'If you desire to enter into life' : orientations for a consistent relational and sexual ethics starting from the narrative of the rich young man

Abstract

Int his article. the author tackles the challenge of reconciling law and emotion via a philosophical in depth reading of the Gospel narrative of the so called rich young man, at least of its first part. This narrative indeed challenges us to reflect on the paradoxical and creative interaction between boundary lines and freedom, prohibition and taste, ethics and aesthetics. This reflection will enable us, in the first part of this article, to pay special attention to the educational implications, among others the importance of the educative community as a “community of participation.” Such an approach will likewise offer an inspiring framework to develop, in the second part of the article, a consistent relational and sexual ethics “beyond diversity” that is applicable not only to marriage but also to other forms of intimacy: premarital sexuality; pre-, non- and post-marital cohabitation, homosexual and lesbian relationships, remarriage or cohabitation after divorce, without this having to lead to an “axiological equalization” of all these intimate life forms.