Health

The course provides a solid foundation in sexuality-related issues and ministry skills for clergy and religious professionals. The course begins with an assessment of personal sexual history and values as a baseline for addressing a broad range of sexuality issues as they arise in the context of ministry including understandings of sexuality and scripture, church history, and denominational policies that serve as sources for Christian sexual ethics and teachings.

Using a practical theological approach, we begin with our personal life experiences, films, and literature about sexual desire and intimacy, gender, sexual orientation, and body image.

Sexuality Issues for Religious Professionals is a field education course designed to offer students the skills they need to address sexuality issues in their congregations.

Course goals:

•To deepen awareness of personal, social, cultural, and religious dimensions of sexuality, especially as these affect selfhood and community;
•To explore the meaning and demands of sexual justice for church and society;
•To critically appropriate insights from various sources, including scripture, tradition, social and natural sciences, and the Christian feminist and gay liberation movements; and
•To frame a constructive Christian sexual ethic for the new century.

This course will help M.A. and M.Div. students meet the following program goals:

This course will focus on the work of parishes, pastors, and pastoral counselors in the arena of sexuality. Many of the issues faced by congregations and clergy require a deep understanding of sexual theology and pastoral care. These issues include, but are not limited to: gender dynamics, healthy sexuality, sexual dysfunction, abortion, sexual identity, and sexual violence. In order to speak to these important social issues, churches need to be equipped with the language and tools to provide care to communities, families, and individuals.

As a complement to ET 1705 (Sexuality and the Social Order), this intensive course addresses the debates about sexuality education (abstinence-only and comprehensive), Christian responses to gender and sexual diversity, the framing of a contemporary Christian sexual ethic, and various justice issues related to sexuality.

In addition, this course certifies students as trainers for the Our Whole Lives (OWL) comprehensive sexuality education curriculum for grades 7-9 and 10-12, sponsored by the United Church of Christ and the Unitarian Universalist Association.

No prerequisite.