"Talking Back to Purity Culture: Rediscovering Faithful Christian Sexuality" by: Rachel Joy Welcher

Age: 16-17+

Description: It's time to talk back. The generation born into evangelical purity culture has grown up, and many have started families of their own. But as time goes on, it's becoming more evident that many still struggle with purity culture's complicated legacy--its idolization of virginity, its mixed messages about modesty and lust, and its promise of a healthy marriage and great sex for those who follow the rules. In Talking Back to Purity Culture, Rachel Joy Welcher reviews the movement carefully, examining its teachings through the lens of Scripture. Compassionate, faithful, and wise, she charts a path forward for evangelicals in the ongoing debates about sexuality--one that rejects legalism and license alike, steering us back instead to the good news of Jesus. It's time to talk back to purity culture--and this book is ready to jump-start the conversation.

 

My Rating: 5/5

First of all, I love how she started the book. In the introduction, she vulnerably shared her own story, explaining her personal journey through the purity culture and its teachings. I appreciate her willingness to be open with the readers. Knowing her story truly helped in understanding where she was coming from.

I found this book to be a very thought-provoking read! I thoroughly enjoyed Welcher’s view of purity culture. In fact, I found it quite refreshing. Often times, churches and youth groups will beat the idea of purity so hard they do not realize that they are ultimately idolizing it. Welcher brought everyone back into perspective stating that “God and His glory are the goal of purity” (Welcher 80).

Notable Quotes:
"God has made me pure through Christ, and he alone keeps me pure."
- Nicole

"Virginity does not provide our purity. Jesus does."

"Romance novels can be just as dangerous to the cause of mental purity as viewing pornography."

"God and his glory are the goal of purity."

Things to be aware of in "Talking Back to Purity Culture:"

Language:
- 1 "dang"
- 1 "b***h"

Violence:
- Mentions of abuse inside and outside of familial relationships (sexually and physically)

Romantic Content:
- Naturally, there is a lot of discussion about "the marriage bed," sex, nakedness, "orgasm," "oral sex," "intercourse," and "intimacy."
- Discussion is had about a 13-year-old girl who was sexually assaulted by a man in church. Afterwards, she considers cutting off her breasts.
- Discussions of "masturbation"

Spiritual Content
Though there are Scripture quotations, there are not as many as I would have liked.

Additional Notes:
- Pornography is mentioned
- A mention of suicide
- There is much discussion about homosexuality/same-sex attraction
- There is a quote containing the words "vagina" and "penis"
- Rape is mentioned
- Breasts/Boobs are mentioned

 

Links to Book: Amazon and Goodreads.

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