Unprotected Texts : The Bible's Surprising Contradictions about Sex and Desire

When it comes to sex and the Bible, sound bites will not do. Written over the course of more than 2,000 years, the books of the Bible offer many different and conflicting versions of marriage, love, and gender roles. Indeed, despite popular claims to the contrary, the Bible cannot-and should not-serve as a rulebook for sexual morality. A top biblical scholar, Knust sheds much-needed light on what the Bible actually says about sex, sexuality, and desire, and how we should interpret those thorny verses today. With clarity and precision, Knust addresses the big questions people continue to ask: Is premarital sex a sin? When, and in what contexts, is sexual desire appropriate? With whom can I legitimately have sex? Are same-sex relations permissible? Is extramarital sex always wrong? And what is "sex" anyway? It is time to read these texts thoughtfully, critically, and in their context. It is time to revel in the Bible's complexity, and ask all the questions it raises. And it is time for an honest, clear-eyed conversation about how we can and cannot apply those scriptures today. Impressively thorough and unabashedly provocative, Unprotected Texts establishes a crucial new discourse about the issues that affect us most intimately.