Beyond Nice: The Spiritual Wisdom of Adolescent Girls

by Patricia H. Davis

Adolescent girls are at particular risk in today's society. They struggle to establish a mature identity after childhood, they are barraged with conflicting messages about what it means to be female. In an often hostile-and sometimes lethalculture, they also are subject to being exploited, harassed, manipulated, or even abused physically and sexually. But where do religion and spirituality fit into this picture? Davis sees spirituality as the realm where girls' ultimate concerns intersect with their daily onesespecially with relationships, lifestyle, and religious conviction. In this sensitive and discerning book, based on more than 100 in-depth interviews with girls from a variety of religious, ethnic, and regional backgrounds, Davis shows how religion actually functions both to help and to hurt in girls' search for authenticity. As she characterizes girls' ideas about God, spirituality, sexuality and bodies, and violence, Davis' interviews convey articulately and deeply how spirituality concerns girls' surmounting hurdles to ground and affirm what they become.

144 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 2000

Reviews

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

An insightful collection of interviews of girls on religion. Executed well, with a perspective that is Christian, but not dogmatic. It illustrated and elaborated on the harm religious communities can do to their members, but also made a compelling argument for the service they can provide. Nuanced.

[Dr. Dena · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick read; I appreciated the author's fluid writing on a complex topic; she interviewed and surveyed 100+ adolescent girls on their impressions of spirituality in everyday lives via different themes (e.g., family life, sexuality, impressions of the church, violence and adult responsibility to violence). Most stark was the author's context comment of society's "silent" curriculum that girls don't matter. I found this book helpful in reminding me to listen and inquire on the adolescent girls in my life.