Christian contraception (found 43 titles)

Sex and the Soul: Juggling Sexuality, Spirituality, Romance, and Religion on America's College Campuses

Author: Donna Freitas
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
Publication date: 2008-04-11
ISBN: 0195311655
Pages: 328
Rating:
Price: $24.95

Today's college students are fascinated by religion but they are also more sexually active than previous generations. How do these young people reconcile their spiritual longings with sexual freedom on campus?
Based on dozens of face-to-face interviews, Sex and the Soul explores the sexual and spiritual lives of today's college students. Donna Freitas crisscrossed the country, visiting a range of America's colleges and universities--from public to private, Catholic to evangelical--to find out what students had to say about these highly personal subjects. Their stories will not only engage readers, but, in many cases, move them with the painful struggles these candid young women and men face. Indeed, the book uncovers aspects of college life that may unsettle some readers, especially parents. Many campuses, for instance, are dominated by the hook-up culture of casual sex. Moreover, a surprising number of students see little connection between sex and religion. Indeed, these observations hold true even at Catholic schools. Only at evangelical colleges is religion an important factor when deciding whether or not to engage in sex. But Freitas's research also reveals that, even at secular schools, students are not comfortable with the prevalence of casual sex, and that they do want religion to speak about what they should do and who they should try to be--not just what they should avoid doing.
Sex and the Soul will offer readers the chance to hear college students speaking honestly about extremely sensitive topics, in a book that will be of great interest to students, parents, clergy, teachers, and anyone who wants to know what's happening on today's college campuses.

Customes reviews 4

A Superb Examination Of A Troublesome Issue (2009-12-25)

There's been a lot of very good material written in the past couple of years on the detrimental emotional and psychological effects that unrestrained sexual behavior is having on American young adults; primarily college students. Donna Freitas' Sex and the Soul is a worthy addition to that material. The reason the book is as valuable as it is stems from the approach that Freitas took to present the information. As is the case with any scientific study, Freitas provides a factual definition of the issues through the use of raw data gathered through observation (in this case, surveys that she and her staff organized). However, instead of stopping with the data, she gives the study depth by incorporating comments from students on their views regarding sexuality and spirituality. The comments not only put a human face on the issues, they also make what would be a dry study readable. Both the data and the interviews bolster Freitas' conclusion that there is a discontentment with the options of promiscuity and chastity. In order to address this discontentment, Freitas develops practical recommendations for finding the middle ground between spiritual goals and sexual practice.

As I stated earlier, Sex and the Soul is the latest addition to a body of material which persuasively argues that promiscuity as a means to explore one's sexuality is not an emotionally healthy lifestyle. What distinguishes Sex and the Soul from these other books is that Freitas respects the role that both spirituality (in either a religious setting or non-religious setting) and sexuality have in one's life. She takes pains to show that the issue doesn't need to have an "either/or" answer; but, is instead broad enough to allow for one to express sexuality within a religious context. Because of this even-handed approach, Sex and the Soul rises to the top of the list of books that have been written on this subject in the past few years.

Fascinating and Insightful (2009-05-16)

Freitas has created a nice mix of fact and research with personal insight and anecdotal interviews. By carefully selecting a variety of college campuses she is able to critique both liberal and conservative approaches to campus social life. She also suggests possible solutions to the failings she sees at both places.

Excellent book! (2008-07-02)

This is an excellent ( at times appalling - at times hopeful) book. I don't usually find sociology books that I can't put down, but I read through this one in short order. What the author does quite brilliantly is weave her study of college students and how they integrate faith/religion and sex, around the personal stories of the students that she interviews. If you are a parent (like me) it is disheartening to see the influences that kids come under when they go away to college, and the soul-destroying nature of casual "hook-ups" with people one may or may not know well.

The book is hopeful (to my way of thinking) in that it is almost exclusively the evangelicals (I am one) who believe that there is a connection between spirituality and sex, and that it is important. While it is no surprise that virtually everyone struggles with how far to go physically before marriage, it is nice to see that evangelicals are generally trying to follow what they believe God desires in regards to dating and marriage.

