"I am my beloved's and my beloved is mine!" 

After a summer break, we pick back up looking at one book of the Bible each week. This week we look at Song of Solomon, which is, well, erotic poetry! 

Questions for discussion - either in a group or to give me feedback.

1) What is your initial reaction to this book, especially if this is your first time reading it?   

2) Did it feel "inappropriate"? If so, why? 

3) I introduce the idea that the Bible shares stories with other ancient religions, but that the versions we have in the Bible are often "spun" in a unique way. Does this challenge or affirm your faith to think that other cultures have similar stories to the Bible? 

4) The Bible employs language of husband and wife to speak of God's relationship to Israel and later Jesus' relationship with the church. Given how we think of marriage today, what is helpful about this metaphor? What is challenging?   

5) What might it be like to shift our language from God loves you to "God is IN love with you?" or "I am in love with Jesus"? 

6) Do you consider Christianity generally to have a neutral, positive or negative attitude towards sex? 

7) What is your reaction to considering how important sex is to the stories in Genesis?