The Interconnection of Sexuality and Religion Among Highly Religious Families
By Isabella Thompson, Erin Smidt, Celsey Selland, and David Allsop
February 15, 2026
This blog is a summary of our published article:
Clarke, R. W., Leavitt, C. E., Allsop, D. B., Marks, L. D., & Dollahite, D. C. (2021). How sexuality and religion intersect in highly religious families: Implications for clinicians. Sexual and Relationship Therapy, 342–359. https://doi.org/10.1080/14681994.2021.2014052
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How do sexuality and religion interact in households where faith is a significant factor? Religion shapes values, relationships, and daily life for many families. In highly religious households, sexuality can be both meaningful and challenging, affecting communication, behavior, and moral boundaries. Understanding these influences could help clinicians and families support healthy sexual communication and relationships while respecting faith, as sexuality and religion are closely linked in shaping identity and family life.
Purpose of the Study
Researchers wanted to better understand connections between religion and sexuality in highly religious families, as well as similarities and differences across faiths
What did we do?
Researchers interviewed 198 Muslim, Christian, and Jewish families across the United States. They used semi-structured, open-ended interviews to have in-depth discussions about the topic. Even though sexuality was not a prearranged subject, people brought it up on their own, sharing it’s connections to their religious beliefs. The research team used inductive coding, a method in which themes and patterns are identified directly from the interview data rather than being predetermined, to identify key ideas shared across different religions.
What did we find?
The researchers found several themes in the data.
Sex as Sacred: Many couples referred to sexual connection as a "divine gift" or as something that has spiritual significance and fortifies marriage ties. Couples often highlighted that faith could deepen the emotional and spiritual meaning of sex by linking intimacy to feelings of gratitude, respect, and closeness to God.
Rules, Boundaries, and Prohibitions: Based on religious teachings, many participants strongly disapproved of premarital sex, adultery, and pornography. Religious laws provided many families with structure and direction.
Navigating culture and media: Many families spoke of how religion was a guide for navigating sexual messaging from culture and media. Living a religious lifestyle often meant grappling with holding different views about sexuality than those around them.
Concerns regarding children: Some families discussed concerns on passing on religious and sexual values to their children. Parents talked about supporting children's autonomy through education rather than coercion. Parents seemed to see themselves as source of education and sharing of sexual values rather than religious leaders.
What does this mean?
In many families, sexuality and religion are closely intertwined, influencing relationships, values, and individual identities. By promoting sexual connections as sacred, faith can give sex a positive meaning for families.
Implications for Clinicians
When working with religious families, clinicians should discuss sexuality in the context of a client’s faith. Religion and sexuality have a complex link that can be difficult to navigate, but together can serve as a source of strength by giving life a sense of sacred meaning. Clinicians can help clients navigate sexuality and sexual relationships in ways that honor their beliefs.
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