I am the product of rape… Here’s why ‘that’ Gospel Coalition article was dangerous
Trigger warning: this article contains direct language about sex and sexual abuse which some may find difficult.
The Gospel Coalition website (TGC) in the US recently published a controversial article entitled ‘Sex won’t save you (but it points to the one who will)’. The feature attracted widespread criticism from both evangelicals and others. Among them, Michael F. Bird, a member of the Evangelical Theological Society, and author of Evangelical Theology: A Biblical and Systematic Introduction, wrote: ‘The piece gets cringey and manufactures conditions for misogyny when he equates, literally, Christ’s saving word with a man’s semen! He uses the language of penetration a lot, refers to semen as a sacrificial offering and a holy seed, and describes a woman’s uterus as hospitable and rejoicing… Women are cast as receiving salvation through the man’s sexual fulfilment. The man penetrates and the woman is penetrated, this makes men dominant and active while women are passive and obedient. Sexual release for the man is part of the women’s salvation. The man’s pleasure and penis are christified, while his semen is sanctified as a holy sacrifice – I can’t believe I’m even saying that.’
