Ethical Approach for Promoting Balanced Sexual Orientation among Christian Couples in Nigeria

In the sacred dance of marital intimacy, where faith intertwines with human desire, Christian couples often navigate a labyrinth of cultural taboos and spiritual expectations, seeking harmony in their sexual lives. Yet, this divine gift of sexuality can become a source of discord, fracturing bonds meant to reflect God’s eternal love. This study aims to develop an ethical framework for promoting balanced sexual orientation among Christian couples, justified by the need to integrate biblical principles with modern psychological insights for enhanced marital fulfillment. The problem lies in pervasive sexual dissatisfaction, including mismatched libidos and suppression of mutual pleasure, which contributes to high divorce rates; previous studies highlight cultural clashes in Nigerian contexts but overlook targeted ethical interventions for married adults, leaving a gap in guidance for aligning orientations with faith. The theoretical framework draws from Thomas Aquinas’s Natural Law Theory, emphasizing sexuality’s alignment with divine purposes of procreation and unity, relating to this work by providing a basis for ethical stewardship of attractions; Augustine’s Virtue Ethics fosters habits like temperance for relational balance; and Mark Yarhouse’s Integrative Model aids in navigating identities through Christ-centered approaches. Employing qualitative literature review and biblical exegesis, the scope focuses on Christian couples in Nigeria, justified as a microcosm of global faith-culture intersections amid urbanization. Its significance includes reducing marital breakdowns and modelling Christ-like unions. Findings reveal that ethical approaches mitigate cultural stigmas, promote open dialogues, and harmonize orientations for mutual joy. Recommendations urge church-led counselling and virtue education, concluding that such frameworks empower couples toward redemptive intimacy.