I had the wonderful opportunity to speak at the Sexual Reformation<\/em> conference at Stellenbosch University this week. Initially I didn\u2019t really know what to talk about. In general I shy away to talk about sex and sexuality, and I must admit that I get bored talking about the gay-debate. Not because it isn\u2019t relevant or of crucial importance. These are the grindstones on which we grind our theological knives regarding Scripture interpretation and human dignity. It\u2019s just that throughout the years, I got tired trying to justify myself. striving to live a meaningful life with a certain integrity in this body of mine, to intolerant and hateful people. For a while now, I don\u2019t need their permission in the effort to stay true to myself. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The other reason is that there is a very short and dark alley between sex and sexuality, moralising about what people should do with their genitals and oppression. We need to take a longer view, a broader scope \u2013 and that for is the journey of developing a deeper and richer understanding of the body and the textures of life. <\/p>\n\n\n\n And\nthen on 11 April 2019, BBC news published an article, Ex-Pope Benedict XVI blames 1960s revolution for sex abuse<\/em>. He published a 5500 \u2013word letter in the\nGerman Catholic magazine, Klerusblatt<\/em>,\nlamenteng the 1960s as a time when previously normative standards regarding\nsexuality collapsed entirely. He blames sexual films, images of nudity and\n“the clothing of that time” leading to “mental collapse”\nand “violence”. At the time of the sexual revolution, “Catholic\nmoral theology suffered a collapse that rendered the Church defenceless against\nthese changes in society”, he said. The sexual revolution led to\npaedophilia being “diagnosed as allowed and appropriate”. The\npromotion of a new, modern” Catholicism and the sexual revolution led to\n“homosexual cliques” in seminaries. <\/p>\n\n\n\n It\nhad such a strong resonance with the social and political climate of the time\nwhen I was growing up and struggling (the Afrikaans word \u201cwroeg\u201d is more\nsuitable) with church, politics, identity and sexuality.\nA blast from the past \u2013 and for me it is unimaginable that someone can still\nhold such a position, which off course is also an indication of my own naivety.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n This then was the trigger for my presentation – \u201cOn bodies and theologies \u2013 the aftermath of the sexual revolution<\/em>\u201d. In the blogs following I shall unpack it in more detail.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It seems that we still need to talk about a revolution….<\/p>\n\n\n\n