Beautiful Union
How God's Vision for Sex Points Us to the Good, Unlocks the True, and (Sort of) Explains Everything
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Narrated by:
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Joshua Ryan Butler
About this listen
A powerful call for Christians to understand sex as a window into God's story of redemption, and a validating guide to living with authentic love in a changing culture—from the influential pastor and author of The Skeletons in God’s Closet.
Beautiful isn’t likely the first word that comes to mind when we think about sex.
Our reactions are as varied as our experiences and backgrounds. Perhaps the word brings up past baggage. Perhaps it holds yearning for a dream that has never come true. Maybe we would rather not talk about it. Maybe it’s all we want to talk about. Around us, our culture is divided by this topic. On one side, “progressive” voices seek to dismantle historic Christian teachings to fit current norms. On the other side, “conservative” voices can reinforce messages of shame, judgement, and repression.
Beautiful Union offers a third way, one that is both true and beautiful. It gives us a provocative, positive look into the deepest Christian understanding of sex . . . and what sex reveals about God, our world, and even ourselves. Through biblical teaching and livable, joyful answers to our tough questions about sexuality, author and pastor Joshua Ryan Butler shows how sex illuminates the structure of creation, the nature of salvation, the abundance of God’s kingdom, and God’s heartbeat for the world.
Discover afresh the beautiful invitation of our sexuality . . . as God intended it to be.
©2023 Joshua Ryan Butler (P)2023 Random House AudioListeners also enjoyed...
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Critic reviews
“The timeless biblical truth of God’s story of sex has been lost in our modern era. However, the sexual confusion and pain of our day demand that we return to this brilliant narrative, embracing not simply biblical rules for sex but God’s heart for our sexuality.”—Dr. Juli Slattery, president of Authentic Intimacy and author of God, Sex, and Your Marriage
“Beautiful Union is simply astonishing. It’s the Protestant magnum opus on sexual ethics we’ve been waiting for and one of the most important books I’ve ever read.”—Brett McCracken, senior editor at the Gospel Coalition and author of Uncomfortable and Hipster Christianity
“With joy, enthusiasm, and the wisdom drawn from years of pastoral experience, Beautiful Union will help readers discover what Saint Paul was talking about when he described the union of man and woman as a mega-mystery (see Ephesians 5:31-32). In the process, readers will discover the cure for what ails our sexually confused world.”—Dr. Christopher West, president of the Theology of the Body Institute and author of Our Bodies Tell God’s Story
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Shalom is what God declared. Shalom is what the Kingdom of God looks like. Shalom is when all people have enough. It's when churches, schools, and public policies protect human dignity. Shalom is when the image of God is recognized in every single human. Shalom is our calling as followers of Jesus' gospel. What can we do to bring shalom to our nations, our communities, and our souls? Through a careful exploration of biblical text, particularly the first three chapters of Genesis, Lisa Sharon Harper shows us what "very good" can look like today, even after the Fall.
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The Gospel as Truly Good News
- By Mary Lewis on 06-18-21
By: Lisa Sharon Harper, and others
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The Characters of Christmas
- 10 Unlikely People Caught Up in the Story of Jesus
- By: Daniel Darling
- Narrated by: Dean Gallagher
- Length: 4 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
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Learn something new this Christmas as you explore the oft-overlooked characters behind the Christmas story, like the wise men, Simeon, Anna, and Herod. The Characters of Christmas will show you a familiar Jesus from a fresh perspective.
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Thought it would be more historical.
- By Norine on 01-02-21
By: Daniel Darling
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The Unshakable Truth
- How You Can Experience the 12 Essentials of a Relevant Faith
- By: Josh McDowell, Sean McDowell
- Narrated by: Jon Gauger
- Length: 16 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
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Know why you believe. Pass on what you've experienced. Many Christians are unsure about what they believe and why. They may wonder if their faith is meaningful and credible. Because of this, they struggle with passing on a relevant Christianity to their families and friends. That’s why Josh McDowell and his son, Sean, have created this comprehensive yet easy-to-understand handbook.
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Use what they give you.
- By Jon on 08-10-11
By: Josh McDowell, and others
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Chasing Love
- Sex, Love, and Relationships in a Confused Culture
- By: Sean McDowell
- Narrated by: Chris Abell
- Length: 3 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
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The love that the world tells us to pursue is all about self, about following your heart’s desires. But what is the Christian worldview on love? When we follow Jesus, we realize that he invites us to reorient the focus of our lives, so instead of chasing love primarily for our own happiness, we are first and foremost to give love - to God and to others.
