J. Harold Ellens is Editor for the Praeger Series in Psychology, Religion, and Spirituality. He is a Research Scholar at the University of Michigan Department of Near Eastern Studies, a retired Presbyterian theologian, an ordained minister, a retired U.S. Army Colonel and a retired Professor of Philosophy, Theology, and Psychology. He served 15 years as Executive Director of the Christian Association for Psychological Studies, and was Founding Editor and Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Psychology and Christianity. He has authored, coauthored, or edited 164 books, including The Destructive Power of Religion, 4 volumes (Praeger, 2004).

• Series Foreword by J. Harold EllensForeword by Donald CappsPreface by Wayne G. Rollins1. Introduction: The Psychology and Spirituality of Sex2. The Bible, Sex, and Moralization3. God's Sexuality: Deity, Gender, and Sexual Design in Creation4. Falling in and out of Love5. Making Love: Celebrating Sex6. Making Babies: Purposes of Sex7. Sin and Seduction: Adam, Eve, and Sex Problems8. Old Testament Sex Laws: Women as Property versus Women as Agents of Their Destiny9. Adultery: Sex and Marriage10. Monogamy: Models and Meanings11. Homosexuality: What Does the Bible Say in the Old Testament?12. Homosexuality: What Does the Bible Say in the New Testament?13. Bad Sex: Incest, Pedophilia, Bestiality, Necrophilia, Rape, and Sodomy14. Sex and Love: The Real Thing15. Sex and Shalom: What God Had in MindNotesBibliographyIndexAbout the Series Editor and Advisory Board

"Ellens believes interpretation of any biblical passage must attend to cultural context. Present culture is significantly different enough from those of biblical times to affect one's understanding of biblical passages. In the Bible, women are important for the family line, but are often viewed as property. Sometimes readers are uncertain whether sex relationship or property relationship was the central issue in this or that biblical story. Similarly, knowing whether an admonition refers to a context of holy worship and is significant only in worship settings--or also in ordinary human relationships--is difficult. Ellens seeks to clarify these contextual matters in specific biblical references to sex. He discusses ways that today's culture differs significantly from the cultures of biblical times. He points out the distinctive effects of Jerome and Augustine upon a pronounced separation of sexuality from spirituality. He reminds readers that New Testament authors lived in cultural contexts different from those of the Old Testament. Jesus's response to the law of the Old Testament was more of a situational ethics than people today are prone to admit. Ellens is generally successfully in his attempt to write at a level suitable for general readers. Recommended. Upper-level undergraduates and above; general readers." - Choice

J. Harold Ellens is Editor for the Praeger Series in Psychology, Religion, and Spirituality. He is a Research Scholar at the University of Michigan Department of Near Eastern Studies, a retired Presbyterian theologian, an ordained minister, a retired U.S. Army Colonel and a retired Professor of Philosophy, Theology, and Psychology. He served 15 years as Executive Director of the Christian Association for Psychological Studies, and was Founding Editor and Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Psychology and Christianity. He has authored, coauthored, or edited 164 books, including The Destructive Power of Religion, 4 volumes (Praeger, 2004).

• Series Foreword by J. Harold EllensForeword by Donald CappsPreface by Wayne G. Rollins1. Introduction: The Psychology and Spirituality of Sex2. The Bible, Sex, and Moralization3. God's Sexuality: Deity, Gender, and Sexual Design in Creation4. Falling in and out of Love5. Making Love: Celebrating Sex6. Making Babies: Purposes of Sex7. Sin and Seduction: Adam, Eve, and Sex Problems8. Old Testament Sex Laws: Women as Property versus Women as Agents of Their Destiny9. Adultery: Sex and Marriage10. Monogamy: Models and Meanings11. Homosexuality: What Does the Bible Say in the Old Testament?12. Homosexuality: What Does the Bible Say in the New Testament?13. Bad Sex: Incest, Pedophilia, Bestiality, Necrophilia, Rape, and Sodomy14. Sex and Love: The Real Thing15. Sex and Shalom: What God Had in MindNotesBibliographyIndexAbout the Series Editor and Advisory Board

"Ellens believes interpretation of any biblical passage must attend to cultural context. Present culture is significantly different enough from those of biblical times to affect one's understanding of biblical passages. In the Bible, women are important for the family line, but are often viewed as property. Sometimes readers are uncertain whether sex relationship or property relationship was the central issue in this or that biblical story. Similarly, knowing whether an admonition refers to a context of holy worship and is significant only in worship settings--or also in ordinary human relationships--is difficult. Ellens seeks to clarify these contextual matters in specific biblical references to sex. He discusses ways that today's culture differs significantly from the cultures of biblical times. He points out the distinctive effects of Jerome and Augustine upon a pronounced separation of sexuality from spirituality. He reminds readers that New Testament authors lived in cultural contexts different from those of the Old Testament. Jesus's response to the law of the Old Testament was more of a situational ethics than people today are prone to admit. Ellens is generally successfully in his attempt to write at a level suitable for general readers. Recommended. Upper-level undergraduates and above; general readers." - Choice

J. Harold Ellens is Editor for the Praeger Series in Psychology, Religion, and Spirituality. He is a Research Scholar at the University of Michigan Department of Near Eastern Studies, a retired Presbyterian theologian, an ordained minister, a retired U.S. Army Colonel and a retired Professor of Philosophy, Theology, and Psychology. He served 15 years as Executive Director of the Christian Association for Psychological Studies, and was Founding Editor and Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Psychology and Christianity. He has authored, coauthored, or edited 164 books, including The Destructive Power of Religion, 4 volumes (Praeger, 2004).

• Series Foreword by J. Harold EllensForeword by Donald CappsPreface by Wayne G. Rollins1. Introduction: The Psychology and Spirituality of Sex2. The Bible, Sex, and Moralization3. God's Sexuality: Deity, Gender, and Sexual Design in Creation4. Falling in and out of Love5. Making Love: Celebrating Sex6. Making Babies: Purposes of Sex7. Sin and Seduction: Adam, Eve, and Sex Problems8. Old Testament Sex Laws: Women as Property versus Women as Agents of Their Destiny9. Adultery: Sex and Marriage10. Monogamy: Models and Meanings11. Homosexuality: What Does the Bible Say in the Old Testament?12. Homosexuality: What Does the Bible Say in the New Testament?13. Bad Sex: Incest, Pedophilia, Bestiality, Necrophilia, Rape, and Sodomy14. Sex and Love: The Real Thing15. Sex and Shalom: What God Had in MindNotesBibliographyIndexAbout the Series Editor and Advisory Board

"Ellens believes interpretation of any biblical passage must attend to cultural context. Present culture is significantly different enough from those of biblical times to affect one's understanding of biblical passages. In the Bible, women are important for the family line, but are often viewed as property. Sometimes readers are uncertain whether sex relationship or property relationship was the central issue in this or that biblical story. Similarly, knowing whether an admonition refers to a context of holy worship and is significant only in worship settings--or also in ordinary human relationships--is difficult. Ellens seeks to clarify these contextual matters in specific biblical references to sex. He discusses ways that today's culture differs significantly from the cultures of biblical times. He points out the distinctive effects of Jerome and Augustine upon a pronounced separation of sexuality from spirituality. He reminds readers that New Testament authors lived in cultural contexts different from those of the Old Testament. Jesus's response to the law of the Old Testament was more of a situational ethics than people today are prone to admit. Ellens is generally successfully in his attempt to write at a level suitable for general readers. Recommended. Upper-level undergraduates and above; general readers." - Choice