secular views

freud

• Id is unconscious part of personality that contains natural/ instinctive drives (incl sex + pleasure) 

• Natural sex drive= libido 

• Desires of id dangerous and need regulating by super-ego, or become repressed and play central role in shaping human behaviour and mental health 

• May need to struggle against our inclinations which often dispose us more to vice than virtue -> criticism of aquinas 

jack dominian

• He was a British Psychiatrist and Roman Catholic Theologian

• He called for a new definition or description of sex, one that sees it as a personal expression and communication of recognition and appreciation for another person

• Sex confirms sexual identity, brings reconciliation and healing, celebrates life, and is a profound way of thanking one another for a loving relationship

• He considered sex as a gift from God that should be celebrated as long as it takes place between two loving partners

• He argued that the church needed to rethink its approach to sexual ethics (that was based on the natural moral law) and accept non-traditional forms of loving relationships. The roman catholic laws, he said, were too absolutist an legalistic

• The natural law conception of sex as being primarily procreative was too narrow, seeing as it denies the fact that sex has immense importance in building a loving bond between two people

• If sex is a part of love, and love is a part of spirituality, then it follows that the Catholic church must revise its views on sexuality

vardy

• Vardy believes that liberal attitudes have caused a decline in marriage and that sex is now seen as a commodity What currently dominates the contemporary understanding of sexual ethics is the transactional view

• We live in a world of utilitarian relationships, which only last so long as both parties are satisfied and the pleasure they bring outweighs the pain

• He is critical of both the commodification of sex (in terms of ready access to pornography and sex toys) and the elevation of it to a point where he claims that ‘the Gods of Sex’ have returned, an allusion to the historical fertility cults of paganism

• In his book ‘The puzzle of sex’, there is a complete omission of feminist thought, despite the fact that it spends so much time discussing women’s sexuality. There is also an absence of any discussion about non-western attitudes to sex

• For many groups of people (such as the gay community), the replacement of the old ideal of love by the utilitarian transactional model has been beneficial, as it has removed the Church’s domination of social affairs

STRENGTH OF VARDY: emphasis on context and personal meaning in sexual ethics

• He argues that sex cannot be understood purely through biological or functionalist categories (as natural law might propose), nor should it be reduced to subjective pleasure (as in utilitarianism).

• Instead, Vardy encourages an existential and relational understanding of sex that considers the personal and emotional significance of sexual relationships.

• This strength resonates with elements of Christian personalism, especially as developed in the thought of Pope John Paul II, who in Love and Responsibility argues that persons must never be used as means but always treated as ends.

• Although Vardy does not accept the full Christian sexual ethic, his recognition of the need for love, commitment, and mutual respect aligns partially with Christian agape and the sanctity of personhood.

WEAKNESS OF VARDY: lack of clear norms

• By placing significant emphasis on the personal and contextual dimensions of sexual activity, Vardy appears to reject any form of absolute moral norm, even those rooted in long-standing religious tradition.

• This creates ethical ambiguity, particularly when evaluating contested issues such as premarital sex, homosexual relationships, or polyamory.

• Janet Smith argue that abandoning clear norms results in ethical relativism and moral permissiveness. They caution that, without boundaries rooted in divine revelation and reason, individuals might use Vardy’s emphasis on meaning to justify any consensual sexual act, regardless of its spiritual or social consequences.

• For example, someone could claim that an extramarital affair holds “deep personal meaning,” even though it undermines the covenantal significance of marriage

STRENGTH of dominian: psychology

• Dominian’s background as a psychiatrist allowed him to bridge psychological health with theological ethics.

• He argued that sexual maturity involves emotional and spiritual development, and that the Church should consider psychological realities when offering moral guidance.

• In Married Love and Family Life (1977), Dominian emphasized that sexual ethics should promote the full personal flourishing of individuals, not just conformity to rules.

• By promoting sexual ethics that avoid guilt-inducing doctrines and psychological repression, Dominian’s approach allows a more pastorally sensitive and mentally healthy vision of sexuality. This is especially relevant in post-Vatican II Catholicism, which increasingly embraces the importance of conscience, emotional intelligence, and subjective experience.

WEAKNESS of dominian

Critics argue that Dominian’s emphasis on psychological well-being over objective moral law risks undermining universal ethical boundaries. By prioritizing subjective emotional satisfaction, his ethic potentially allows morally problematic practices—such as premarital sex or contraceptive use—if the couple deems the relationship psychologically beneficial.

John Paul II’s Theology of the Body offers a counter-view rooted in personalism but firmly maintains the inseparability of the unitive and procreative aspects of sex. For John Paul II, the gift of the body is only fully expressed in a marital context open to life. Dominian’s views, while seemingly aligned on love, deviate in their treatment of procreation and sacramentality.