The Bare Truth: A Catholic Perspective on Nudity
Jul 11, 2025
Christians are getting it wrong when it comes to nudity. My piece dives into the taboo subject. It explores the misconceptions and benefits of this activity, and why nudity needs to be de stigmatized.
(Originally written on Jan. 27, 2025)
Nudity: A word that invokes a certain response to the average Christian. After reading that word you have probably blushed. Perhaps the thought of a naked body disgusts you and brings negative thoughts, or maybe you are confused about how someone of faith could possibly think that nudity is acceptable. Regardless, there is definitely a stigma associated with the uncovered body. Believe me, I used to be one of those people who thought that nakedness is immodest, sinful, bad, and immoral. I was raised a Catholic, and I can say from personal experience that many in the community are very hostile towards skin exposure. For my entire life, I had never questioned it until recently, when something life changing happened.
Last year, I came across a website about recreational nudity. You might be thinking, “Tony, what led you to visit a nudist website?” The answer is simple: curiosity. I was investigating whether a Christian can engage in recreational nudity, and I came across a website called the American Association for Nude Recreation (AANR), which is the largest nudist organization in the United States. They have been around for over 93 years. To my amazement, I learned that the founders of this group were pastors! That got me thinking: “How can god-fearing people partake in this strange activity called recreational nudity?” I continued researching and I came across another website called Clothes Free International. They have a section on their website about nudity and Christianity. They give examples of nudity throughout biblical history, such as naked baptisms, prophets being in the nude, and the most obvious example humanity before the Fall. Finally, I came across two non-profit groups called Christian Naturist of America and Christian Naturist Association that encourage nude recreation and worship with other likeminded believers. The organizers say that non-sexual nudity and Christianity are compatible with each other. This caught me by surprise, given my upbringing in the faith. I then became more interested in this subculture.
After careful consideration and lots of prayer, I did something that I never imagined I would do: I started getting naked in the privacy of my own home. But I went even further - I went online and researched the nearest nude resort from my hometown, and I embraced the experience. Yes, I visited a nude resort and got naked with a bunch of strangers. To be completely honest, I was very nervous about this decision. I had no idea what to expect and worried that I might struggle with lustful thoughts or be unable to control my urges. Additionally, I wasn’t sure whether this decision conflicted with my faith. However, once I arrived, everyone was very friendly and welcoming to me. They made me feel very comfortable, and after about ten minutes, I completely forgot that I was naked. To my surprise, the resort even had a chapel for religious gatherings and weddings. But most unexpectedly, I found that did not experience lust or gaze at a woman inappropriately - something that completely shocked me. Everyone respected personal boundaries of others and treated everyone with respect. It felt like a small city, but with naked people where everyone could just be themselves and do fun activities such as swimming, hiking, tennis, volleyball, and even dancing. It was a truly surreal experience.
This experience completely transformed my entire view of the naked body. Throughout my life I have always felt embarrassed and ashamed to remove my clothes. If someone had asked me ten years ago if I would be doing this, I would have said “never.” However, engaging in recreational nudity made me more comfortable with my body, resulting in less embarrassment when walking around naked. This is a strange thing to hear coming from a faithful catholic like myself.
I’m not saying this is right for everyone. However, I encourage all Christians to reconsider their views on nakedness. It may be strange, and that is understandable, since nudity is very much stigmatized in Western society. Two books, ReNude Life by author Jason Stern and Who Said You Were Naked? by pastor David L. Hatton, examine how society can reshape its perception of the human body. The authors address issues that affect our understanding of nudity. Unfortunately, the naked body is often conflated with sexuality due to prevalence of pornography. This is troubling, as young people are being presented an unnatural and ungodly perception of sexuality and the body. However, not all hope is lost: we can reclaim what is good. By viewing the body through a godly lens, we can begin separating nakedness from sexuality.
Is there anything in scripture or the catechism which suggests that simply being naked is immodest, bad, sinful or immoral? No. What matters is the intention behind nudity. Most of the stigma surrounding nudity originates from puritanical customs prevalent in the United States.
Even the Vatican features statues of nude people. If nudity were indeed a problem, it’s unlikely the popes would permit these displays in public. In fact, the recently canonized Pope John Paul II discussed the naked body in his book titled Love and Responsibility. His words were: “The human body can remain nude and uncovered and preserve intact its splendor and beauty. Nakedness as such is not to be equated with physical shamelessness. Immodesty is present only when nakedness plays a negative role with regard to the value of the person.” If a person can be immodest while clothed, then they can also be modest while unclothed. This is an undeniable fact.
But what if I told you there are benefits to engaging in non-sexual, social nudity? According to a PubMed journal article written by psychologist Keon West, people who engage in social nudity tend to be more body positive and experience less social physique anxiety compared to people who do not. They are also more likely to decondition the body as a sexual stimulus, meaning they are less prone to sexual arousal and lust when seeing a naked person. Another psychologist, Justin Lehmiller, affirmed the same benefits on an article from Psychology Today, such as enhanced body positivity and greater respect of others’ bodies. Additionally, the increased sun exposure provides adequate amounts of Vitamin D.
Everyone is born naked. As children we swam naked, embracing our natural state without shame. Historically, baptisms were done naked, symbolizing purity and renewal. In many cultures, full or partial nudity is common, reflecting respect and comfort surrounding the body. There are even Christian communities that worship in the nude, which was the most surprising. Authors like Jason Stern and David L. Hatton explore how Christianity and nudity can coexist. A prominent Christian writer, Justine Hudson famously advocates for nudism, stating, “it’s about shedding the layer of shame, fear and insecurity when it comes to our bodies.” Regardless if you are Catholic, Protestant, or Orthodox, it is important to re-wire our minds about how we perceive nakedness. If that means getting naked around others in a safe environment, then I encourage it. Let it be a New Year’s resolution or an item on your bucket list. Your life will change for the better. Mine definitely has.