This research project arose from my journeys with Protestant Christian women who were living in
sexually unhappy marriages. In South African Protestant faith communities there is the expectation
that Christian marriages will experience sexual fulfilment. For many Christian women however,
sexual unhappiness becomes their reality. Sexuality is cocooned in silence not only within the
church, but also in many Christian marriages. This leaves many Christian women (and men) with
little or no recourse to address sexually unhappy marriages.
My research journey briefly explored the social construction of sexuality within the history of
Christianity to see which discourses underpin current constructions of White Christian female
sexuality. This participatory feminist action research journey centralised the voices of present-day
contexts: Protestant Christian women, as well as clergy, were invited to share their understandings
and interpretations of matrimony and sexual practices in relation to their faith. With the help of
narrative therapeutic practices, some of the dominant social and religious discourses that constitute
White Christian female sexuality were explored, deconstructed and challenged.
This research journey aimed to penetrate this silence and to invite Christian women, who are living
in sexually unhappy marriages, to share their experiences. This exploration included the faith
predicaments and relational complexities, challenges and dilemmas Protestant Christian women
experience when living in sexually unhappy marriages. This feminist-grounded action research
explored the effects and consequences which living in sexually unhappy marriages held for the cosearchers. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / D.Th. (Specialisation in Pastoral Therapy)
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:unisa/oai:uir.unisa.ac.za:10500/4823 |
| Date | 06 1900 |
| Creators | Spies, Nicoline |
| Contributors | Kotzé, D. J., Hestenes, Mark Erling,1949- |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 1 online resource (xix, 329 leaves.) |
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