Timely, Brilliant, Fair, Poignant (2008-04-30)

This is a carefully researched and elegantly written book on the relationship between sexuality and spirituality on US college campuses. It is pretty well known among scholars that high school kids are quite religious in the US. When they go to college they start turning away from the religions of their parents, often toward more generic spirituality. Why does this happen? Freitas thinks sexual experience might hold the key. In other words, as college students start experimenting sexually they push away from religion, since religion is in their view "anti-sex." That's the argument, or part of it. But at the heart of the book lie stories about these students. Kids at evangelical, Catholic, and secular schools struggling with faith and sexuality. It's brilliantly done. It's sad in many ways to see the binds that "hookup culture" put young people in. It's balanced in that there are things in here that will infuriate (and delight) conservatives and liberals alike. And it's timely. Makes me wonder what the next generation is in for heading off to college.

Teaching Your Children Healthy Sexuality: A Biblical Approach to Preparing Them for Life (Pure Foundations)

Author: Jim Burns
Publisher: Bethany House
Publication date: 2008-06-01
ISBN: 0764202081
Pages: 208
Rating:
Price: $13.99

It's not just the birds and the bees anymore.

You may have been eleven once, but you were never their age. Thanks to the Internet, graphic images in the media, and their "know-it-all" friends, kids today grow up earlier than ever. They have questions, and as a parent, your responsibility is to clear up the mixed messages and lead them to a healthy, value-centered view of sexuality. Sure, conversations with your kids about sex and their changing bodies can be uncomfortable--but they don't have to be. Jim Burns gives expert advice on how and when to talk with your children, and he provides answers to the most difficult questions your kids and teens might ask, like:

How far is too far? If you do "everything but sex," are you still a virgin? Is self-stimulation wrong? I think I'm addicted to porn. What can I do to get help? Is a boy/girl sleepover okay if there's a chaperone?

The world's culture may have cheapened sex, but God's view of sexuality is wonderfully made. Talking with your kids at a young age will help them make more godly decisions along the way, but they'll need conversation with you at every age. This is your opportunity to establish in them a lasting sexual integrity that will extend throughout their lives.

Customes reviews 1

It's not just the birds and the bees anymore. (2008-07-14)

You may have been eleven once, but you were never their age. Thanks to the Internet, graphic images in the media, and their "know-it-all" friends, kids today grow up earlier than ever. They have questions, and as a parent, your responsibility is to clear up the mixed messages and lead them to a healthy, value-centered view of sexuality. Sure, conversations with your kids about sex and their changing bodies can be uncomfortable --- but they don't have to be. Jim Burns gives expert advice on how and when to talk with your children, and he provides answers to the most difficult questions your kids and teens might ask, like:

How far is too far?
If you do "everything but sex," are you still a virgin?
Is self-stimulation wrong?
I think I'm addicted to porn. What can I do to get help?
Is a boy/girl sleepover okay if there's a chaperone?

The world's culture may have cheapened sex, but God's view of sexuality is wonderfully made. Talking with your kids at a young age will help them make more godly decisions along the way, but they'll need conversation with you at every age. This is your opportunity to establish in them a lasting sexual integrity that will extend throughout their lives.

Ethics of Procreation and the Defense of Human Life: Contraception, Artifical Fertilization, and Abortion

Author: Martin Rhonheimer
Publisher: Catholic University of America Press
Publication date: 2010-03-03
ISBN: 0813217229
Pages: 309
Price: $39.95

Building on the renewal of Thomistic ethics encouraged by key moral encyclicals including Humanae Vitae, Veritatis Splendor, and Evangelium Vitae, Swiss philosopher Martin Rhonheimer revisits some of the most difficult questions regarding the ethics of procreation and human life. The book offers a rigorous argument on the contested question of contraception and related matters, and similarly engages disputed questions surrounding abortion.

With Rhonheimer's characteristic circumspection and rigor, his discussion of sexual ethics provides compelling argumentation in support of Catholic teaching against contraception. He applies this analysis to the related case of using contraceptives under the threat of rape. Rhonheimer agrees with trusted Catholic moralists, who from the early 1960s to the present have concluded that such use would be licit. He shows, moreover, both the flaws in alternative analyses and how the same conclusions can be reached in a defensible manner while upholding the teachings of Humanae Vitae and Veritatis Splendor.

Rhonheimer applies his philosophical acumen to another set of difficult moral questions about contemporary threats to the sanctity of human life, including artificial reproduction and abortion. Regarding artificial reproduction, his treatment further illustrates both the fecundity of his application of Thomistic virtue and action analysis and his insistence on the moral link between sex and procreation. Finally, he not only provides a rigorous rebuttal of some of the leading arguments justifying abortion, but offers readers an example of his writings in political philosophy through a profound reflection on the defense of human life in a constitutional democracy.

The Ovulation Method: Natural Family Planning

Author: John J. Billings
Publisher: Liturgical Press
Publication date: 1984-12
ISBN: 0814610110
Pages: 40
Rating:
Price: $9.95

Customes reviews 8

Natural (2010-03-03)

I enjoyed the Ovulation Method Book. It really help me out to understand what I need to do in order to get pregnant.

Very Effective!!!! (2007-07-15)

I have been on the Billings Ovulation Method for a few years now and beleive me, if you don't cheat it is 99.99% effective. The downfall to this method is that you are not suppose to know exactly how to use it without instruction. There are ways to contact these instructers that can guide you through the process for a fee. Check with your local womens center or life center, they can help. I was able to go through my training course right here in my home for thirty dollars, and you don't have to be Catholic to use it. Good luck to you.

PS.. I did get pregnant during the time of practicing this method but it is because we chose to cheat on my most fertile day. An Anniversary and a few drinks will impair judgement like that so be careful...lol

Promotes the method but doesn't teach it (2007-07-12)

This slim book promotes the Ovulation Method, profiling its advantages and utility. But it is not an instruction book. I'm only giving it three starts because although it's well-written I'm not sure who the intended audience is, or what group might find it useful.

For someone looking to learn a mucus-only method, I would look to "The Billings Method:Controlling Fertility Without Drugs or Devices" by Evelyn Billings. For someone just interested in any kind of fertility charting, not specifically a mucus-only method, I highly recommend Taking Charge of Your Fertility by Toni Weschler as the definitive book in this category.

Well worth it! (2007-01-13)

The ovulation book was great. The book was a good price, it was packed full of information and came with a chart and pleanty of stickers to get you and your spouse started on the wonderful journey of natural family planning.

Could be Better (2005-07-07)

I was hoping that the book went into better detail. It did not help me. However, it was informative and an easy read.

Open Embrace: A Protestant Couple Rethinks Contraception

Authors: Sam Torode, Bethany Torode
Publisher: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company
Publication date: 2002-03
ISBN: 0802839738
Pages: 148
Rating:
Price: $16.00

In this bold critique of modern ideas about sex, marriage, and contraception, Sam and Bethany Torode set forth a vision that is fresh for our times yet rooted in centuries of Christian tradition. Weaving together a sound theology of spousal love with honest information and personal insight, Open Embrace offers a compelling alternative to the unquestioned use of contraception. The Torodes challenge modern lifestyles and popular wisdom about how soon to have children, how many are desirable, and how to prevent them, while still recognizing that the number of children each family can best support will vary. Open Embrace is far more than a case against contraception - it is a positive affirmation of fertility, childbearing, and prudent self-control. Couples who practice Natural Family Planning, as advocated in this book, cooperate with God's design for their bodies, making wise decisions about family size without losing respect for the mystery and meaning of sex. Whether one agrees or disagrees with its conclusions, Open Embrace is a rewarding read for all engaged and married couples seeking to sharpen their moral discernment.

