Rev. Mrs. Rhoda Ikotun has challenged the idea that married Christians must completely avoid sexual intimacy with their spouses throughout periods of fasting and prayer.
Speaking about marriage and spirituality, she argued that being a minister or embarking on an extended fast should not become an excuse to neglect one’s spouse.
“Don’t allow the time of the pulpit to encroach into the time of the home,” she said.
Ikotun also stressed that if a married couple chooses to abstain from intimacy for a period of prayer or spiritual devotion, such a decision should involve the consent of both husband and wife.
She further stated that, in her understanding, intimacy between a husband and wife during a fast does not automatically “break” the fast or make a person less spiritual.
“Having sex with your spouse, your husband or your wife, during fasting does not break your fast,” she said, challenging listeners to show her a biblical passage teaching otherwise.
Her message was a call for balance, arguing that genuine spirituality should not lead married people to neglect the responsibilities and intimacy of their marriage.