by Lauren F. Winner

With humor, honesty, and insight, Winner approaches the topic of chastity, “doing sex God’s way,” in the community of believers. Both married and single people will benefit from the theological treatment of this touchy subject. Parents need to read it if only to gain an additional, and helpful, perspective on pre-marital sex as they raise their children in what is hopefully more than a “just don’t do it” attitude, but rather answering the question,”why is chastity beneficial?”

Read it first, then have your teens read and discuss with you. Married couples will also benefit–Winner does not shy away from discussing “routine, married sex” and the cultural lie that it must always be exciting to be good.

The final three chapters touch on themes of chastity as a discipline, repentance as key to true worship, and the church community as responsible to include singles in the normalcy of church life. In a world saturated with magazines and web sites promoting cheap, empty pleasure, this biblical, theological approach to purity offers a comprehensive alternative.