Customes reviews 34

Why the authors never held a different opinion (2009-11-24)

The problem with this book is that it doesn't deal with presuppositional issues or understand the morality behind contraception in general. The rejection of artificial means is difficult to argue favorably, simply because the results seem to render the argument irrelevant. If, in the end, one is "contracepting" a child then it seems of little difference what method one may use. It was inevitable that the authors moved from their presuppositions (i.e., a philosophical naturalistic view of conception)to eventually accepting artificial methods of accomplishing those same ends.
The real question is whether the act of contraception is immoral. I deal with is in my book, "The Christian Case against Contraception: Making the Case from Historical, Biblical, Systematic and Practical Theology & Ethics." I try to deal with questions the authors here have failed to ask, a failure which ultimately led them to misunderstand the issues involved completely.

Protestants NEED to hear this! (2008-09-19)

Very short read, but a great book for protestants who would like to learn more about why one would oppose contraception.

The book has a lot of good in it, but... (2008-02-12)

The reason I am giving this a low rating is because the authors have changed their views. The statement on their web site was laughable, its sad how far people can fall.

Not Entirely Convincing (2007-09-27)

I liked the book, it was a quick easy read. But it's not a keeper. I really feel passionate on the issue of contraception for the Christian couple. I feel this book was more like an idea than a teaching. It seemed the authors were trying to avoid stepping on anyones toes by rather just giving you something to think about rather than share their honest opinions. If I wasn't already letting God control my fertility, this book wouldn't convince me.

This way lies madness. (2006-08-23)

For the novice, a couple things need to be definitively stated here: Firstly, the Bible says exactly *nothing* about Birth Control, neither pro nor con. Everyone's opinion on the subject, from the Pope on down to John Q. Believer of *any* sect of Christianity is voicing just that: opinion. That's fine, one is allowed to have their own opinion, but they shouldn't mask it as "God's Law," or attempt to apologize it in as "What God meant, but didn't actually say." (For that matter, there's no condemnation of masterbation in the bible either, and the Catholic obsession over the subject stems from a willful misreading of the story of Onan).
The basic concept of Protestantism was to free Christianity from the excesses, corruption, and stifling traditions of Catholicism, and on a functional level, the idea was to only "Speak on those subjects the Bible speaks on, and to be silent where the Bible is silent." The point is, quite simply, that a protestant is to behave in accordance with the things the Bible specifically says, and on subjects that the bible doesn't mention, it's up to your own discression, so long as it is not otherwise immoral. Illicit sex outside of marriage is condemned, so obviously that's bad, as is witchcraft and homosexuality: there's no getting around those if you're Protestant. However, there's no mention of flying in airplanes, voting libertarian, or living in North America, and so all of those things are, therefore, a matter of taste, and not a matter of Divine Command, no matter what the individual may say to the contrary.
My problem with this book is that it asks the reader to take upon him/herself more burden than God Himself requires of them, and it disingenuously presents it in an apologetic fashion, trying to dupe impressionable readers into thinking "This is what God really meant." I have a problem with any "Christian" book that misrepresents the bible, as should anyone who (like me) calls themselves a Christian. It implies that people who do more than is asked of them in this regard will have a more full, rewarding life than 'weaker' people who actually want to have sex with their spouses just because - hey, let's face it: sex is fun - and it implies that people who actually want to have sex are somehow inferior or less in love than those who hold out. This, despite the fact that the Bible clearly says husbands and wives are not to deny themselves to each other.
This book represents a maddening new kind of Fundamentalism in which the Bible itself has only talismanic value, to be quoted only when it confirms preconceived notions (Wether good or bad) that the individual has, and to be misrepresented when it says otherwise, or simply used to bludgeon someone over the head with, knowing that few people - even Christians - have a good working knowledge of the book anyway.
Speaking as a life-long Protestant, I find this book to be disturbing.

