Forbidden Fruit: Sex & Religion in the Lives of American Teenagers
"A nuanced sociological treatment of the complex relationship between US teenage sexuality and religiosity. ...Regnerus brings large statistical surveys and secondary sources to life with personal interviews, and his clear prose and frank discussions make the book accessible.  This up-to-date sociological study is a shining example of well-articulated research methodologies, statistical interpretations, and explorations of alternative explanations."--Choice"Regnerus does an excellent job of combining large-scale survey results with vivid interviews to provide a comprehensive portrayal of how sexuality and religion are related in the lives of American adolescents. The book shows how sexuality and religion interact in complex and sometimes surprising ways. It addresses important topics few other books on either sexuality or religion in adolescence have addressed, such as masturbation and Internet pornography. Anyone interested in the lives of today's young Americans should read this book." --Jeffrey Jensen Arnett, author ofEmerging Adulthood:The Winding Road from the Late Teens Through the Twenties"Forbidden Fruitis an iconoclastic book that shatters the sexual pieties of the religious right and the secular left. Mark Regnerus shows that churches and Christian parents--especially evangelical ones--have failed to steer their kids clear of sex because they hold out no compelling vision of the sexual good life. But he also shows that the secular left's faith in 'healthy' teen sex is chimerical: adolescents who have had sex look worse on all the outcomes that scholars and parents care about. This important book is bound to get parents, pastors, and scholars talking." -- W. Bradford Wilcox, author ofSoft Patriarchs, New Men: How Christianity Shapes Fathers and Husbands"I've waited for this book my entire ministry. It used to be that only skeptics and mystics noticed the interplay between sexuality and spirituality in young people--but Regnerus confronts the parallels head on as a sociologist, and dares the church to do the same. Forget "forbidden":ForbiddenFruitshould be required reading for anyone who loves young people." Kenda Creasy Dean, parent, pastor, professor and author ofPracticing Passion: Youth and the Quest for a Passionate Church"An eye-opening read for those who share concerns about adolescent health and well-being." --Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion