On another forum, Boyd mentioned that there seems to be an increase in the number of pastors adopting naturism. Coincidentally, it's something I've been researching and considering (as a guy who's coming to terms with the fact that he's most comfortable nude) and pondering it as a pastor myself.
Are there other pastors "out there" who can help me consider the theological, social, personal, and leadership issues surrounding the concept of being nude outside my own home?
This is a great forum that Boyd has set up, but I have to invite you to visit another site as well... It's called the Christian Naturist Village http://cnvillage.org and although it's still relatively small, there are a number of pastors who actively post there. Come take a look around.
My story is that when I first began to research this issue (before becoming a naturist) I lurked on that site for a while, finally posting and entering into the discussions. Now my wife and I both participate on the site.
I think you are the third pastor that I've invited to the site! I hope you can come and explore the place... and learn with us!
I'd REALLY like to chat with you some more... I am especially interested in other pastors who have transformed their biblical understanding regarding nudity. I'm only 3-4 months into it myself!
I do not want to post my email address here, but if you go to the CNV site and create yourself a name to login with. Then just post an introductory post (as brief as you want) saying that "Matt" recommended the site to you and I'll send you a personal message on that site. That way both our email addresses remain protected and unposted.
Just to offer my input, as I'm a Pastor who has been a naturist for almost two years now. Yes, my understanding of scripture changed dramatically. For years I was strongly under the idea that living clothes free was biblically wrong, but a strong desire to live that way, lead to a protracted and detailed re-examination of scripture concerning nudity. (And I'm a real stickler for in-context examination of the Word). The discovery lead me to see that nude is not only ok with God, but actually a big step in my freedom in Christ.
I was strongly under the idea that living clothes free was biblically wrong, but a strong desire to live that way, lead to a protracted and detailed re-examination of scripture concerning nudity. (And I'm a real stickler for in-context examination of the Word). The discovery lead me to see that nude is not only ok with God, but actually a big step in my freedom in Christ.
As you are re-examining are you finding some of your other assumptions or preconceptions throughout the Bible have changed? I am not at all suggesting that, say, doctrines about salvation have changed but do you find yourself then re-examining other parts of scripture in the light that those preconceptions may be wrong?
Thanks for your comments. I've found, over the past few years, that I've been re-examining many "doctrines", nudity is one of many. I do find that there are a number of doctrines accepted by some, that have little foundation in scripture, and yet are widely accepted as Christian doctrine.
Having said that, I appreciate that someone will say "but it's a matter of interpretation". Interpretation is not exegesis. I find the only sound way to interpret scripture is by knowing to whom the book was written, the context of the text as written in Greek or Hebrew, and the actual base meaning of the orginal text words used. It's like the scripture "Faith worketh through love".... in the Greek text the word "worketh" is energeo meaning power or energy...Hence "Faith is given power by love".
So as I studied on nudity, I found some interesting contexts around those verses often used to shun wholesome nudity. For example, the whole discourse between Adam, Eve and the Lord in Genesis 3, reveals that Adam & Eve hid behind the trees. Now we can see why they made the leaves into clothing...CAMOFLAGE! Hiding from God was the purpose of the leaves not covering nakedness! Flesh through bushes is easily seen, LEAVES AREN'T!
So many "religious" ideas surround doctrine but the truth is often so much simpler.
So, sorry if I've been long winded BornNude, but I hope it explains something of how I discovered my naked freedoom, and how I'm totally, totally convinced that nudity should neither be sexual or shameful, and those of us that have understood this are free indeed!
A sister of mine--actually my sister, who's a writer and editor--says that if more theologians were trained in literary criticism, there'd be a lot less nonsense preached from pulpits!
As a Sabbathkeeper among a Christendom full of Sundaykeepers, I understand how a majority can be led astray, so having to reexamine traditional views on nakedness was not so hard for me either. I have found, though, that the foundational doctrines of love, grace, and faith have not changed. My faith is not in doctrine, but in Jesus crucified and risen for me.