Love, Reason, and God's Story: An Introduction to Catholic Sexual Ethics

Authors: PhD, David Cloutier
Publisher: Anselm Academic
Publication date: 2008-02-15
ISBN: 0884899454
Pages: 292
Price: $26.25

In Love, Reason, and God's Story: An Introduction to Catholic Sexual Ethics, Dr. David Cloutier provides readers with a basic understanding of the history of Catholic teaching on sexual ethics, particularly as it has evolved in the last half century. By engaging students in serious intellectual discussion, this author allows them to integrate that discussion with the practical questions that affect their lives.

This text explores the historical, spiritual, practical, and normative elements of Catholic sexual ethics in a way no other book does. Love, Reason, and God's Story is faithful to the Catholic tradition, engaging, accessible to students, and pedagogically structured to encourage critical thinking about dating, marriage, and sexuality.

Purity Code: Audio Resource, The: Conversations With Youth Experts (Pure Foundations)

Authors: Jim Burns
Publisher: Bethany House
Publication date: 2008-06-01
ISBN: 0764205471
Price: $14.99

Remaining pure in body, mind, eyes, and heart could be the most difficult thing your kids will face in their preteens and teens--and into adulthood. Jim Burns, author of the PURE FOUNDATIONS series, goes beyond the printed word with this unique audio resource, designed to open a dialog between parents and their kids about healthy sexuality. Fresh content not found in the books includes advice and answers from interviews with notable youth experts Dr. John Townsend, Shannon Ethridge, Rebecca St. James, Hayley DiMarco, and others.

Disc 1: For Parents 1. Introduction 2. "We Were Never Their Age" 3. Using The Purity Code to Teach Healthy Sexuality 4. When Is the Right Time to Talk About Sex and Sexuality? 5. Early Sexualization 6. Sexual Abuse 7. Pornography 8. Dealing With Your Own Sexuality 9. Conclusion Bonus: Q&A

Disc 2: For Ages 10-14 and Their Parents 1. Introduction 2. How Sex Influences Our Lives 3. The Purity Code 4. Changes in Your Body 5. Is Sex Safe? 6. Modesty and Flirting 7. Radical Respect 8. The Dangers of Pornography 9. Sexual Abuse 10. Conclusion

Sacred Choices (Sacred Energies Series)

Authors: Daniel C. Maguire
Publisher: Fortress Press
Publication date: 2001-01-03
ISBN: 0800634330
Pages: 172
Rating:
Price: $16.00

Breaking the silence about choice

As the world teeters on the edge of overpopulation, this new addition to the Sacred Energies series aims to show how ten major religious traditions in fact contain strong affirmations of the right to family planning, including contraception and even, when necessary, abortion.

Maguire first shows how interrelated overpopulation is with poverty, ethnic injustice, gender injustice, and the maldistribution of economic resources. Often the world’s religions (most notoriously perhaps, Roman Catholicism) are thought to contribute only to the problem, rather than solutions, through their hostility to sex, education and equal rights for women, and birth control. In fact, argues Maguire, the ten scholars who consulted for several years about how these traditions treat issues of contraception and abortion find in them a true religious awe at the sacredness of life, a genuine openness to sexuality as a dimension of the sacred, and “alongside the ‘no choice’ position . . . a ‘pro-choice’ position that is too little known, even by adherents to the religion. That is the key message of this book.”

Customes reviews 11

An embarrassment to the Pro-choice side (2009-09-10)

Words like awful, bad, terrible, abysmal, atrocious, etc. are so often used that they have lost much of their meaning, so I had to consult a thesaurus to find a word that even conveyed the smallest fraction of my feelings as to how bad this book is. Yet the thesaurus did not have a word that seemed adequate, so I do not know how to use the English language to adequately communicate to you how bad this book really is.

After an introduction that boasts of the scholarship and credentials of the group of scholars that has been assembled to undertake the writing of this book, we go on to find approximately 0 footnotes and a dozen or so "suggested reading" lists amidst a plethora of statistics, quotes, claims, etc. In fact, the book is full of statistics that are almost impossible to verify, as no references are given. Sometimes there is a hint of where a quote can be found, but it is never referenced, so I can not find where Aquinas claimed that Catholics are justified in killing heretics, for example.

