This significant contribution to theological ethics shows that sexuality is not the sole, nor even the main ground on which a scriptural understanding of identity rests - rather it is the fullness of humanity's relationship with God. In that light, Holiness and Desire offers a wise resource for theological reflection on all that makes our relationships and has the power to distort them. Subjects include : longing for belonging, possession and idolatry ; fidelity, betrayal and abuse ; romantic dreams of fulfillment and completion ; companionship and nurturing beyond kinship ; knowing and being known ; unfulfilled desire and the yearning for God. A wide-ranging and profoundly thoughtful book, it explores the consequences of narrowing the understanding of human identity and relationship to the area of sexual desire and calls for a broader, more holistic view.