I guess I'm one of those "out there" pastors you asked about. You asked about several aspects or being a pastor and a nudist. Boyd and others have done an exellent job of addressing most of the theological and biblical issues of the subject.
On the more social/personal side I enjoy the comfort and community of my local club, about 1 hr away, and other clubs I have visited. It is a place where I can go where I am ron rather than rev ron, pastor ron or brother ron. While i can enjoy this ananimity in other places it always seems that as soon as conversation reveals my position relationships change. In the nudist community this is not as apparent therefore in do not need to measure words. While my family and some members of my congregation are aware of my activity only my sister has chosen to join me in a hike.
Pastor, Rev, Brother Ron, (sorry I just had to do it!)
You said your congragation (some) knew about your naturism. How did that happen? How did they react? Did you lose any of them? If you are part of a Denom do they know? I am very curious! I have been a pastor for 3 years and a naturist for 3 months. I look forward to hearing from all 3 of you guys.
happy2beadam
I am the author of the poem "Christians and Nakedness" which is linked to from Boyd's site. That poem is an outspoken synopsis of my research into naturism up to the time it was written. My family knows my interest. I have preached what I believe to be accurate reformations of theologically inaccurate views of nakedness in some of my sermons, to the point where my wife, my best pulpit critic, thought I would get into official trouble. Yes, I could, and probably will someday, get into trouble for preaching the Bible's more godly and "unsexualized" view of human nakedness. In the mean time. I continue to do research, gathering elements of blatant truth to defend myself against such trouble, if it should ever come.
The reason I like to use the word "naturism" is that my research into the beginnings of the German nudist movement seem to be directly related to a preceeding "return to nature" movement that included naked "air and light" bathing and cold water therapy) for improvement of health (see Return to Nature by Aldoph Just, online copy at http://www.soilandhealth.org/02/0201hyglibcat/020162.Just.pdf )
What I am convinced happened at that time was that once it was discovered that breaking the taboo against mixed-gender social nakedness did not bring on the sexual lust that the taboo predicted, people who were practicing naturism for health discovered nudism for comfort and pleasureable freedom. I have to say that my job as a nurse showed me that the taboo was a lie, too, and I studied nudism first, which validated that experience with nudity in nursing. But after studying the roots of naturism, I have also totally changed my dietary lifestyle as well. Backyard sunbathing (when the sun is available), and outside cold-water natural baths (with body rubbing in the open air to dry), have been a immune-system boost for me over the last several months. We will see how I fare through the winter months.
In January of this year I began my first art class ever, and now, I am in the midst of a figure drawing class, where nudes are the models. My congregation (in a retirement community) know this, and a few of my colleagues in ministry have seen my work (which you can see, too on my Yahoo Photos site... sorry these are small shots of 18x24inch drawings: http://new.photos.yahoo.com/dlh1029/album )
When the kids in this college class see that nakedness, I know exactly what's on their minds... not sex, but how to capture that curve and make the shadow look real and keep the proportion right, which is just what is on my mind, except that this whole "art" experience in giving me new eyes to see the awesome beauty in a man or woman's body that my former religious training forbade me to appreciate and the routine of my nursing experience dulled. Since I work in labor and delivery, my knowledge of the naked female body is exceptional, but lately I am staring! I think of how I would capture that lovely curve or how I would draw that skin fold. I have a renewed delight in way God made our bodies.
Finally, this last August I took the first half of a 100-hour massage course, with paid education-leave for the CEUs in offered. I learned the full-body massage, and as soon as I got my board and lotion, I have been doing about one a week for practice. The interesting part about the course was that the massage school rents space from a hot springs resort in which its large area of pools is clothing-optional. Needless to say, I enjoyed those pools everyday after class au nauturel. I saw no inappropriate behavior anywhere. It was beautiful.
I hope this has been encouraging and validating.
-- Pastor David, RN
"The highest compliment ever paid to the human body
and the clearest commentary on its dignity and worth
is the Incarnation of God's Son, our Lord Jesus Christ."
-- DLH
It's good to hear from you again and to catch up with what you are doing! Thanks for sharing not only your spiritual thoughts but your daily life examples and thoughts on this subject.
