Faith Matters: Teenagers, Religion and Sexuality

How do religious faith and congregational involvement influence the sexual values and behaviors of teenagers? This book reveals the results of Christian Community’s national study of 5,819 teenagers representing a broad range of religious traditions, ethnic backgrounds, economic levels, and geographic locations. This book provides an understanding of how teens feel about themselves, their bodies, and their sexuality; personal, anonymous, and honest feedback from teens about their own experiences, feelings, and insecurities; a discussion of abstinence and abstinence-only programs; a look into what teens know about contraception, including where they are learning their information and how they feel about it; information on how many church active teens are having unwanted sexual experiences and how the church can help youth avoid those situations. This resource also takes a look into gay, lesbian, and bisexual youth and how they relate their sexual orientation to their faith, and provides discussion questions and activities for adults and youth.