Rethinking Sexual Ethics and Purity Culture: A Gospel-Centered Conversation - w/ Bridget Eileen Rivera & Tyler Chernesky

Dec 14, 2020

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A powerful and candid conversation exploring the intersection of sexuality, faith, purity culture, and theological growth in the modern church. Mike Erre and Tim Stafford are joined by Tyler Cherneski, a Cincinnati-based church planter, and Bridget Eileen Rivera, author, researcher, and LGBTQ+ Christian advocate, to unpack the lingering harm of purity culture and how the church can move toward a more grace-filled, Gospel-centered sexual ethic.

This episode dives deep into what it means to extend authentic grace to all, the damaging legacy of purity culture, and how to create space for LGBTQ+ Christians to belong, wrestle with theology, and follow Jesus without fear of exclusion or judgment. Together, they examine the double standards often imposed on queer Christians, and call for a more consistent, Christ-like approach to discipleship and sexual ethics.

Key Takeaways: • Purity Culture’s Lingering Harm – How the idolization of sex as both ultimate good and worst sin continues to distort the church’s teaching on sexuality and hampers spiritual growth for many, especially LGBTQ+ believers. • Creating Space for Honest Discipleship – The importance of allowing time, grace, and theological wrestling for LGBTQ+ Christians without pressure to conform to preset conclusions. • The Folk Devil Phenomenon – Bridget explains how LGBTQ+ people have been scapegoated in the church and culture, similar to historical “folk devils” blamed for societal decline, particularly in the wake of 1980s evangelical political alignment and the AIDS crisis. • Universalizing the Ideal – The tension between holding out Jesus’ sexual ethic as an ideal without applying it with exclusive or inconsistent standards. • Grace Beyond Straight Norms – Why the church must extend the same grace and spiritual growth process to LGBTQ+ Christians that it routinely offers to heterosexual believers around issues like divorce, remarriage, or premarital sex.

Guest Highlights: • Bridget Eileen Rivera – Sociologist, author of Heavy Burdens, and LGBTQ+ Christian advocate pursuing a PhD in the intersection of gender, sexuality, and crime. She challenges assumptions about LGBTQ+ people in the church and offers articulate insights on grace, discipleship, and justice. • Tyler Cherneski – Church planter at City Church OTR in Cincinnati, openly gay and committed to celibacy as part of his journey of faith. Tyler shares how purity culture shaped his formation and how he’s pastoring others with empathy, nuance, and Gospel depth.

Resources Mentioned: • Bridget Eileen Rivera – bridgeteileenrivera.com • "Heavy Burdens" by Bridget Eileen Rivera – [Link to book] • City Church OTR – citychurchotr.com • “Unclean” by Richard Beck – Exploring disgust psychology and evangelical purity ethics • “The Condemnation of Blackness” by Khalil Gibran Muhammad • Scripture References – Genesis 1–2; 1 Peter; New Testament teachings on Christian community and grace

This episode invites listeners to consider how we can be more like Jesus—not by gatekeeping righteousness—but by extending radical grace and making space for everyone to pursue him in community.

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