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good stuff
- By chad johnson on 10-02-23
By: Sean McDowell
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Heaven
- By: Randy Alcorn
- Narrated by: Chris Fabry
- Length: 11 hrs and 17 mins
- Abridged
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What will heaven be like? Randy Alcorn presents a thoroughly biblical answer, based on years of careful study, presented in an engaging, audience-friendly style. His conclusions will surprise listeners and stretch their thinking about this important subject. Heaven will inspire listeners to long for heaven while they're living on earth.
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Finally I am eternally minded
- By Elle Bee on 09-29-15
By: Randy Alcorn
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The Skeletons in God's Closet
- The Mercy of Hell, the Surprise of Judgment, the Hope of Holy War
- By: Joshua Ryan Butler
- Narrated by: Conrad Bear
- Length: 10 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
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Is God a sadistic torturer? Coldhearted judge? Genocidal maniac? Unfortunately, our popular caricatures often make him out to be. God has some skeletons in the closet. At least, that's what many of us fear. "How can a loving God send people to hell?" "Isn't it arrogant to believe Jesus is the only way to God?" "What is up with holy war in the Old Testament?" These are difficult questions that our family, our friends, our culture - even we ourselves - are asking.
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Disappointing exploration of the Old Testament
- By Amazon Customer on 03-01-23
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The Jesus Manifesto
- It's Time to Restore the Supremacy of Jesus Christ
- By: Leonard Sweet, Frank Viola
- Narrated by: Sean Runnette
- Length: 5 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
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What is Christianity? It is Christ. Nothing more, nothing less. Christianity is not an ideology and not a philosophy. Christianity is the Good News that beauty, truth, and goodness are found in a Person. And conversion? It's more than a change in direction; it's a change in connection.
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Excellent book
- By Peter C. on 01-06-18
By: Leonard Sweet, and others
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Wrestling with God
- Finding Hope and Meaning in Our Daily Struggles to Be Human
- By: Ronald Rolheiser
- Narrated by: Walter Dixon
- Length: 4 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
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In Wrestling with God, Ronald Rolheiser offers a steady and inspiring voice to help us avow and understand our faith in a world where nothing seems solid or permanent. Drawing from his own life experience, as well as a storehouse of literary, psychological, and theological insights, the beloved author of Sacred Fire examines the fears and doubts that challenge us. It is in these struggles to find meaning, that Rolheiser lays out a path for faith in a world struggling to find faith, but perhaps more important, he helps us find our own rhythm within which to walk that path.
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Still Wrestling
- By Joseph B Oberting on 10-13-20
By: Ronald Rolheiser
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The Holy Longing
- The Search for a Christian Spirituality
- By: Ronald Rolheiser
- Narrated by: Bill Loran
- Length: 9 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
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Listeners will be fully engaged in a unique and altogether fascinating discussion of Christian spirituality. Rolheiser seeks to reconcile the rift between a smorgasbord of spiritual voices and an authentic Christian discipleship by the use of anecdotes, personal examples and a wide range of literary and cultural references. His starting point is the desire within us that longs irresistibly for fulfillment.
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Great content
- By Allison Winter on 11-07-23
By: Ronald Rolheiser
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Jesus the Bridegroom
- The Greatest Love Story Ever Told
- By: Brant Pitre
- Narrated by: Mel Foster
- Length: 6 hrs
- Unabridged
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Most Christians are familiar with the Apostle Paul's teaching that Christ is the "Bridegroom" and the Church is the "Bride." But what does this really mean? And what would ever possess Paul to compare the death of Christ to the love of a husband for his wife? If you would have been at the Crucifixion, with Jesus hanging there dying, is that how you would have described it? How could a first-century Jew like Paul, who knew how brutal Roman crucifixions were, have ever compared the execution of Jesus to a wedding?
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Accessible yet Profound
- By William J. Wilson on 12-09-15
By: Brant Pitre
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Jesus Feminist
- An Invitation to Revisit the Bible's View of Women
- By: Sarah Bessey
- Narrated by: Cassandra Campbell
- Length: 5 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
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In Jesus Feminist, Bessey shares her spiritual journey, which ranges from growing up in a post–gender-debate home to learning about the worldwide struggles of women and the obstacles even a well-meaning church can pose. Through disarmingly intimate storytelling, she tells how she grew to understand the story of God and the vastness of his work through women.
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Love the book; HATE the reader.
- By bsamps on 01-27-17
By: Sarah Bessey
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People to Be Loved
- Why Homosexuality Is Not Just an Issue
- By: Preston Sprinkle, Wesley Hill - foreword
- Narrated by: Adam Verner
- Length: 6 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
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Christians who are confused by the homosexuality debate raging in the US are looking for resources that are based solidly on a deep study of what Scripture says about the issue. In People to Be Loved, Preston Sprinkle challenges those on all sides of the debate to consider what the Bible says and how we should approach the topic of homosexuality in light of it.
