Sexual Morality in a Christless World

Matthew Rueger provides rational arguments against the ongoing decline of sexual morals from history, science, and proper contextual interpretation of key Biblical passages. While arguments against the acceptance of homosexual behavior are an emphasis in the book, the decline in heterosexual moral behavior is also covered. The arguments made from both secular and religious sources provide hope to Christian and non-Christian that repentance can lead to forgiveness and a desire for chastity.A unique feature of this book is that Rueger presented and refined these arguments as a regular guest speaker undergraduate university classes. The even and rational tone needed to present these arguments in the classroom comes through in the book.I recommend this book as a resource for those needing to defend or uphold high standards of sexual morality in the public square.

The times are changing. Sexual morality is undergoing nothing less than a revolution as traditional morality gives way to something radically different. The former morality, based on the Christian scriptures, is being shoved aside by a new one that not only departs from the Bible, but outright rejects it. Meanwhile, Christians who abide by those traditional sexual morals are increasingly seen as outcasts, backward people dangerously hung up on ancient, oppressive principles. It is all very disconcerting.Into the fray steps Matthew Rueger with his book Sexual Morality in a Christless World. Though the last few years have brought us no shortage of books on how to live on this side of the sexual revolution, Rueger offers something unique in examining and explaining the historical and cultural backdrop to the New Testament’s teaching on sexual morality. In this way he shows that Christian sexual morality has not always been traditional but was at one time its own revolution. In other words, Christians have been here before, and there is much we can learn from our own history.Rueger turns first to the Roman context in which the early Christians lived and into which the Bible was written. Here he offers a fascinating, disturbing examination of what Roman culture considered good and normal. “Rome’s sexual climate is a model of the utopia for which today’s sexual ‘progressives’ are striving.” Yet it was hardly utopian. He shows that “In the Roman mind, man was the conqueror who dominated on the battlefield as well as in the bedroom. He was strong, muscular, and hard in both body and spirit. Society looked down on him only when he appeared weak or soft.” Respectable men were permitted to have sexual relations with just about anyone, provided they were the aggressors rather than receivers of such sexual acts.Marriage existed, of course, but was not first about mutual love, but about the provision of an heir. A far purer form of love was the love of a man for a boy, so a culture of pederasty arose in which adult men carried on overt sexual relationships with adolescent boys. Prostitution was rampant. Rape was widespread and accepted, provided a man raped someone of a lower status. In so many ways Roman sexual morality was abhorrent and one of its most prominent features was the strong dominating the weak.And then Christians showed up. Christians began to teach that men were to be chaste, that homosexuality and pederasty were sinful, that men were to love and honor their wives, that wives and husbands had equal authority over one another’s bodies. Such teaching was not only seen as repressive, but as full-out destabilizing to the Roman system. No wonder, then, that the whole culture turned against Christians. “Though Christian morality promoted genuine self-emptying love and was positive for society, it nonetheless set Christ’s people against the prevailing culture. Romans did not like being told that some of their favorite activities were displeasing to the Christian God, and they pushed back.” And here is where we can draw important lessons for our day, for today, too, Christian sexual morality is seen as destabilizing to the culture around us, as a serious societal sin.And so far we have only discussed the first chapter. In chapter 2 Rueger sets the Jewish context, showing that Christian morality was almost as opposed to contemporary Judaism as it was to Rome. This was especially true in according equal rights to men and women, in protecting women from divorce, and in putting away notions of sexual purity that harmed women. Again, Christianity offered a sexual morality that was kind and equitable and that protected the weak and marginalized.And with all of that in place, Rueger now works through the New Testament texts on sexuality. With all of that context, he is able to show how these Christian teachings were full-out counter-cultural, how they were radical, not traditional. He shows how Christian sexual morality helped individuals, it helped the marginalized, it helped society—it was a tremendous blessing to everyone. Yet Christians suffered because their views were seen as destabilizing and harmful. Though today we see that their morality was actually a blessing, at that time it was considered a curse. And Christians suffered terribly for it.The rest of the book turns from the roots of Christian sexual morality to modern sexual morality, offering the biblical alternative to society’s revolution. Rueger says “My desire in writing this book is to help Christians engage the world around them in reasoned discussion.” He does so very well. And his greatest contribution is helping us understand that this is not the first time that Christians have been at odds with the culture. This is not the first time the biblical understanding of sex and sexuality has caused the culture to turn on Christians, to consider them disloyal, to push them to the margins. For that reason we need books like this one to interpret the times and equip us for today and the days to come. I thoroughly enjoyed this work and highly recommend it.

Matthew Rueger, a Missouri Synod Lutheran, has written an excellent work in which he suggests that we are not advancing in our sexual morality but regressing back into the ways of pagan Rome. He proves his thesis by history and shows quite clearly that our lack of sexual discipline and our acceptance of so much that the Christian gospel did away with is nothing but a tragic, massive mistake which will undermine our way of life. Clear, forceful, well-argued,citing scientific studies that warn us away from the folly of the course we are on, this is an excellent piece of work and is highly recommended!

All of this book is useful as a guide to discuss the Bible , the Law (all three types) and Gods desire to have humanity thrive and be happy, not to live in pain, hurting each other. I did not really know about the three types of the law before, or what Jesus' statement ""Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them." really meant. Just that teaching alone made this book worth the read. I intend to re-read and study it so that I can discuss and debate others in love, and not let them get me to become angry in defense of the gospel.

Some would say that the guidelines stated by Christian sexual morality are stale and outdated - this book reveals the opposite - Christian sexual morals when they were introduced in the first century stood out starkly IN CONTRAST to he roman culture of the day - they were the new ideas - sexual intercourse reserved only for monogamous marriage; the forbidding of homosexuality etc.- and the adherence to these new sexual morals resulted in a lot of persecution for Christians from the society of the day that didn't want its "freedom" implicitly critisised - seems like we are heading towards "deja vu" today as society has reverted back in recent years to treating sex as a recreation and with an "anything goes" mentality.

I found this book incredibly helpful. I felt like it explored the topic with depth and wisdom. I would recommend this book to anybody who is interested in the Biblical perspective of sexual morality (especially homosexuality). This, however, is not necessarily meant to be a self-help book. Its more distanced and academic, and would not necessarily be my go-to recommendation for people who struggle in the area of sexual morality.

Fundado em elementos históricos (e não apenas discursivos), o autor mostra ao leitor a realidade da sociedade antiga, seus valores e tradições demonstrando como a vida e a liberdade eram frágeis sem os valores revelados pelo cristianismo. É leitura que vale a pena.

This is an incredible book and one that we all should read. It is a logical, sensible and informative insight into human sexual behavior from ancient times until the present. This book is not hateful in any way, it is just a source of valuable information. I highly recommend it.

A good book that reminds us that we are regressing as a society to a time where paganism was the norm.