In response to pastoral questions with which several Covenant authors are wrestling pertaining to marriage and human sexuality, Canon Dr. Graham Kings, pull this radio interview with Rowan Williams out of the Fulcrum archives. In this excerpt, the Archbishop provides a concise teaching about a healthy Christian concern for sex.

BBC Radio 5 Live, 6 December 2005

A Fulcrum Transcript

Note: The transcript of this 2005 radio interview with Rowan Williams was conducted by the BBC's Simon Mayo. The transcript was made by Fulcrum with BBC permission.

Sex and Religion

Simon: Well, here's a sort of broader question, Archbishop. You could probably fill hours with this one as well. 'Could you explain why religion in general seems to have such a huge issue with what people do in bed?'

Rowan: You're quite right, you could about this one for hours.

Simon: We mustn't run into the news. It does seem to be that wherever you look in the world, or wherever organized faith is, there are restrictions on sexual behaviour, or they like to lay down some rules. Why do you think that might be?

Rowan: I'll give you a good reason and a bad reason. I think the good reason is that religious people think that every aspect of your life ought to manifest something about what you believe about God or the Sacred, and that includes sex. And therefore it's as important to get that right as it is to get anything else right. That's the good reason. The bad reason is that religion is often about control, anxiety and sex is an area where control and anxiety can run riot. If you are afraid of being out of control, you got to control other people's behaviour. Religion can sometimes be a good tool for that.

Simon: And are those things constantly in some kind of balance? And it would be unhealthy if we're tipped towards your second reason and we're slightly...?

Rowan: I think the second reason is very questionable, very unhealthy. I think we've got to keep our eyes very firmly on the idea that if sex matters, in religious terms, it's because God wants it to show something about the kind of God he is.

Simon: As you move around the Anglican Communion, do you see too many people, or just some people, more interested in your second reason there, rather than the first?

Rowan: There are some. There always have been. There have been people here in England, and there are people in the States, and it's not only supposed conservatives, who have these hang ups. It's often people who call themselves liberals as well, frankly.