Unfortunately, the book begins with the faulty premise of utilitarianism. That is simply an underlying assumption which is never addressed. With the utilitarian framework in place, the first couple chapters attempt to argue that the world is overpopulated (yawn), and once this has been established, it naturally follows that we are justified in using contraception and abortion.

When the book is not making utilitarian arguments and throwing out unverifiable statistics, it is parroting every cliche phrase in the book. You name it, this book has it covered, including "trust women to make their own decisions", "choice is a personal, private decision which should be between the woman and her doctor", "religion teaches that sex is dirty" , "those who do not support abortion should not have abortions themselves" etc etc etc.

I do not even know where to begin critiquing the "Catholic" position on abortion in this book. The overall argument is basically as follows: there seem to be a few instances in history of Catholic theologians saying things that don't directly condemn abortion and there are also times when certain the Church didn't say anything about abortion when we think they should have: therefore, abortion is permissible. This isn't even worthy of being labeled a non sequitur. "Quotes" of these fathers are sparse, sometimes giving partial sentences or sentence fragments, other times simply asserting that a certain Church father said something. Of course, not a hint of a reference is given. The anti-science, 18th century, stone age notion of "quickening" is, of course, appealed to. No poorly argued pro-choice book of religion would be complete without it. Some of the most asinine straw men are used. What is the reason that the Catholic church is against abortion? The author speculates that it is because women are becoming too independent and gaining too much power and its a way to "hold them down." No mention of science, never interacting with any other viewpoints. No arguments of John Paul II, Christopher West, Patrick Lee, Robert George, Frank Beckwith. No documents or arguments which actually outline a coherent anti-abortion position are considered. Instead, we get the straw man that all of this is based on the Church's want to keep women in their place. Only in the world where it is legitimate to slice up your unborn child is it also acceptable to build these ridiculous straw men, never once interacting with any sort of argument that the pro-life side puts forth. This is why the "scholarship" of this book is a joke. Not only is NOTHING referenced, but there is no interaction with scholars from the "other side", or even documents that outline the other sides position, such as Evangelium Vitae. So much more can be said about the inaccuracies and half truths of this chapter, including the absurd notion on the "sense of the faithful" to justify abortion i.e. if enough of the faithful really want it to be a certain way, then it is! How pathetic. But they used the Latin phrase for "the sense of the faithful", so it must be a true Catholic teaching! Wait a minute... what if a majority of Catholics believed that there was no "sense of the faithful" in Catholic theology. Then it would follow by the sense of the faithful that there is no sense of the faithful. Is this self-refuting? Oh well, who cares as long as we get to kill the unborn!

The upshot of this book is that it is a very good indicator of how deep and far away from reason someone will go because of sin. I'd like to say that this book is dangerous, but it is so badly reasoned and argued, that I can't imagine this would pose a threat to any thinking person. Most pro-choicers are honest enough to at least realize that the Catholic Church unequivocally condemns abortion. I never accuse people of being outright liars, but the authors of this book are the closest I've seen to legitimately thinking that they are straight-up liars. Demon possession is out of the question because demon possessed people are extremely bright and put forth good sounding arguments. This book is a disgrace.

a serious work of religious scholarship (2003-04-13)

