The Good News About Our Bodies: Sexuality, What Does The Bible Really Teach?

C. A. Williams's Roman Sexuality analyzes sexual behaviors, norms, and attitudes in ancient Roman society, exploring how sexuality intersected with power, class, and social structures. Drawing on literary, legal, and archaeological sources, the book reconstructs common practices and moral debates about sex in the Roman world. Williams situates Roman sexual customs within broader cultural and political contexts, showing their relevance for understanding ancient identities. The work is used by scholars to inform readings of Greco-Roman contexts in biblical studies. It contributes to discussions about whether ancient sexual practices correspond to modern categories of sexual orientation and committed relationships.

The Symposium is a philosophical dialogue written by Plato around 370 BCE. It depicts a friendly contest of extemporaneous speeches given by a group of notable Athenian men, including Socrates, Alcibiades, and Aristophanes, in praise of Eros, the god of love. The dialogue is structured as a series of speeches, each developing the ideas of the previous one, and culminates in Socrates' speech, which recounts his conversation with the wise woman Diotima. The work explores various aspects of love, including its benefits, its connection to philosophy, and its role in human happiness. The setting is a banquet at the house of the tragedian Agathon, where the men engage in drinking and conversation, leading to heartfelt and noble speeches about love.

Abigail Favale's The Genesis of Gender offers a Catholic perspective on modern gender debates, drawing on theology, philosophy, and personal reflection to articulate a vision of sexual difference and embodiment. The book revisits biblical and theological sources, arguing for an integrated understanding of male and female rooted in creation and sacramental anthropology. Favale addresses contemporary controversies — including youth gender medicine and public policy — and proposes pastoral approaches centered on truth and charity. She combines academic engagement with pastoral sensitivity, aiming to help believers navigate heated cultural conversations with clarity and compassion. The work is intended for readers seeking a thoughtful Christian framework for understanding gender in the modern world.