The recent post by Colorado Artist “Why We Go Nude” spoke to me. This led me to share what’s been on my heart a great deal recently regarding nudity and naturism. I hope that my perspective will inspire others, as the posts here have inspired me!
My background is being raised in a traditional, Christian home—loving, but very much of the frame of mind that one does not talk about the body or sexuality. These things were left to be sorted out in marriage, with little to no discussion of the facts of life.
Today, having studied the Scriptures, history and culture, and having prayed and pondered, I have come to a view of nudity and naturism/nudism that, while not the typical church view, I believe to be both healthy and without sin.
I believe that male and female are divinely designed by a loving Creator, who in the beginning placed Adam and Eve in Eden naked and unashamed. That nakedness without shame speaks to purity and innocence prior to the fall. I also believe that as God called all of His creation “good,” meaning that there is not one inch of our naked bodies that is inherently immoral, indecent or obscene—not even what one calls our “private parts.” We all have them, and God isn’t shocked or surprised by them or their functions.
The simplest read of God clothing Adam and Eve, as interpreted by most, has been that it was their physical nakedness that was suddenly sinful or embarrassing. And while I read the Scriptures literally, there is also a large amount of symbolism and illustration used in the Bible to impart a lesson or tell a story. Song of Solomon is a particularly relevant case in point for this site!
Prior to their sin, Adam and Eve lived in a complete state of innocence before God. Their realization of their “nakedness” is not a prescription that nudity itself was the issue or inherently sinful. In my perspective, God clothing them is an act of compassion, not an act of condemnation or commentary on nudity. In fact, it was an act consistent with the entire narrative of Scripture when it comes to God’s relationship with fallen mankind.
Ponder this concept of “covering.” God provides Adam and Eve with covering when they realize their fallen natures. In the Old Testament, sacrifices were prescribed for the sins of people, covering their sins before God. Ultimately, Jesus Christ sacrificed Himself for the sins of humanity, his blood washing away those sins for those who repent, again, covering their sins with His sacrifice.
The concept of covering is about spiritual protection and renewal, restoring us to purity before God. But it’s not a condemnation of the body, nudity itself, or that which God called good because He created it. Nor is it a prescription to avoid nudity as a Christian.
But what about the two words that cause concern for many: lust and modesty? These are spoken of in the Bible, and obviously we can’t ignore them.
First off, modesty is not, as some think, a concept about dress codes. It’s an issue of spirit. Modesty itself cannot be defined by clothing or lack thereof, because modesty is an attitude, a way of being. To be modest is to have humility, to not present as arrogant or better than others, and to avoid vanity. One can be completely dressed in the finest clothing and be immodest of spirit, or completely nude and humble and kind. The Scriptures make this clear, and we’re also told to not give much regard to clothing, because beauty and worth are not defined by them.
But beauty and worth are defined by what our Creator said about us, which is that what He made is good—and that includes our naked bodies. Beauty and worth are found in character, humility and our inner qualities. That’s not to say our bodies aren’t beautiful, but that what matters most in how we present ourselves is our hearts and conduct.
Part of God’s “good” creation was the natural attraction between men and women, and the response of our bodies to that desire. That desire is fundamental to the very existence of humanity. That’s a blessing and not something to be denied or feared. It’s an appetite, to be sure, and it’s natural and healthy. If you don’t have a healthy appetite for food, something’s usually wrong. And the same applies to sexual release. Our bodies were made for that, and it’s an important part of life. The warning against lust is, in a way, comparable to a warning against gluttony. But the hunger itself, for either food or sexual release, is not a sin. Nor is fulfilling it in a Biblical way.
As a man, I have a healthy appreciation for the female body. It’s a beautiful thing—one of God’s most beautiful creations, I’d say. And I happen to think my body, as a man, is awesome too. That includes my pleasure parts!
I desire a happy, loving marriage and all of the pleasures that come with it, pun intended. But I want that in a way that blesses, not harms me, and blesses my future bride. So I have the personal responsibility to control that urge, and to act in the way that is most loving and respectful of others and of myself. So I exercise self control, but I also recognize the desire. If I’m aroused by a woman, that’s a beautiful and healthy thing, and I consider it a blessing, while also keeping a healthy and respectful attitude towards her.
Practicing naturism actually has helped me appreciate the uniqueness of my own body and that of others. I know that’s difficult for many women who struggle with body image, particularly when some parts of Christian culture or upbringing may not encourage communication or positivity about the topic. I experienced that growing up as well, which gives me a ton of empathy for others dealing with that.
While culture has gone back and forth about standards of dress, swimwear, and so on, the Biblical approach is both simple and timeless. While we’re not to cause offense, the Scripture also tells us we have freedom, and my understanding is that that extends to the body, be it sunbathing nude in the back yard, or going to a top-free or clothing optional beach. There, we get to experience the freedom of being as we were made, wonderfully so, and to love every inch of what God gave us, and to be truly vulnerable, yet accepted before God, and perhaps others. And it’s okay if you enjoy it, because it’s not a bad thing.
We live in a culture where literally everything is pretty much in the palm of our hands, flooding us with raw information, good and bad. And I think now more than ever, that calls for bold but positive, encouraging answers about sexuality, masturbation and non-sexual nudity. Perhaps now is the time, more than ever, for those of us who have this understanding to be truly naked and unashamed—full frontal faith, if you will! It’s something I take seriously. I have felt led to use social media to, through quotes and memes, promote body positivity and naturist freedom as a believer.
I haven’t yet practiced social nudity, not because I believe it’s wrong, but because that’s an experience I want to share with my partner—be it at a beach, a hot springs, or simply in the back yard of our home. And while she might be shy, I’d love to have that adventure with her and provide loving encouragement and leadership if she’s wanting to experience this in a potentially more public setting.
One of my favorite songs is “Back to the Garden” by Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young. To me, as Christians, that is an inspiring ideal—to reject shame, have confidence in one’s self, and embrace the natural beauty and worth of our bodies. It’s an experience I’m eager to share with a spouse, and in the meantime, something I strongly encourage.
As Christians I don’t believe we should fear our bodies or nudity, running from them in fear or insecurity. Instead, we should do our part to bring back a little piece of Eden right here in our corner of the Earth. When exercised for this purpose, naturism to any degree—be it at home or at the beach—when practiced with wisdom, can be a blessing.
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