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A description of practising Christians’ experience of profound sexual and spiritual encounters MacKnee, Chuck M
Abstract
This qualitative study explored the meaning and description of profound sexual and spiritual connection among practising Christians. Investigations of the conditions and events that led to these peak encounters as well as the aftereffects of such experiences were also conducted. It was purposed that this research would enhance understanding of sexual and spiritual connection, inform theories of love, transpersonal experience, and Christian theology regarding sexuality, as well as provide counsellors with some initial strategies to promote more holistic sexual intimacy among their Christian clientele. The methods of inquiry and data analysis were based on a phenomenological approach. The researcher conducted an in-depth interview with five men and five women, representing five Christian denominations, who had experienced a profound event that was simultaneously sexual and spiritual. The statements within each participant's transcript were analyzed to discover clusters of meaningful themes. A follow-up interview with each contributor validated these individual or "situated structural" descriptions. Twenty-five common themes emerged from the interview data and a fundamental structure or "common story" was culled from the exhaustive description of the phenomenon. The themes of the sexual and spiritual encounter were categorized into the into the following three phases: Preconditions and Facilitating Events; Descriptive Themes of the Encounter; and Aftereffects. The exhaustive description and fundamental structure were validated by all the participants in a final follow-up consultation. The study results offered an empirical and experiential basis for previous conjectures on linking sexuality and spirituality. The findings were interpreted in light of existing research on love, transpersonal mystical experience, and Christian theology on sexuality. Comparisons were made to the experience of transcendental sex experienced by Tantric practitioners. Potentials for individual and relational growth were explored. Following these interpretations, a number of specific recommendations were made for future research and counselling practice.
Item Metadata
Title |
A description of practising Christians’ experience of profound sexual and spiritual encounters
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Creator | |
Publisher |
University of British Columbia
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Date Issued |
1997
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Description |
This qualitative study explored the meaning and description of profound sexual and
spiritual connection among practising Christians. Investigations of the conditions and events
that led to these peak encounters as well as the aftereffects of such experiences were also
conducted. It was purposed that this research would enhance understanding of sexual and
spiritual connection, inform theories of love, transpersonal experience, and Christian
theology regarding sexuality, as well as provide counsellors with some initial strategies to
promote more holistic sexual intimacy among their Christian clientele.
The methods of inquiry and data analysis were based on a phenomenological
approach. The researcher conducted an in-depth interview with five men and five women,
representing five Christian denominations, who had experienced a profound event that was
simultaneously sexual and spiritual. The statements within each participant's transcript were
analyzed to discover clusters of meaningful themes. A follow-up interview with each
contributor validated these individual or "situated structural" descriptions. Twenty-five
common themes emerged from the interview data and a fundamental structure or "common
story" was culled from the exhaustive description of the phenomenon. The themes of the
sexual and spiritual encounter were categorized into the into the following three phases:
Preconditions and Facilitating Events; Descriptive Themes of the Encounter; and
Aftereffects. The exhaustive description and fundamental structure were validated by all the
participants in a final follow-up consultation.
The study results offered an empirical and experiential basis for previous conjectures
on linking sexuality and spirituality. The findings were interpreted in light of existing
research on love, transpersonal mystical experience, and Christian theology on sexuality.
Comparisons were made to the experience of transcendental sex experienced by Tantric practitioners. Potentials for individual and relational growth were explored. Following
these interpretations, a number of specific recommendations were made for future research
and counselling practice.
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Extent |
10990940 bytes
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Genre | |
Type | |
File Format |
application/pdf
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Language |
eng
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Date Available |
2009-06-02
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Provider |
Vancouver : University of British Columbia Library
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Rights |
For non-commercial purposes only, such as research, private study and education. Additional conditions apply, see Terms of Use https://open.library.ubc.ca/terms_of_use.
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DOI |
10.14288/1.0053957
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URI | |
Degree | |
Program | |
Affiliation | |
Degree Grantor |
University of British Columbia
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Graduation Date |
1998-05
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Campus | |
Scholarly Level |
Graduate
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Aggregated Source Repository |
DSpace
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Item Media
Item Citations and Data
Rights
For non-commercial purposes only, such as research, private study and education. Additional conditions apply, see Terms of Use https://open.library.ubc.ca/terms_of_use.