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Sex and the Soul: Juggling Sexuality, Spirituality, Romance, and Religion on America's College Campuses
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 pervasiveness of hook-up culture. Moreover, many students see little connection between sex and religion, even as they seek one between sex and spirituality. 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 a culture of casual sex, and that they do want spirituality, at least, if not also 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.
Named one of the Best Religion Books of 2008 by Publishers Weekly
"Fascinating, disturbing...engaging...persuasive.... Freitas's work chronicles a poignant spiritual loss that students themselves articulate and mourn."
-- Publishers Weekly
"Candid, disturbing, yet ultimately hopeful....Throughout this beautifully written book, Freitas presents students' feelings and experiences in an unflinching yet compassionate way. You care about these young people and their struggles. This book is a great service to students, parents, and those at
colleges and universities who want to prepare young adults not just for the workplace but for healthy and fulfilling lives."
-- Christian Science Monitor
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 pervasiveness of hook-up culture. Moreover, many students see little connection between sex and religion, even as they seek one between sex and spirituality. 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 a culture of casual sex, and that they do want spirituality, at least, if not also 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.
Named one of the Best Religion Books of 2008 by Publishers Weekly
"Fascinating, disturbing...engaging...persuasive.... Freitas's work chronicles a poignant spiritual loss that students themselves articulate and mourn."
-- Publishers Weekly
"Candid, disturbing, yet ultimately hopeful....Throughout this beautifully written book, Freitas presents students' feelings and experiences in an unflinching yet compassionate way. You care about these young people and their struggles. This book is a great service to students, parents, and those at
colleges and universities who want to prepare young adults not just for the workplace but for healthy and fulfilling lives."
-- Christian Science Monitor
299 pages, Hardcover
First published March 14, 2008
23 people are currently reading
364 people want to read
About the author
Donna Freitas
34 books633 followersDonna Freitas is the author of The Nine Lives of Rose Napolitano, Consent: A Memoir of Unwanted Attention, and many other novels and nonfiction books for adults, children, and young adults. Her latest YA novel is a rom-com that takes place in her favorite city, Barcelona: Stefi and the Spanish Prince. She has been featured on NPR and The Today Show, and her writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The LA Times, among many other places. Donna currently serves on the faculty at Fairleigh Dickinson University’s MFA program. She also lives half the year in Barcelona where she loves partaking of its many bakeries and delicious restaurants galore. Learn more about Donna at www.donnafreitas.com and on Substack: https://donnafreitas.substack.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
November 11, 2009
The author presents her research on religion/spirituality and romance/sex on college campuses. She discovers a difference between colleges that identify strongly with evangelical Protestant churches and other types of schools. The evangelical schools feature students who are strongly committed to their faith tradition, value chastity, and hold traditional views about marriage. However, these institutions often engage in legalism, particularly in terms of putting arbitrary constraints on the female students.
The non-evangelical colleges, by contrast, mostly have students who are interested in "spirituality", while not necessarily religious, and have a pervasive "hook-up" culture.
The book is worth reading just for its description of life on college campuses (both religious and non-religious). I also found it heartening to see some sociological research that suggests that evangelical Christians do in fact follow the behavioral standards set out by their faith (at least to some degree).
I was disappointed that the author didn't spend much time talking about students who are attending secular universities, but who have a strong commitment to a faith tradition, expressed through involvement in a church or parachurch ministry (like InterVarsity or Campus Crusade). I am curious as to whether such students would identify more with the culture at the evangelical or secular schools.
The author is to be commended for looking into a difficult topic, but I had some qualms with her conclusions. First, I think she may have overestimated the secular students' interest in spirituality, which may be no more than an amorphous, self-serving interest, rather than a means to transform the lives of the nation's colleges. Second, she seemed very uncomfortable with the idea that people should follow the traditional morality associated with their religion, but she didn't really present a meaningful substitute. She seemed to be calling for a kind of "religion lite" that makes fewer demands than traditional faith, but students are already adhering to that in large numbers, which seems to be the problem.
Still, it was an interesting read and provided insight into young adults' spiritual lives.
The non-evangelical colleges, by contrast, mostly have students who are interested in "spirituality", while not necessarily religious, and have a pervasive "hook-up" culture.
The book is worth reading just for its description of life on college campuses (both religious and non-religious). I also found it heartening to see some sociological research that suggests that evangelical Christians do in fact follow the behavioral standards set out by their faith (at least to some degree).
I was disappointed that the author didn't spend much time talking about students who are attending secular universities, but who have a strong commitment to a faith tradition, expressed through involvement in a church or parachurch ministry (like InterVarsity or Campus Crusade). I am curious as to whether such students would identify more with the culture at the evangelical or secular schools.
