The Ethics Of Sex

Jordan discusses sex and the church's views on it, quoting extensively from the Gospels, Psalms, and Fathers of the Church as he traces the history of their interpretation (and mainly condemnation) of sex, including sodomy, adultery, same-sex intercourse, masturbation, and marriage. The volume reflects the author's intimate familiarity with the Christian tradition, even as he calls for new, more accepting, interpretations on these issues. Jordan is trained as a theologian, though his affiliation is not noted here. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Mark Jordan is the Asa Griggs Candler Professor in the Department of Religion at Emory University, Atlanta. His academic interests circle around the varieties of moral rhetoric, the history of Christian teachings on sex, and the ambivalent relations of Christianity to medicine. His books include Ordering Wisdom: The Hierarchy of Philosophical Discourse in Aquinas (1986), The Invention of Sodomy in Christian Theology (1997), and The Silence of Sodom: Homosexuality in Modern Catholicism (2000).