Navigating Sexual Love in Christian Marriage: A Playful Pursuit of Purpose

Abstract

This paper aims to clarify the essential foundations and components for sexual flourishing, focusing on cisgender, heterosexual, able-bodied married couples who identify with the conservative Christian faith, specifically those in or entering mid-life. It delves into the complexity of unexamined inherited sexual values that impact couples in mid-life. Existing literature is critiqued for being overly restrictive or permissive, termed the Radical No and Radical Yes. Identifying the need for theological and existential foundations, this paper explores the idea of a sacramental teleology for the marital act, leading to an integrated and holistic approach to sexual love in marriage. This alternative approach supports deeper levels of embodiment and intimacy, transcending superficial understandings of sexuality. The writer proposes a non-hedonistic, playful pursuit of purpose where spouses mutually enjoy the richness of sexual love with one another, while also sacramentally having the potential for an ineffable encounter with the Triune God and a heavenly vision for the life to come.