Religious beliefs play an important role in shaping people's values and behaviors regarding sexual health, including the acquisition of knowledge about sexual activities and their potential implications for personal and social wellbeing.
There are divergent views among scholars concerning the extent to which religion positively influences or negatively hinders sexual development and relationship building. This paper explores these perspectives while examining how religious teachings affect sexual education and its effects on ethical knowledge, relational confidence, and intimacy growth in adolescents and young adults. The article will discuss the following topics:
1. Religious teaching and sexual knowledge
2. Sexual knowledge and ethics
3. Sexual knowledge and relationship confidence
4. Sexual knowledge and intimacy development
5. Conclusion
1. Religious Teaching and Sexual Knowledge:
Religion has been used as a means of regulating sexual behavior since ancient times when it was considered essential for reproduction and procreation. Religion can help define moral norms and ethical boundaries that shape sexuality and relationships. According to studies, individuals who receive positive religious training on sexual health tend to have higher levels of sexual knowledge than those without such exposure (Kirby et al., 2017).
Religiosity is linked with more conservative attitudes toward sexual activity, including premarital sex, birth control use, and extramarital affairs (Manning & Giordano, 2019).
These findings do not imply that religious teaching alone determines sexual understanding; other factors, such as family background and media influence, may also impact people's attitudes toward sex (Hayes et al., 2018). Nevertheless, religious values may shape adolescent views of abstinence, contraception, and safe sex practices (Brown & Zimmer-Gembeck, 2016), although research suggests that some forms of faith-based education may increase risky behaviors (Chen, Yi, & Liao, 2020).
Religious teachings play a crucial role in shaping sexual knowledge among teens and young adults, but they are unlikely to be the sole determinant of their approach to sexuality.
2. Sexual Knowledge and Ethics:
Religious teachings about sexuality often emphasize morality and spiritual purity while downplaying pleasure or personal desires (Smith et al., 2014).
Certain religions prohibit intercourse before marriage, view homosexuality as sinful, discourage masturbation, and promote abstinence until marriage (Crooks et al., 2015). These beliefs can affect ethical decision-making regarding sexual behavior by shaping individuals' perceptions of what is acceptable or forbidden.
Religion may condition people to internalize moral standards outside their rational judgment, resulting in irrational guilt or shame when engaging in non-conformist behaviors (Rodriguez, 2019).
Some studies suggest that religiosity promotes positive sexual norms such as fidelity, monogamy, and mutual respect (Manning & Giordano, 2019). Nevertheless, it remains unclear whether religious teaching alone impacts moral decision-making, given the influence of individual personality traits, societal values, and cultural contexts on sexual ethics (Lerner et al., 2017). Therefore, while religious teachings may shape individuals' understanding of right and wrong sexual conduct, other factors play a more significant role in determining their ethical choices.
3. Sexual Knowledge and Relationship Confidence:
Studies have found that religious training positively correlates with self-confidence in relationships, especially among women (McDermott et al., 2021). This effect may be due to the increased social support provided by faith communities, which facilitate emotional regulation and stress management (Goldenberg et al., 2019). Religious teachings also encourage intimate connection between partners by emphasizing commitment and loyalty as essential for spiritual growth (Brown & Zimmer-Gembeck, 2016).
Religious beliefs can hinder relationship development by discouraging exploration, experimentation, and intimacy building (Kirby et al., 2017).
Religion may condition people to see romantic partners as tools for procreation rather than equals or companions (Smith et al., 2014), resulting in unequal power dynamics and subjugation of female interests (Rodriguez, 2019).
Although religious teachings promote positive attitudes toward relationship stability, they may interfere with healthy communication, openness, and mutual respect needed for successful intimacy.
4. Sexual Knowledge and Intimacy Development:
Religion may impact intimacy development by shaping individuals' expectations and preferences regarding sexual experiences (Chen et al., 2020). Studies show that religiosity is linked to more restrictive views on sexual pleasure, leading to higher levels of guilt and shame when engaging in non-conformist behaviors (Rodriguez, 2019). Religion can also influence gender roles in relationships, where males are expected to be sexually active and initiate sexual encounters while females are viewed as passive receivers (Crooks et al., 2015). This dynamic can result in male entitlement, control over female bodies, and physical or emotional abuse (Hayes et al., 2018). Nevertheless, some studies suggest that religious training may lead to greater satisfaction in marital sex (McDermott et al., 2021) due to the emphasis on spousal loyalty and commitment (Brown & Zimmer-Gembeck, 2016). Therefore, while religion has a mixed effect on int
In what ways does religious endorsement of sexual education impact ethical sexual knowledge, relational confidence, and intimacy development?
Religious endorsement of sex education is linked with increased levels of perceived parental support for their child's sexuality (Kammann et al. , 2019). This can lead to higher self-esteem and confidence around sexual matters and improved communication between parents and children (Jones & Owen, 2016).