The author is to be commended for looking into a difficult topic, but I had some qualms with her conclusions. First, I think she may have overestimated the secular students' interest in spirituality, which may be no more than an amorphous, self-serving interest, rather than a means to transform the lives of the nation's colleges. Second, she seemed very uncomfortable with the idea that people should follow the traditional morality associated with their religion, but she didn't really present a meaningful substitute. She seemed to be calling for a kind of "religion lite" that makes fewer demands than traditional faith, but students are already adhering to that in large numbers, which seems to be the problem.
Still, it was an interesting read and provided insight into young adults' spiritual lives.
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July 30, 2011This book is all about how college students today deal with sexuality and spirituality, how they reconcile them (or rather... don't.) It was a fascinating (and sad) research project by Donna Freitas. She surveyed roughly 1,000 college students at various types of universities about their sexual practices and their religious practices and how they dealt with the two. The main question was: "are these two areas of your life integrated, distinct, or at odds?"
The answer is - no, not integrated (except in very rare cases). And the other two options break down cleanly by type of college. For students at Evangelical colleges (like Bethel), sex and religion interact constantly - because they are at war with each other!
For students at all other types of schools: private (like Macalester), Catholic (like Marquette) and public (like UW or U of M), the sex and religion spheres are deliberately kept separate - they have nothing to say to one another, no grounds on which to interact.
At Evangelical colleges the "purity culture" rules the day. Students are encouraged by their peers to NOT have sex, since it is seen as detrimental to relationship (with each other and with God).
At Catholic/private/public colleges the "hookup culture" rules the day. Students are pressured by their peers to have MORE sex, as hookups are seen as potentially opening the door to relationship development.
At Evangelical schools, sex is the enemy of religion and vice versa - it is a battle for purity, for both men and women.
At Catholic/private/public colleges, sex and religion don't mix. There is a sort of dissociative disorder that blocks recognition of one by the other in a person's life.
Interestingly, no interviewee who participated in the "hookup culture" actually LIKED it. Rather, they bemoaned the fact that it even exists, were personally disappointed in themselves and their participation in it, but shrugged and said "what can we do? It's how it is."
Similarly, no one embedded in the "purity culture" thought that it was a realistic or even ultimately a healthy view of sexuality (essentially denying that you are a sexual being for the sake your relationship with God and the larger religious community.) But at the same time, most Evangelical schools have no alternative to offer. Grace on THIS issue is hard to come by.
What both kinds of students have in common is this. They all:
1) invest highly in their spiritual identities (even if unaffiliated)
2) experience sexual desire, and long to act on that desire
3) highly value finding a non-sexual, fulfilling romantic relationship
and
4) don't know how to reconcile items 1-3.
Basically, the book ends without solutions. It leaves us (and the students) in tension. All students agree that once married integration is more likely. The hard part is to integrate sexuality & religion... while sexually mature AND unmarried. How to do that is unknown.
The answer is - no, not integrated (except in very rare cases). And the other two options break down cleanly by type of college. For students at Evangelical colleges (like Bethel), sex and religion interact constantly - because they are at war with each other!
For students at all other types of schools: private (like Macalester), Catholic (like Marquette) and public (like UW or U of M), the sex and religion spheres are deliberately kept separate - they have nothing to say to one another, no grounds on which to interact.
At Evangelical colleges the "purity culture" rules the day. Students are encouraged by their peers to NOT have sex, since it is seen as detrimental to relationship (with each other and with God).
At Catholic/private/public colleges the "hookup culture" rules the day. Students are pressured by their peers to have MORE sex, as hookups are seen as potentially opening the door to relationship development.
At Evangelical schools, sex is the enemy of religion and vice versa - it is a battle for purity, for both men and women.
At Catholic/private/public colleges, sex and religion don't mix. There is a sort of dissociative disorder that blocks recognition of one by the other in a person's life.
Interestingly, no interviewee who participated in the "hookup culture" actually LIKED it. Rather, they bemoaned the fact that it even exists, were personally disappointed in themselves and their participation in it, but shrugged and said "what can we do? It's how it is."
Similarly, no one embedded in the "purity culture" thought that it was a realistic or even ultimately a healthy view of sexuality (essentially denying that you are a sexual being for the sake your relationship with God and the larger religious community.) But at the same time, most Evangelical schools have no alternative to offer. Grace on THIS issue is hard to come by.
What both kinds of students have in common is this. They all:
1) invest highly in their spiritual identities (even if unaffiliated)
2) experience sexual desire, and long to act on that desire
3) highly value finding a non-sexual, fulfilling romantic relationship
and
4) don't know how to reconcile items 1-3.
Basically, the book ends without solutions. It leaves us (and the students) in tension. All students agree that once married integration is more likely. The hard part is to integrate sexuality & religion... while sexually mature AND unmarried. How to do that is unknown.
