Anglican sexual morality

[lavendersparkle]

I'm a bit confused about Anglican sexual morality. I know that there is a lot of diversity in views. I get that at one end there are some conservative evangelicals who are practically shomer negiah before marriage and avoid being alone with a member of the opposite sex they're not married or related to and at the other end there are Anglicans who think that polyamoury and one night stands with strangers are fine as long as do so in a nice way (making them tea before they leave is probably mandatory). There are also people who are celibate for life but they're hard to place because they may have all sorts of views on what sorts of things other people get up to. What I don't know is the distribution of views and behaviours. What's the median Anglican's views on what sexual behaviour is appropriate and acceptable? What sorts of things would the majority of clergy feel comfortable doing before marriage?

I've noticed that the Church of England manages to get itself into a bit of a tizwoz about what boys are or aren't allowed to do with each other without really addressing the issue of what heterosexual or bisexual or female Anglicans should get up to (or not). When are 'full genital expressions' of heterosexuality appropriate and, whilst we're at it, what the hell is a 'full genital expression' anyway?*

So wisdom of the internet, please explain to me.

*At the moment I'm imagining a cross between the Vagina Monologues and Puppetry of the Penis.

Comments

[robhu.livejournal.com]

I don't know about the CofE, but when talking about a woman who isn't your wife, Jesus said (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=47&chapter=5&version=31): "But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart."

[the-alchemist.livejournal.com]

This page of the Church of England's website makes quite useful reading on the C of E's opinions, together with some of the documents it references. Remember that "Anglican" isn't the same as C of E though.

As I understand it, if there's a median opinion it's something like "the Anglican Communion allows its members to hold a wide range of opinions about consensual sexual activity, but expects its clergy to err on the conservative side of that spectrum of belief, because it's for them to do their job if their congregation isn't being scandalised about the way they conduct their relationships."

[naath.livejournal.com]

I think that expecting there to exist an "Anglican view" as maybe optimistic? My Dad's Anglican and he thinks gay people are evil and should be shunned by everyone. But equally there are gay Anglican priests. So, um.

The median Anglican view is probably "that's nice dear, have a cup of tea" :-)