I’m a married Christian thirty-something, living in England, UK. I love to explore how sex positivity can intersect with a reverent regard for Scripture.
The image at the top of this page is what I would look like if I was a manga character. If you want to know a bit more about where that picture came from, it’s by Siku.
I’m also a borderline Aspie and a demisexual (asexual).
Things I enjoy in life include (in no particular order):
- Biblical studies,
- CS Lewis and JRR Tolkien,
- Alanis Morissette,
- Star Trek and Babylon 5, theology, physics,
- Ghost in the Shell: Standalone Complex
- coffee and cake,
- playing the piano, singing,
- writing poetry,
- writing theatre, and
- going for long walks with my husband.
Oh, there are a few short videos of me playing the piano on YouTube — this one is my favourite.
Faith background
When I was growing up I wanted to be an astronaut. So I chose science for my studies, but later decided that my efforts in life might be better spent trying to make the people on this planet get along better. I managed to land myself a boring desk job™, and have since studied theology, along with other areas relevant to feminism and women’s equality.
I was brought up in as an evangelical Anglican. Whilst I wouldn’t describe myself with either of those labels at the current time, I live with a sense of home-sickness for both, which never completely goes away. In some respects I have progressed very far from what I believed when I was younger, in others, I remain very orthodox.
The part of my faith that has surprised me most (not to mention others) has been my love of the Old Testament and the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Bible). I feel like I know and love Jesus best, not when I experience him as a companion, good friend or advocate, but rather as a wonderful teacher of the law. Maybe that will change in the future, but it’s where I’m at now and I’m done trying to hide it.
Why I blog
I started to blog because, with the advent of Fifty Shades of Grey in cinemas in 2015, I wanted offer an informed Christian perspective on the issues it raises about consent, BDSM and purity culture. That desire was itself fuelled by my husband’s and my experience of needing psychosexual therapy when we married.
I also think that the church can learn from people who are outside of the church. Certainly, this was my experience when it came to consent. (And Christians really oughta know about consent!)
After the pandemic hit, I started a sister-site Faith in Grey Places as a repository of Christian devotional materials, each creatively exploring the Bible. I’ve found that social media algorithms favour controversies, explainers and entertainment — all of which can be helpful tools for spiritual growth, but they don’t necessarily nourish or water the soul. On Faith in Grey Places, I look for words and images that are grounded in our daily realities, yet reach deep inside and strengthen us.
So, that’s me in a nutshell. Welcome to my blog. I’ve written more specifically about how I work out my theology and my feminism in practice — and what that means for particular issues (and controversial topics). Also, check out the about my writing page to get a feel for what I write about, what other people have said about my writing and how to find the topics that interest you most.
Contact
You can find me on:
- Twitter @hope4greyplaces
- Facebook @hope4greyplaces
- Light in Grey Places Facebook page @workthegreymatter
Faith in Grey Places, for worship and devotional materials:
- Faith in Grey Places website
- Faith in Grey Places Facebook page @faithgreyplaces
- YouTube channel (not currently very active, but has a number of instrumental videos)
