This past weekend, I led a workshop called “Sex Ed for Grown Up’s” at my home congregation’s annual retreat. More than thirty people attended, most in their forties and fifties and in long-term relationships, and several privately told me that they were surprised by how much they didn’t know. One said, “I can’t believe that I go to a church where one of our ministers talks so openly and directly about sex! But it’s great!”The Religious Institute works to help clergy and seminarians speak more openly about sexuality from the pulpit, in adult education, and in the community. We often hear from the more than 3000 leaders who have endorsed the Religious Declaration and Open Letters that they some times feel isolated and alone among their clergy colleagues.
We also hear that they don't feel trained or equipped to preach or educate about sexuality, often having had no professional preparation to do so. That's why I'm so committed to clergy and seminarian education.
As ministers, how can we not be prepared to talk openly and honestly about sexuality, one of God's more precious life fulfilling gifts to us?
When was the last time you heard a minister talk about sex? Would you be willing to talk to your clergyperson with a sexual problem or concern? Does your church offer sex education for adults? Let us know!
3 comments:
I found the way you maintained the site interesting. I can recommend you to a similar site The Encyclopedia, Cyclopedia, and Dictionary of Sex www.sexpedia.blogspot.com
Check it out. It has a post on sex education. Otherwise goodjob. keep going.
I'm so excited to have found your site - I am on a coast to coast bike tour to explore politics, sex, and culture in america - http:/wanderlustwithrhonda.com - (Rhonda is my bike) - and just yesterday I had a really interesting conversation with someone about the ways in which spirituality and sexuality have been almost completely divorced. In my experience, religious voices within the reproductive rights movement mostly talk about why and how they are not opposed to abortion. Mainstream activists can sometimes be hostile to religion and spirituality entering into the context of reproductive health because of the religious right's opposition to healthy sexuality.
I'm dissapointed I didn't find out about you when I was in Connecticut, but I'd love to talk to you at some point about the work you do and your perceptions of the relationship between sexuality and religion.
Welcome Nora. Please visit our web site at www.religiousinstitute.org and feel free to contact me! Ride safely.
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