Civilizing Sex: On Chastity and the Common Good

An account of the long struggle to civilise sex, and the role of sex as a civilising force in Western culture. Patrick Riley explores the Judeo-Christian tradition, from ancient history to modern times.He shows how marriage came to contain the force of sexuality, to harness its energies both to create and serve the family and the well-being of wider communities. The idea that sex is entirely a private issue is an error, Dr Riley argues, with potentially disastrous consequences, both for individual and societies.