Best Seller
How Christianity Changed Sex
Hardcover
$32.00
Available on Apr 06, 2027 | 304 Pages
From the bestselling author of Confronting Christianity, a provocative and clarifying reappraisal of Christian sexual ethics for a disenchanted age.
In a culture of confusion about sex, consent, and identity, How Christianity Changed Sex offers a provocative yet deeply compelling argument: that Christian sexual ethics—so often dismissed as repressive—are in fact the source of our most cherished modern values.
Drawing on history, philosophy, and the Bible, apologetics powerhouse Rebecca McLaughlin argues that The First Sexual Revolution – the one kicked off by the radical power of the Gospel – cemented the worth of every body from senator to slave, overhauling the long held ancient belief that consent was only required for some. She draws a line from the rampant sexual exploitation that existed during Jesus’s time to our modern ills, including pornography, sex work, and hookup culture; and argues that divorcing Christ from notions of freedom, consent, and the inherent value of every person leads to sorrow and disillusionment, not liberation. Finally, she shows how the vision that transformed the culture of the ancient world can heal ours, too.
Courageous, compassionate, and profoundly clarifying, How Christianity Changed Sex is for readers who sense that modern sexual freedom has delivered less intimacy, not more—and who are willing to reconsider a far older story that holds the power to redeem us.
In a culture of confusion about sex, consent, and identity, How Christianity Changed Sex offers a provocative yet deeply compelling argument: that Christian sexual ethics—so often dismissed as repressive—are in fact the source of our most cherished modern values.
Drawing on history, philosophy, and the Bible, apologetics powerhouse Rebecca McLaughlin argues that The First Sexual Revolution – the one kicked off by the radical power of the Gospel – cemented the worth of every body from senator to slave, overhauling the long held ancient belief that consent was only required for some. She draws a line from the rampant sexual exploitation that existed during Jesus’s time to our modern ills, including pornography, sex work, and hookup culture; and argues that divorcing Christ from notions of freedom, consent, and the inherent value of every person leads to sorrow and disillusionment, not liberation. Finally, she shows how the vision that transformed the culture of the ancient world can heal ours, too.
Courageous, compassionate, and profoundly clarifying, How Christianity Changed Sex is for readers who sense that modern sexual freedom has delivered less intimacy, not more—and who are willing to reconsider a far older story that holds the power to redeem us.
Author
Rebecca McLaughlin
Rebecca McLaughlin is a writer, speaker, and apologist committed to addressing the hard questions surrounding the Christian faith. Her first book, Confronting Christianity: 12 Hard Questions for the World’s Largest Religion, was named Book of the Year by Christianity Today in 2020 and featured on the TED summer reading list. Holding a PhD in English literature from Cambridge and a theology degree from Oak Hill College in London, Rebecca spent nine years at The Veritas Forum, where she worked to equip Christian professors to speak openly about their faith. With a deep passion for exploring how the gospel intersects with intellectual pursuits, she continues to engage skeptics and believers alike, offering thoughtful answers to cultural and theological questions.
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