Sexual Liberation: The Scandal of Christendom (Psychology, Religion, and Spirituality)
"This book is an account of the ways in which sexual pleasure has been devalued and demonized in the West by the historical forces of Christendom. It tells the story of how sex came to be regarded by societies throughout the ages as perverse, sinful, and wrong, and how the centuries-old motivations of a few have persisted into modern times, coloring our view of sex and sexuality to this day."-Caps Connect"Director of hospital pastoral care at Columbia University's Medical Center, Lawrence describes the strange ways that sexual pleasure has been demonized in Europe and its sphere of influence, and the likely motivations driving this process. Among his topics are the sexual life and teachings of Jesus, sexual pleasure in Judaism, the victory of monasticism, the Cathars, the sexuality of Teresa of Avila, The Reformation as sexual revolution, and sexual disarray in the late 20th century."-Reference & Research Book News