This weekend, Penn’s Christian Association attempted to dispel the stereotypical disconnect between sexuality and the Christian faith.
On Saturday, Penn’s Christian Association hosted a symposium entitled, “Young Christians Living in the Hook Up Culture” at the University Lutheran Center. As a medley of conversations centered on the open discussion of sexuality within the frame of Christian morals, the symposium sought to promote sexual awareness from a Christian perspective.
Despite the association between the Christian faith and abstinence-only education, event coordinator Katherine Primus emphasized that the purpose of the event was to encourage sexual awareness, not to preach an anti-sex position.
“It’s really a health issue,” said Primus. “It is appalling that we don’t educate enough about our bodies in relationships.”
The event itself deliberately linked Christianity to sex education in order to break down the idea that Christian morals cannot supplement knowledge in sexual relationships, according to Primus.
Melissa Lemons, one of the leaders of the session, “Healing After Sex Goes Wrong,” discussed the importance of that awareness in relationships. While she stressed that faith can work as an important guide in matters of sexuality, she added that people have a personal responsibility for their actions.
“People often get angry at God for their problems,” said Lemons, “but they need to realize that we’ve been given the tools to work out our problems in ourselves.”
Ultimately, the symposium sought to counteract the silence of the church with regards to sexuality. According to Reverend Beverly Dale, campus minister at Penn, such silence contributes to the prevalence of unhealthy relationships and sexually transmitted diseases. Dale expressed the view that lack of sex education at Penn is a “crime.”
Dale’s film, Body Without Fear, only half of which was shown at the symposium due to technical difficulties, highlighted gaps in knowledge of sexuality and demonstrated the power of open sexual discussions within a Christian context.
The symposium, which was sponsored by The Philip N. Knutson Endowment and Spiritual Youth for Reproductive Freedom, presented Christian morals as a facilitator — not a barrier — for the mature discussion of sexuality matters.
“The purpose of religion,” concluded Dale, “is to teach us how to be good lovers to one another.”
