Sexually Healthy Faith Communities

"Faith communities must therefore be truth seeking, courageous, and just."

All faith-based communities are called to address the sexuality needs of their congregants. Every clergy person counsels parishioners who are struggling with sexual issues. Every faith community knows that the sacred gift of sexuality can be abused or exploited: congregants experience domestic violence, adolescent pregnancy, sexual abuse, sexual harassment, homophobia, sexism, and other ways that people's sexuality has been broken. Many denominations have recognized the importance of sexuality education for teenagers and some have made a commitment to lifelong sexuality education, from kindergarten through the elderly years.

A "sexually healthy faith community" is committed to fostering spiritual, sexual, and emotional health among the congregation and providing a safe environment where sexuality issues are addressed with respect, mutuality, and openness. A sexually healthy faith community promotes the integration of sexuality and spirituality in worship, preaching, pastoral care, youth and adult religious education, and social action programs in the community. It makes a commitment to a sexual ethic that is not based on a double standard and understands that dealing with sexuality is an issue of spiritual wholeness. By addressing sexuality openly and holistically within the faith community, it models that sexuality and spirituality are inextricably connected.

• The building blocks of a sexually healthy faith community are:
• Sexually healthy religious professionals
• Worship and Preaching
• Pastoral Care on Sexuality Issues
• Lifespan Sexuality Education
  • Education for Youth
  • Adult Education
• Welcoming and Affirming Congregations
• Safe Congregations
• Social Action

The Religious Institute provides workshops and speeches for clergy, religious educators, and lay leadership on becoming a sexually healthy faith community. For more information, email us or call 203-222-0055.

The guidebook, A Time to Build: Creating Sexually Healthy Faith Communities can be downloaded in its entirety or purchased for $12.95 from the Religious Institute.

A Time to Heal: Protecting Children and Ministering to Sex Offenders provides the tools that faith communities need to determine under what circumstances, if any, a convicted sex offender may be involved in the congregation; determine how to respond if someone in the congregation is accused of a sexual offense; be sensitive to and supportive of persons in the congregation who have been victims of abuse; develop and implement strategies that will keep children in the congregation safe and which will prevent sexual abuse from happening. The guide can be purchased for $12.95 from the Religious Institute.