Table of Contents

Introduction: The Backstory
1. Oh My God! Sexuality Meets Spirituality

Section One: Where Did All the Sexy Christians Go?
2. Modesty Gone Mad
3. Jesus . . . Sex Symbol?

Section Two: Bits, Bobs and Tricky Business
4. The Eight Fundamentals of Sex
5. Gender Matters
6. Uncomfortable Sex Positions
7. Bi Now, Gay Later?
8. Limping Straight to Heaven

Section Three: The Mission of Christian Sexuality
9. The Bent Scapegoat
10. Imago Gay
11. Re-Sexing the Church

Conclusion: The Dreaded End

About the Author

Debra Hirsch has been in ministry in Australia and America for over twenty years. She is coauthor of Untamed: Reactivating a Missional Form of Discipleship (with Alan Hirsch). She also serves on the leadership team of the Forge Missions Training Network and on the board for Missio Alliance. She and her husband live in community with others in Los Angeles.

Reviews

"This book demonstrates an unwavering Christ-like love for all humanity, and carves out a space for open conversation about sexuality. It flies in the face of the escalating culture wars of our day and invites us to imagine a Church of the future that is shaped by the Gospel virtues of love and unity."
*C. Christopher Smith, Relevant Magazine, May/June 2015*

"Debra Hirsch's wise pastoral perspective places Jesus firmly in the center of our sexuality and our relationships."
*Craig Detweiler, Outreach Magazine's Resources of the Year, March/April 2016*

"The value of this work is found in Hirsch's unique way of forcing the reader to think through and question long-held assumptions—some which may well need to be abandoned, while there are others that should be maintained but worked out in a more loving way."
*Michael G. Muñoz, Ethics Medicine, Vol. 33:1, Spring 2017*

"Discover a holistic, biblical vision of sex and gender that honours God and offers good news to the world."
*The Light Canada, May 2015*

"[Hirsch] is a delightful storyteller who addresses the touchy subject of sexuality from a variety of perspectives; however, she stays completely on track biblically even when it would be tempting to want to go to more comfortable places. . . . With lots of personal stories and real-life conversations from folks at every walk of life, her words demand attention not only because she writes compellingly but also because Christians need to be re-educated on all things sexual."
*Michele Howe, CBA Retailers + Resources, May 2015*

"Hirsch blends research, Scripture, theology and her own varied experience of sexuality and ministry into what she calls 'a testimony and a challenge to the church.' She brings admirable honesty and vulnerability to this mix, and the way she tells her own story models the humility and dignity to which she calls others. Hirsch speaks from within the evangelical community and primarily to the evangelical community—defined in the broadest possible sense. . . . [T]his book is important for the whole church."
*Donna Marsh, The Presbyterian Outlook, July 16, 2015*

"This book hails from a leading missional church leader who has lived it, redeemed it, and is now burdened by the challenge to help the church understand that at our core, we are all sexual beings, and our sexuality is nothing to blush about. In a post-Obergefell era, the church can no longer approach this issue haphazardly or without the insight of LGBT Christians."
*Andrew Dragos, The Seedbed Blog, December 8, 2015*

"Redeeming Sex is a book that will transform the conversations in the evangelical world and beyond about sexuality and how we can embrace and love one another wherever we are on our journey toward redemption. Seriously—This book is a game changer, and I love it."
*Michelle Wegner, MichelleWegner.com, April 20, 2015*

"Rarely have I anticipated the publication of a book as much as I have with Deb Hirsch's Redeeming Sex: Naked Conversations About Sexuality and Spirituality. After waiting for more than two years, I can say without hesitation that it was well worth the wait. In Redeeming Sex, Deb provides a thoughtful, holistic, biblical vision of sex and gender issues that not only honors the ways of Jesus, but also offers a much-needed and helpful approach to thinking well about one of the most misunderstood and controversial topics of the day. . . . I believe this is going to be one of the most important books for the church to grapple with for years to come. It really is one of those books that every Christian should read."
*Brad Brisco, Missional Church Network, April 20, 2015*