praise & worship," strong homes, large families, sons apprenticing in trades/skills/agriculture.
There remain still large numbers of such clusters around the country. Marriages can typically be known to be entered into with purity and clean consciences.
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