Marriage Book Recommendation: "Sex God"

So I am kind of late to the party on the reading of Sex God by Rob Bell.  It is already in a paperback edition and he has since written another book “Jesus Wants to Save Christians.”

I have heard Rob speak on several occasions, including at our church (the first church that he spoke at since he began Mars Hill), conferences and I thoroughly enjoyed his first book Velvet Elvis – not to mention his Noomas.

Rob brings a fresh voice to many Biblical themes and life subject matters and in Sex God he addresses “sex.”  I was pleasantly surprised by this read.  The title itself is a mystery of what and where the subject matter of this book would go.

I finished this book in just a couple of sittings and here is my initial thoughts on this book … if I had to refer an engaged-couple to a book that might be helpful to them in the new season they will be entering into -- it would be this one.   This book lends a fresh look at an understanding of sex and marriage that would be very beneficial because it lends to a lot of healthy conversation and dialogue about the mentioned subject matter without it being a book exclusively on the subject matter.

Now I know there are lot more conventional books dealing with the subject of marriage directly that are helpful and I hope couples would read those type of books as well, but at this point if someone were to ask me if I knew of good book on marriage – Sex God is what I would recommend.

Comments

[Rod Kaya]

Lise,

your vision of what a cafe/book -- Borders like atmosphere at Journey is well received and understood.

Pray you never know what good happen.

Rod

[Lise]

Rod,

Lise again. Now I really want to read the book, as I've been really grappling with what it means to be single and a Christian. As I near forty and have to come to terms with the fact that I might not partner before I'm too old to have a child, all my preconceived notions of how I thought my life would be break down (have broken down). It becomes hard to know whether this type of radical acceptance is throwing the towel in on a dream of domesticity or the ultimate freedom. I really don't know anymore. But it's not something that is talked about much in our society. You are still thought of as an anomaly if you've never married (and are female). And yet the flip side of this is that you can serve God in some interesting ways that you might not be able to as a spouse or parent. Who knows. I've been praying on this issue - for His will - vs. mine. Trying to figure out if this is fate or just my own resistance to intimacy.

I say - get a library. Even if it is one where you just can look at the books on the premises like at a reference library or at Borders. I buy way too many books and sometimes it's nice to look first before ordering on Amazon. Can you see it? Cafe Journey complete with books and tables. Or Salon Journey.

[Rod Kaya]

Lise,

you are completely right about this book being one for people in all stages of life. In fact the latter chapters of the book -- Rob Bell does an excellent job in validating the call to be single. That it is not something that is abnormal, but rather an opportunity to serve the Lord with greater freedom.

As for your thoughts on a library. That is a great idea for our future. The bookstore has some used books that I believe can be borrowed. But the selection is limited and not very current.

thanks for posting

rod

[Lise]

Rod,

I saw this post and was immediately curious about the book. Thanks to the wonders of the internet, I was able to pull up a PDF of the table of contents and first chapter and liked this author immediately. While I understand why you would recommend this as a marriage book, from what I can see of it, it looks like it would benefit all - men and women, single or married.

The author addresses the horrible objectification of women which is rampant these days, as well as the atrocious abuses against the female sex in the first chapter. Amen that he does! As a feminist, I have a very vested interest in all of this. I will definitely go out and buy this book. I also love the subtitle as I think sexuality is a vital life force whether expressed in sacred relationship or as an energy within linked to vitality, passion, creativity and expression. Even children have their own form of this in an innocent way.

I wish Journey had a library of books we could check out.