Adrian Thatcher Knihy

Adrian Thatcher's work offers a liberal perspective on sex and sexuality within the Christian tradition, addressing the disconnect many feel regarding its relevance today. By interpreting theological concepts, biblical texts, and Christian doctrines through a contemporary lens, he explores themes such as desire, bodily identity, sexual difference, marriage, spirituality, and diverse sexualities. This approach aims to clarify the significance of a demanding sexual ethic for modern readers, making it more accessible and meaningful in the twenty-first century.

Exploring the concept of "Vile Bodies," the book critiques how negative Christian teachings have vilified various marginalized groups, including women, Jews, Muslims, and LGBT individuals. It delves into the catastrophic consequences of this theology, revealing the underlying abusive beliefs that perpetuate harm and controversy surrounding sexuality and gender. By focusing on these deeper issues, the author aims to illuminate the systemic problems within religious thought that contribute to ongoing discrimination and suffering.

In this book, Adrian Thatcher offers fresh theological arguments for expanding our understanding of gender. He begins by describing the various meanings of gender and depicts the relations between women and men as a pervasive human and global problem. Thatcher then critiques naive and harmful theological accounts of sexuality and gender as binary opposites or mistaken identities. Demonstrating that the gendered theologies of Hans Urs von Balthasar and Karl Barth, as well as the Vatican's "war on gender" rest on questionable binary models, he replaces these models with a human continuum that allows for sexual difference without assuming "opposite sexes" and normative sexualities. Grounded in core Christian doctrines, this continuum enables a full theological affirmation of LGBTIQ people. Thatcher also addresses the excesses of the male/female binary in secular culture and outlines a hermeneutic that delivers justice and acceptance instead of sexism and discrimination.

Exploring premodern theories of sex, gender, and humanity, this work highlights their significance in understanding biblical and traditional theological perspectives. It delves into how historical contexts shape contemporary discussions, offering insights into the interplay between ancient beliefs and modern interpretations of these critical themes.