influential on the history of the church, but
its influence is equally absent from the Biblical texts themselves, where you will never find human sexuality written about as an evil, demonic force.
While historically religions have latched on to sex as a mighty spiritual power, positive or negative, our Bible takes neither course! It simply leaves sex as a human reality.
Like anger, which is seen as a powerful human force, that when properly utilised can drive us towards justice, so sex is seen as a powerful human force, that when properly
utilised can do much good. And like anger, when it runs out of control, it can do much damage. As Fred Buechner put it, sex is like nitro-glycerine ‘it can be used to heal
hearts or to blow up bridges.’
This is the first thing that needs to be said about a Biblical perspective on sex – namely, that the Bible sees sex simply as a human drive that – a drive that, like anger, can
easily lead us into sin, bur which can also be a very creative dimension of human life. The other thing that must be said of the Bible on this subject is that it always links
intimacy with commitment.
This is true in all relationships. To quote our friend Morde Vanunu, ‘to know is to be responsible‘. This applies in social and political life, yes, but it is equally the rule in
personal relationships. The closer you are to somebody, the more you know them, the more capable you are of hurting them, and so the more responsible you are for them,
and the more committed you need to be to them. Knowledge brings with it responsibility.