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Shallow Empathy
- By Taylor on 02-18-21
By: Preston Sprinkle, and others
What listeners say about Beautiful Union
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Mary Havlicek
- 04-21-23
Excellent book for married and singles.
This was very insightful, paints a beautiful image of scripture and was very enjoyable to read. This book points to the answer that our culture cries out for of meaning in sex, marriage, and ultimately our heavenly destination.
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- Texas Reader
- 05-03-23
People love to be offended
I am convinced that most of the negative reviews are from people who haven't bothered to read the book. They're posting negative reviews because they're offended that someone would use sex as a metaphor of our relationship with God, which makes me wonder if those people have ever read their Bibles.
The Bible is full of sexual metaphor. Mankind is created in the image of God--not the physical image, but a spiritual and functional image--and God created man to get married, have sex, and make babies. It naturally follows that what human beings were created to do must image something about what God does, and the Bible confirms this over and over. Nearly every book of the Bible talks about how God's relationship to his people is like that of a family, and it sometimes uses explicit sexual imagery to talk about it, although that imagery is softened by translation.
Our modern culture is so overwhelmed with sexual pathologies that even the most devout people can't seem to see through the filth to the beauty that God intended. This book could be a great help for people who want to correct their vision, to see themselves, the people of God, and sexuality the way God intends for them to see it. But you have to be able to set aside your instinctive moral outrage at the mention of anything sexual and pay attention to what Butler is actually saying instead of what you imagine him to be saying.
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- Leah K. King
- 07-17-23
Read the whole book before forming an opinion
This book has caused quite the ruckus this far. Though graphic in a section if not read in context it may come across odd for lack of a better word but in the context of the entire narrative this book and all its metaphors bring a forth a new lens to look at sexuality through while not swaying from Biblical truth. Joshua explains his learnings and insights of the gospel and sexuality from a place of humility and wisdom. Which is much needed in this cultural moment.
With all books that are not the Bible, remember you won’t agree with every thought and I’d question if you did. So as always with any work chew up the meat, spit out the bones. Praise the Lord for where unity of thought is and seek the Lord while engaging in further discussion on what you disagree with.
If it’s of any worth I give it a 10/10.
Joshua thanks for all the time and effort you put into this work in order to help further the conversation of sexuality and the Bible as we all seek Jesus on His design for life and flouring.
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- Anonymous User
- 08-03-23
Beautiful Union is just that…BEAUTIFUL
Josh Butler has done an amazing job articulating the beauty of Gods design for sex. We always talk about how we need to have a bigger vision and a more beautiful vision to share with the world on sex and sexuality. This is that!! This was truly beautiful and stirred my soul to wonder anew at God and his love!! Thank you Josh!
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- robbie
- 11-25-23
This Hit Different
Western Christianity has ignored this subject in any real way. That’s why the church is hemmed up in “invisible chains!” This was refreshing. And done serious food for thought.
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- Fergie4
- 04-16-23
Brilliant and beautiful!
Joshua Ryan Butler paints a compelling vision of the beauty of biblical sexual love. This work will surprise skeptics and the convinced.
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- Matthew
- 06-06-23
Superb
If there can be such a thing as evangelical catholicity, this book should be counted within its ranks. Exceptionally well done.
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- Amazon Customer
- 04-19-23
Exceptional!
Josh’s book is a gift to the church! It is pastorally nuanced, thoughtful and accessible to all. I really enjoyed this audiobook!
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- Jenna
- 08-09-23
Great
Excellent and much-needed teaching on the theology of sex. A much-needed reframing of what sex is and why God created it in the first place. I’d recommend it for everyone in the church. It’s theology, but also intensely practical.
Also, although the tone of the book is informal, Butler’s prose borders on poetry at times. Lovely to listen to!
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- Dakota Molner
- 07-18-23
Very loving book
This book was canceled and created a twitter storm due to short section that seemed patriarchal out of context. The publisher made a mistake by releasing that early section. However, if you actually read it the book it is a very loving book. He humanizes all people, orphans, divorced, people from every circumstance. I am sad that the trigger, caused so many Christian’s to throw stones, yet it’s understandable in some regards as they were deeply hurt by some bad theology. Unfortunately we still live in a broken world, the devil was happy as Josh got canceled. This book spiritualizes sex in a healthy loving way that is out of my comfort zone. Of course I disagreed with some spots however we’ll done Josh. I pray for you and your families healing from the accusations thrown at you.
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