#17: A College Student’s Guide to Sex, Love, and Relationships

Welcome to another edition of the College Faith podcast, sponsored by Global Scholars. My guest today is Dr. Sean McDowell, Associate Professor of Christian Apologetics at the Talbot School of Theology, Biola University.

Sean recently wrote Chasing Love: Sex, Love, and Relationships in a Confused Culture. Since every college student I’ve ever known wonders about and struggles with everything in this books’ title, I’ve invited Sean onto the show to share his wisdom on these issues with you.

In this podcast we discuss:

• Why Sean wrote this book, and how it can help students navigate sexual issues
• Why there is increasing confusion over sexual issues in our culture
• The biblical understanding of love, sex, and relationships
• Sean’s story of flourishing during college and now in his marriage as he applied the biblical sexual ethic
• The important difference between “freedom from” and “freedom for” in sexuality
•  How the world would be better if everyone lived out the biblical sexual ethic
• God’s boundaries as protection and provision
• Why being in a romantic relationship isn’t the answer to being happy and fulfilled
• How to avoid and/or resolve conflict over different sexual ethics with your roommate(s)
• Balancing love and truth when discussing “hot button” issues in sexual ethics (such as transgenderism) and “blowing up the script”
• The pros and cons of the “Purity Culture” movement
• Where he sees hope for the future of biblical sexual ethics in both student and cultural flourishing
• The power of God’s grace for those who have “blown it” in sexual ethics

Resources mentioned during our conversation:

• Sean McDowell, Chasing Love: Sex, Love, and Relationships in a Confused Culture
• Lisa Michelle, “Surviving Sexual Abuse and Exploitation” on the Think Biblically podcast with Sean McDowell and Scott Rae
• Lisa Michelle, Unlikely Warrior: A Voice Rising Out of the Darkness of Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation
• Joshua Harris, I Kissed Dating Goodbye
• Rachel Joy Welcher, Talking Back to Purity Culture: Rediscovering Faithful Christian Sexuality
• Rachel Joy Welcher, “What Purity Culture Got Right and Wrong” on the Think Biblically podcast with Sean McDowell and Scott Rae
• Sean’s website SeanMcdowell.org
• Sean’s Facebook
• Sean’s Twitter
• Sean’s Instagram
• Sean’s TikTok
• Sean’s YouTube channel
• Sean and Scott Rae’s podcast Think Biblically: Conversations on Faith & Culture