While Daniel Maguire is one of the few mirthful scholars of religious thought, his writings have serious import in a world too often darkened by religious crime. Maguire and his sources demonstrate quite vividly that while most of the world's religions have often been involved in horrific and destructive actions, that there was and is a serious and awe inspiring underpining to their formation and purpose. My personal opinion is that there was probably much more fear and trembling than awe and reverence at their core beginnings, but Maquire is more generous in his accessment. Maguire takes us through more than ten of the world's great religious traditions with the help of scholars well versed in their own religious traditions, to demonstrate conclusively that although there is much in religious tradtions to comfort Pro-Life adherents, that there is a line of equally orthodox thought in every religious tradition to support the Pro-Choice view, and that government support of one of these religious views over the other is in conflict with the American ideal of resisting governmental intervention into religious matters. Maguire has an obvious bias toward the Pro-Choice religious position, but he is generous in granting legitimacy to the Pro-Life position as well. However, he unabashedly points out the inconsistancies in the lobbying and advocacy efforts by current avowedly Pro-Life activist's positions on multiple fronts in public policy debates. This is an important book for anyone who takes religious matters seriously. And whether or not one is religious or irreligious, I think that none can deny that religion plays a very big part in both national and international policy debates, and therefor, it behooves us all to take seriously matters of religious thought. Maguire shows us in his first few pages exactly why it is so necessary that we do so. An excellent and thoughtful read and a book which belongs on any thinking person's book shelves. wfh

Lies, Distortions and Pernicious Intent (2002-06-17)

The author, Maguire, is a lapsed Catholic priest who seeks the distruction of the Gospel in Sacred Choices. His thesis is that Catholicism along with other religious traditions acually endorse the right to contraception and abortion! By twisting historical events and moral theology, he presents his heretical views to advance the culture of death. For those who need convincing just look at the word contraception and its associative meaning. Contra = against or Anti; and Ception = Life or Christ. Put it together contra-ception = Anti-Christ. (This semantic play reveals the meaning behind the practice of contraception). This book's thesis is that the Catholic Church, along with other religious traditions, support contraception, or alternativly the Anti-Christ, or that which is agaist Life.

If religion is about the celebration of Life, how could this ex-priest have the (...) to suggest that religions support anti-life devices and proceedures that end life pre-maturely? The mind boggles . . . there is something darker in this author than what can be gleened from the cover of his book!

Great Contribution (2002-05-31)

This book provides much needed information and is a great contribution in refuting the falsehoods spread by the so-called "Christian" Right. It is a good companion to a wonderful new book titled Real Prophecy Unveiled, by Joseph J. Adamson. Thank God for books like these, because they shed light in a world made dark by "religious" bigotry, hypocrisy, and aggression. They give me faith that the humble and meek shall inherit the earth after all.

Punctured Preconceptions (2002-05-16)

... Dan McGuire, drawing on a lifetime of study and research, in conjunction with scholars from other religions, finds that Christianity and other faith traditions have many strands of thought expressed over the centuries. The common thread is a passion for the givenness of our human life, and the sacred dimension of making critical decisions affecting reproduction. McGuire and the other writers survey the less well-known attitudes in the historic faiths and suggest that that univocal opposition to planned pregnancy is in sore need of review. He offers cogent, yet powerful reasons for doing more research. The book will be welcomed by all who want more open discussion, including Catholics for Free Choice who want freer dialogue in their religious communities about options for men and women regarding their fertility. ...

The Contraception Guidebook: Options, Risks, and Answers for Christian Couples

Authors: William R. Cutrer, Sandra L. Glahn
Publisher: Zondervan
Publication date: 2005-05-01
ISBN: 0310254078
Pages: 240
Rating:
Price: $14.99

This comprehensive guide with its conversational, first-person style, anecdotes from real-life couples, and solid medical information equips Christian couples to make fully informed decisions about the complex and deeply personal questions of contraception.

Customes reviews 3

Great Resource (2007-07-29)

This book gives the Christian reader unbiased, detailed information regarding the types of birth control available and how these various methods work. I have never had a doctor or nurse give me this kind of detail regarding forms of birth control and I doubt you have either. But this book, written in a non-judgemental tone, will give you the information you need to make an educated decision regarding birthcontrol, while encouraging you to prayerfully seek the will of the Lord considering you and your spouse in this matter.

Excellent Resource for engaged and married couples!! (2005-07-19)

This book offers sound medical advice while encouraging you to seek God's Will. If only we could find OB/GYNs out there that offered the same thing. Too many people blindly accept hormonal birth control without realizing the risks and ethical issues surrounding it. This book really explains the risks without making you feel "dirty" for using them. It leaves the choice up to the reader. But given the evidence, I am not sure any Pro-Life Christian could blindly accept "the pill" from their doctor again.

