A Question of Lust for the Divine

What happens when theology takes lust seriously – not as a danger, but as a source of love, dignity and faith? Lust am Göttlichen (Lust for the Divine) accompanies readers through three times seven days of Christological and sensitive theology and its practical consequences for the church – from a new reading of the Bible to culture and liturgy to exciting topics of discussion such as the ordination of women, marriage for all before the altar and freedom of conscience. The series bridges the gap between official doctrine and lived reality and advocates for a sexual ethic that remains faithful to the Gospel and respects the reality of life: human-centred, lust-friendly and life-affirming.
The first part lays the foundations for a lust for the divine; the following parts show how the frame of ‘creation order’ shifts to creation diversity and what consequences this has for sacraments, language, pastoral care and canon law. The book invites an objective, clear and effective dialogue – with respect for tradition and clear words for a church that understands diversity as a gift and respects incarnation physically.
This volume, covering days 1-7, introduces the topic and methodology: it outlines how shared pleasure can be understood as a reflection of divine abundance. Key concepts of queer theory are bundled and highlighted for the leap to Christology: incarnation, corporeality and authority are profiled in dialogue with liberation theologies – right up to controversial touchstones such as ‘Was Jesus gay?’ and the question of sacramental marriage for all before the altar. Boundaries and blind spots explicitly invite dialogue. The question is also asked how an expanded image of God (‘God is queer?’) can reopen the discussion of the Trinity and gender as well as interreligious resonances. Ultimately, the question is how research agendas, pastoral innovations, curricula and digital spaces can be equipped with exercises that consciously rewrite texts and images.