GLS 510: Religion and Sex
Instructor: Herbert Berg
Two of the most intimate aspects
of a person's life are her or his religious and sexual beliefs, practices,
and experiences. Each shapes our personalities, identities, behaviors
and our relationships with acquaintances, friends, family, partners, community,
and society. Although rarely discussed
in connection with each other, religions have much to say about sex. In fact, the reticence about sex and sexuality
in many cultures is often the product of the teachings of their dominant
religions. More generally, a culture's
views on sex, sexual practices, and so forth are often determined or supported
by its religion. Through an examination
of the world's major religions' views on sex as expressed in their scriptures,
exegesis, and practice, this course examines the close connections between
various conceptions of the sacred and their impact on this powerful biological
activity. Topics open for discussion
include (in no particular order): procreation, marriage, orientation,
abstinence, celibacy, masturbation, female/male, masculine/feminine, hypersexuality,
transvestism, transgender, homosexuality, lesbianism, heterosexuality,
bisexuality, pornography, eunuchs, dirt and pollution, bodies, mouths
and sex organs, hair (both hairiness and hairlessness), androgynes, hermaphrodites,
incest, bestiality, and so forth. This
examination will (hopefully) lead us into discussions in which we try
to figure why religions advocate or prohibit certain practices.
Ultimately, these discussions will bring us to question why religions
always have something to say about sex (though not often the same thing).
Last Update: February 2, 2009