I have read many books on family planning in the Christian marriage. Most of them say to keep having as many babies as possible. The authors do an excellent job in explaining that some couples are called to be parents of 8 children, while quite frankly, some are not.

After having four children in five years, I am ready for a break. This book helped me to realize that God did intend intimacy in marriage to be "recreational" at times and not always procreative. While we do still intend on having more children, the authors gave us sound scriptural references to back up our decision to wait awhile. We aren't sinning by using contraception. What a relief!

Many thanks to the authors for this excellent resource. I am passing it on to my husband's brother and his fiancee. I hope they can get as much out of it as we did!

Highly recommended! (2005-04-13)

The Contraception Guidebook, written by William Cutrer and Sandra Glahn is an outstanding resource of information for young married couples as they begin their lives together as a family. In addition, it would be an invaluable tool for others who are in a position to offer counsel on the subject of contraception. I especially appreciated the procedural/medical information as it relates to spiritual, ethical, emotional, and relational issues. Cutrer and Glahn write, "In this work we will reason from Scriptures as often and as carefully as we can, but where the Bible is silent, we'll acknowledge that silence."
Each section of the book has questions that can either be answered or worked through while a couple is reading together or tossed independently in their thoughts and then brought to the table for comparison and discussion. I loved the anecdote noted from some of Dr. Cutrer's counseling sessions with engaged couples regarding expectations. The couple sitting back to back is instructed to hold up fingers representing the number of children they hope to have during their marriage. I can imagine some of the surprised (and perhaps horrified) looks when the numbers were revealed!
This writing is easy to read and written in a relaxing, yet professional style. Scriptural references, as well as, medical data are used richly for support and for further self-study. There is a complete glossary included to help with the medical terms that are necessary to the reading.
As I read the book I thought, I wish I had information like this available to me twenty-five years ago! As a young wife in 1978 I asked my then OB/GYN about birth-control, without discussion he wrote me a Rx for a year's supply of once a day pills. I think the information supplied in this book could not only help a couple make good choices as they consider the many options of contraception but is certain to strengthen their bond to one another.

Teaching Your Child about Sex: An Essential Guide for Parents

Authors: Grace Ketterman
Publisher: Revell
Publication date: 2007-10-01
ISBN:
Pages: 240
Rating:
Price: $12.99

Imparting healthy attitudes and solid information about sex to children is one of the most challenging aspects of parenthood. For more than twenty-five years, Dr. Grace H. Ketterman has been helping parents give the best and most accurate information and guide their children in sexual responsibility. She gives parents the perfect words for explaining the physical, emotional, and spiritual aspects of sex, in age-specific increments from babyhood through adolescence. This updated edition includes chapters on special issues that are a part of our social and cultural environment, such as sexually transmitted diseases and homosexuality. Going way beyond "the talk," Dr. Ketterman gives parents the tools they need to pass on a Christ-centered understanding of one of God's most wonderful gifts.

Customes reviews 1

Might be perfect for some. Not me. (2010-02-08)

It was pretty reasonable to expect that I'd find this to be a matter of fact, straightforward, empowering book. It's by so and so, MD, a practicing chid psychiatrist, etc. etc.

That was not this title. This is filled with Bible verses and disturbing statements: that women who don't regret an abortion are probably lying, that you should tell children childbirth is not painful, and misnamed body parts. If an MD can't tell the difference between vagina and vulva, some credibility is lost for me.

Scariest of all for me was her unsubstantiated opinion being touted as fact: "I believe homosexuality to be based on repeated stimulation by abusers of the same sex." "Today's culture has robbed children of any widely defined characteristics of maleness or femaleness...this is tragic..."

If you are looking for a book that will teach abstinence, however, and rigid gender roles, this is a good choice.

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