This needs little elaboration. When the Protestant world gave in on the issue of birth control, it concurred with the secular culture in sundering the role of sex in uniting a couple from its role in bringing forth new life. Catholic theology affirms instead that the unitive and procreative aspects of sex are not to be pulled apart. This basic principle is the key for the philosophical underpinnings of Christian sexual ethics. From divorce to contraception to same-sex unions, the Catholic Church has remained consistent. Lacking this basis has caused Protestants at times to flail for a rationale for the traditional view of marriage, leading to implausible and arbitrary arguments that seem more aimed at excluding than casting a compelling vision of the good life.Â
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