While sexuality is not an overt topic in Christian art, it is widely claimed that certain works have certain sexually-suggestive themes, either as the main focus of the art or as a subtle undercurrent.

Overview

Christianity is a broad group of religious sects and denominations which have varying rules for sexual behavior.

The Biblical teachings generally refer to sexuality as an extremely important and positive aspect of humanity. The restrictions are meant to be cautions, for sake of protecting the virtue and love associated with intimacy, whereas the less restricted and extremely liberal doctrines of "pagan" religions, were viewed as destructive to sexual intimacy, Because Abrahamic faith was originally

On the other hand, the Bible tells of God's commandment to Adam and Eve to be "fruitful and multiply," while still in the Garden of Eden. The Garden, is viewed by Christians and others to have been literally heaven on Earth (paradise) until "The Fall" of Adam and Eve from grace to sin. Of course, being "fruitful" meant lots and lots of sexual reproduction, none of which was in violation of the Garden. The violation, or sin, came from disobedience of God, which resulted, in the expulsion of man from the immortal existence in the Garden to mortal existence on Earth. Hence, there is a legitimately Abrahamic interpretation of the Bible which views sexuality as both non-sinful and literally Holy.

This is debated and argued within the Christian context, however, with some minor sects favoring more liberal views, while others favoring more conservative views. Some even hold the view that puritanism is largely a mask for sexual promiscuity, which covers the world of sexual openness with a cloak of secrecy, the penetration of which becomes a symbolic rite of passage. The old adage that "sex without sin is like an egg without salt," represents this view to some degree, that sexuality is simply part of the normal human adventure, and that concepts of guilt and sin simply enhance the experience of that adventure.

Regardless of the debate, the views which dominate Christian thinking at any particular time moreoften tend to be viewed as conservative, relative to others, which is often viewed from the outside as being puritanical and prudush regarding sexuality. Depending on the particular culture and even person, this conservatism can be either a basis for a healthy use of one's sexuality, or else become a rigid dogmatic disconnection from natural impulses toward sexual intimacy.

Common examples

Bernini's sculpture Ecstasy of Saint Teresa is an example of sexuality in Christian art (in this case Catholic). In the sculpture, St. Teresa is stabbed repeatedly by an angel by a long golden spear with an iron tip. The sculpture depicts a scene from St. Teresa's life when an angel stabbed her repeatedly causing her pain and sweetness. The stabbing of a such a phallic object producing both pain and pleasure has sexual overtones.

Homoerotic images may also exist, such imagery may be present in such paintings as Saint Sebastian.

See also

• Christian art
• Teresa of Avila