August 6, 2010
This book is a must read for anyone who works with college students, or for any parent or pastor who knows students in college. Freitas conducted surveys and interviews on four types of colleges: evangelical private, Catholic private, secular private, and public. Based on their responses to questions of sexuality and spirituality, she grouped the Catholic, the secular private and the public together as 'spiritual' colleges'. At these spiritual colleges most students do not think of themselves as adhering to a religion, though they do spend time thinking about spiritual things. Also, these three types of schools all had in common "hook-up" culture. Freitas spends a lot of time dissecting this culture where students do not date, they instead "hook up" physically (anything from making out to intercourse). Dating is rare, and romantic relationships usually begin as hook-ups. At the same time, this hook-up culture finds many students unfulfilled and desiring more, though not sure how to get it. And though many students at these colleges are spiritual, they never attempt to connect their spirituality to their sexuality, the two are completely separate realms.
On the flip side are evangelical private schools where students are not just spiritual, but most are deeply committed to religion. In terms of sexuality, the culture of these colleges emphasizes chastity and waiting till marriage for any sort of sex. Yet Freitas examines the fear and guilt that come when students fall short of this standard, as well as the different way this culture affects men and women.
I like how Freitas concluded the book with critiques of both types of colleges. Both of them have negatives and have a lot to learn. On both there is also hope. Again, this book is a must-read for people who know or work with college students.
On the flip side are evangelical private schools where students are not just spiritual, but most are deeply committed to religion. In terms of sexuality, the culture of these colleges emphasizes chastity and waiting till marriage for any sort of sex. Yet Freitas examines the fear and guilt that come when students fall short of this standard, as well as the different way this culture affects men and women.
I like how Freitas concluded the book with critiques of both types of colleges. Both of them have negatives and have a lot to learn. On both there is also hope. Again, this book is a must-read for people who know or work with college students.
November 1, 2012
The impetus for the research behind this book was a class which Freitas taught on dating, in which students shared stark realities with her about the hook-up culture and their feelings about it. After realizing that they had gotten caught up in this behavior, but that it was not really what they wanted, her students decided to publish a newsletter that caused other students to think more critically about it and choose differently as well. The research is a series of interviews and questionnaires and guided journal entries with students on different campuses, which she divides into Evangelical schools, Catholic Schools, Private-Secular Schools and Public Schools. Questions are designed to find out what the students are doing sexually, how they feel about that, where they are spiritually and where their spirituality and sexuality intersect. In addition to the more permissive, anything-goes hook-up culture, Freitas discovers at “Evangelical” schools a culture built around purity until marriage. While her research is limited to mostly white students and, with a few exceptions, heterosexual students, her findings are helpful in that, at both ends of the spectrum we see the effects of patriarchy and misogyny, and that across the board, we see students who are by and far consenting to the societal norms of their particular contexts even though, for many of them this is not what they want for themselves, only what they think is expected. In this study, as in others, we see the trend of students considering themselves virgins even though they have participated in oral or anal sex.
May 30, 2011
My thesis advisor recommended that I check this book out (though I'm not convinced she'd read it first) because of the emphasis on college-aged students and spirituality. It's no big wonder that I like this book when I can heavily identify with the author's background/interest in pedagogy, feminism, and spirituality. In the conclusion section of the book, Freitas specifically points to teachers, parents, school administrators, and the clergy as the intended audience of this book. In a way, I'm surprised she addressed them so late in the text, but the more I think about it, the more I think that the point was to understand how college students identify and talk about spirituality and sex. The snippets of qualitative data are really telling, and I like how Freitas turns that into a call for social change. I like the framing of the qualitative research, and I like that focus of looking at how college students are thinking and acting instead of telling the readers what's wrong or needs to be done about it. This is what college students are saying/thinking/doing, and how do we feel about that?
I especially like how Freitas frames the placement of the soul/religion/spirituality and sex. Do the students find them to be completely separate? Are they thoroughly linked? This book poses so many questions and really encourages readers to start asking those questions and encouraging dialogic communication about it. Sex and spirituality are such tricky topics, but we really aren't in a position to just let them go unattended.
I especially like how Freitas frames the placement of the soul/religion/spirituality and sex. Do the students find them to be completely separate? Are they thoroughly linked? This book poses so many questions and really encourages readers to start asking those questions and encouraging dialogic communication about it. Sex and spirituality are such tricky topics, but we really aren't in a position to just let them go unattended.
March 21, 2013
Interesting look at the hook up culture at secular and mainline religious colleges and the opposed purity until marriage culture of evangelical colleges. Each has its problems. The book is based on data collected in 2005 and 2006 and may be dated in some aspects, but never the less an interesting read.
