Song of Solomon vs. The Church’s Discomfort With (Female) Sexuality

For all the sermons I’ve heard, I’ve never heard one on Song of Songs or Song of Solomon. I’ve heard it mentioned or explained away as a metaphor for Christ and the church, but we never actually read it. When I read this book for myself, I finally understood why we never actually read it in church or school. This book’s illustration of female sexuality and desire flies in the face of what many institutions try to pass off as “biblical” guidelines for a relationship.

Solomon’s feelings for his favorite wife (he had hundreds) were probably mutual judging by verses 2 and 3:

2 Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth!
For your love is better than wine;
3 your anointing oils are fragrant;
your name is oil poured out;
therefore virgins love you.

Song of Solomon acknowledges and honors female sexuality during a time when female pleasure was overlooked and any sort of female sexual forwardness was seen as just another way to lead men astray. Moreover, this intoxicating, physical illustration of love is the perfect illustration of healthy eros. It doesn’t take an especially attentive Bible reader to find examples of unhealthy sex and sexuality, but yet this example of healthy, normal sexuality is the one that got skipped over. Meanwhile, gang rape and incestuous female-on-male rape…