This past Saturday we completed our third annual online academic conference, Ecclesia and Ethics. This year our focus was on Human Sexuality. We heard several great papers from speakers like Jenell Paris, Tremper Longman III, Preston Sprinkle, Wesley Hill, Irmtraud Fischer, Mark Yarhouse, Andrew Marin, Frank Heinrich, Gabriel Dy-Liacco, and many others. If you’re interested in listening to some of the recordings from this year’s conference you can do so by registering (which simply includes...
Don’t ever condemn someone to the “friend zone.” If you do, that person will become a stripper. That’s the moral of the stage musical Rock of Ages, which some of my co-bloggers and I caught during a weekend trip to Las Vegas last month. The first act launches a love story between Drew, a busboy who dreams of being a rock star, and Sherrie, an aspiring actress who’s just moved to Hollywood. The two form...
Every Tuesday I lead a bible study for undergrad ladies attending UC Berkeley through Cru ministries. Last Tuesday, one of the girls said to me (in so many words), “Carrie, thank you for being an example of living a content single life.” She expanded her thought by mentioning that there had recently been a conference at her church about love, dating and relationships, and she was surprised to find that none of the panelists were...
I saw Austenland recently. For those of you who haven’t heard of it—it’s a movie about a woman obsessed with all things Jane Austen, who’s been unlucky in love and decides to spend her life’s savings to attend an immersive Austen experience in England complete with manor house, Regency attire, and gentlemen of fortune. I laughed until there were tears pouring down my face. It was charming, witty, and hilarious, and it proved to be...
Today’s my birthday, which means I’m officially the 30-year-old virgin. I’m not embarrassed. I’m not afraid to say the V-word. My lack of (ahem) experience is a running joke with my friends, and I’m happy to keep it going—as long as they don’t start believing that virginity equals purity. In a world where sex is king, some might think 30 years of celibacy is a huge moral achievement. It’s not. Sure, in my singleness I’ve...
Since publishing my article “I’m (Kinda Sorta Yeah Not Really) Gay” last month, I’ve received a lot of follow-up questions. Not so much about the article, but about the specifics of my struggle with same-sex attraction. Here are some of the most frequently asked questions. When did you realize you were, you know, gay? If you dig through my memory box, you’ll find a piece of paper decorated with hearts and a little stick figure....
People wonder if I’m gay. I know because kids in school used to ask me. When I replied with silence, they called me a fag and went on their way. If bullies wondered about my sexuality, then so did family, friends, people at church. They were probably just too afraid (or too nice) to ask. I’ve had years to think about it: if someone asked if I’m gay, how would I answer? Saying “no” risks...
“I can’t help but feel a little offended by Paul.” This phrase might be one you would expect to hear from one who has for the first time come across some of Paul’s passages for the first time. Perhaps from one reading his emotional introduction to Galatians. Or perhaps from another who has a hard time with passages that clearly outline how every person’s violation of the law makes him a needy candidate for grace...
Last Friday Andrew posted about whether or not he and his wife should have children. As I thought about the issues raised – Is it best to wait? When’s the right time? – I tried to think about the issues from the only perspective I can: singleness. Allow me to be candid for a moment. I always wanted to be a young father. As it stands I may be able to be relatively young when I get...
So, sexual attraction is a powerful force. If you are like me, you grew up in the church being told this, and that as a result, sexual lust was to be avoided like the plague and feared as dangerous as an inescapable labyrinth. And there are many who can testify to the powerful vice-grip that lust can be. However, I was also raised that physical attraction is good. It is celebrated in the Songs of...
Recent Comments