Sex and the iWorld: Rethinking Relationship Beyond an Age of Individualism - Paperback

by Dale S. Kuehne (Author), Jean Elshtain (Foreword by)

A pastor who is also a politics professor examines current issues pertaining to sexuality and society and asks, What kind of world are we creating? And is it the world we want to live in? With no finger-pointing, and a cordial openness to responses from all points of view, Dale Kuehne contrasts the "tWorld," in which traditional morality reigned and recent innovations would have been inconceivable, with the post-Enlightenment "iWorld," in which these innovations are promoted because the perceived immediate needs of the individual are paramount. Both, he finds, fall short of the "rWorld," the larger web of healthy and nourishing social relationships that provides the context for a biblical understanding of individual sexuality. This book will transform the conversation on sexuality among college students, campus ministers, church and ministry leaders, and all readers with an eye on culture and public policy.

EXCERPT
Even as the broader culture has deviated from the traditional understanding of sexual ethics and marriage, so have Christians. . . . Given the rapid shift in the sexual behavior of Christians, it should come as no surprise that when the church attempts to respond to the questions posed by the Sexual Revolution, it does so with mixed messages, a muted voice, and little impact. . . . The answer for the church is not to withdraw permanently from the public debate about sexual morality. Instead we need to step back, think deeply about what we believe, and rearticulate it in a better way. Most of all, we need to practice what we profess and in doing so, reengage the culture in a dialogue about the meaning of sexuality.

Back Jacket

Finding Love, Intimacy, and Sex in All the Right Places

Dale Kuehne examines current issues pertaining to sexuality and society following the sexual revolution and asks, What kind of world are we creating? Is it a world that is actually harming us more than benefiting us? With an inclusive perspective, Kuehne contrasts the long-established "tWorld," in which traditional morality reigned, with the present-day "iWorld," in which the immediate desires of the individual have been deemed paramount. He maintains that both fail to deliver the benefits of the proposed "rWorld," in which a larger web of healthy and nourishing social relationships provides the most personally fulfilling context for sexuality and relational well-being.

"Dale Kuehne has done a remarkable thing in this book. His concern is with human love, marriage, family, the care of children, the unfolding generations, the quality of society and political community, and the character of the church. Considered in a broad historical framework and with sensitive Christian understanding, homosexuality and other hotly disputed issues of our day become clearly illuminated. Take the time you need to read and reflect on this book. The payback will be tremendous."--James W. Skillen, Center for Public Justice

"A challenging, well-written text. Kuehne displays a stance that combines both compassion and judgment. All who read this volume will find much in it to engage, to criticize, to savor."--Jean Bethke Elshtain (from the foreword)

"This is a very important book--clarifying complex issues, jolting us out of complacency, and demanding action. Biblical Christians must confront this book's stark challenge."--Ronald J. Sider, Evangelicals for Social Action

"A superb accomplishment. Kuehne brings fresh perspective to our understanding of sexuality, relationships, culture, and public policy through his shrewd sense of cultural analysis and his unique identity as a political philosopher and theologically engaged pastor. The result is not only a compassionate and incisive analysis of past and present but also an intriguing portrait of what could and should be. Kuehne breathes new life into Christianity's contribution to the conversation about the fundamental nature of the human person."--Stanton L. Jones, Wheaton College

Author Biography

Dale S. Kuehne (PhD, Georgetown University) is the Richard L. Bready Professor of Ethics, Economics, and the Common Good at Saint Anselm College in Manchester, New Hampshire. In addition, he serves as pastor of Emmanuel Covenant Church in Nashua, New Hampshire. Kuehne has authored "Massachusetts Congregationalist Political Thought, 1760-1790" and numerous articles.