While the book was detailed in what the problems are, the solutions offered seemed a bit light. There also seemed to be excessive repetition. The book could have been written tighter. Three and half stars
While the book was detailed in what the problems are, the solutions offered seemed a bit light. There also seemed to be excessive repetition. The book could have been written tighter. Three and half stars
July 9, 2010
It only took me 13 months to finish this book. I had great intentions when I heard a podcast with the author, but then other, more pressing books kept me away. It's not that the writing style or stories aren't engaging, it's just that the initial reason for deciding to read the book kept seeming less urgent. However, as a campus minister who works with college students, it was an interesting, and somewhat depressing, read.
November 24, 2009
Donna spoke during my "Spirituality and Sexuality" class in college and was able to say what all of us were thinking. Sex and religion often do not go hand in hand on America's college campuses and leaves young adults struggling with religious identity and moral crises. This book showed me what evangelical college life is like and that those living their life through religious guidance are not crazy as mainstream society often casts them.
April 25, 2012
I really didn't like this book.
I felt the author was judgmental of the kids that did not keep their virginities until marriage. I thought that since she was doing the a study on kids that she should just tell their stories, not make them any less of a person.
It was stupid, don't waste your time.
I felt the author was judgmental of the kids that did not keep their virginities until marriage. I thought that since she was doing the a study on kids that she should just tell their stories, not make them any less of a person.
It was stupid, don't waste your time.
February 27, 2013
In the work, Freitas explores the hook-up culture so prevalent on college campuses today. She talks with students from a range of different institutions getting their raw stories and opinions on their experience. Through her interviews, she challenges the belief that college students are wholly comfortable with this culture.
November 16, 2016
Author surveys students of different college campuses then grills some volunteers with questions about how they handle their bodies. Insightful and at times heartbreaking. Parents may want to read this and see if it applies to their children. Includes charts and graphs to share answers. Includes some swear words.
January 15, 2009
It had some valid points to show what our college students are engaging in sexually, that I may have overlooked. Yet, based on too much statistical information, where I wanted to reframe from...just how it is perceived on a spiritual notion.
December 16, 2009
This is actually a book I'm reading for work. We had a professor from BC come to talk to use about the hook-up scene on college campuses and she cited this book as one of the better books to read on the subject. The lecture was great - the book was okay. Good in parts but somewhat repetitive.
November 17, 2011
Fantastic! I am using this book as part of a senior class group project at my college. In the exploration of gender expectations at evangelical Christian college campuses, this book clearly outlines the consistent behavior and phenomena present at schools like mine.
December 21, 2012
I love how she provides both interview excerpts and statistics, but I hate when she decides to pass judgement on what is and is not acceptable. Thankfully that's not bad throughout the entire book, but at the end it gets to a horrifying and shocking level. Skip the last, and it's a 5 star book.
February 22, 2010
as pretty good read for required reading for a class. it was actually intresting and lead me to think about some things i wouldn't have thought of otherwise.
September 11, 2013
helpful case studies
December 19, 2018
“To create a community where faith matters not just in theory but in reality, faith has to be a public value, not just a private one.”
I was educated in a Christian environment. In high school, sex was discussed in only two settings: health class and conversations on purity or abstinence. I think at first this sounds awful. It would seem sex is only seen as biological process or a sinful act, but that’s not how I was educated. In fact, as I have grown older, I have noticed that outside the Christian environment, sex is only discussed in health class. I believe I had better conversations about sex as a young person in a Christian school than my peers.
Were there negative concepts about sex? Yes. Were some issues hidden? Yep. But I am proud of the educated I was provided: I was given a proper understanding of how my identity and sex are intertwined.
Sex and the Soul by Donna Freitas is about the connection between sexuality and our spirituality. In this work, she brings in her research but most importantly, she brings conversations she has had with numerous college students. She shares stories from students public, private, Catholic, and evangelical schools. The stories are many and so are the experiences but their is one common theme: students do not have a clue how to navigate their sexuality.
Sexually active students have trouble finding the deep relationships and romance they desire. Sexually abstinent students have trouble understanding their role as a sexual being. Almost all don’t know where to go for help.
I really enjoyed this book and am thankful for the information. I think the practical applications listed by Freitas are unreasonable and impractical. For example, I don’t think asking your campus tour guide about sex and dating on campus will get you the answers you desire, and it may creep out everyone else in your tour group.
I was educated in a Christian environment. In high school, sex was discussed in only two settings: health class and conversations on purity or abstinence. I think at first this sounds awful. It would seem sex is only seen as biological process or a sinful act, but that’s not how I was educated. In fact, as I have grown older, I have noticed that outside the Christian environment, sex is only discussed in health class. I believe I had better conversations about sex as a young person in a Christian school than my peers.
Were there negative concepts about sex? Yes. Were some issues hidden? Yep. But I am proud of the educated I was provided: I was given a proper understanding of how my identity and sex are intertwined.
Sex and the Soul by Donna Freitas is about the connection between sexuality and our spirituality. In this work, she brings in her research but most importantly, she brings conversations she has had with numerous college students. She shares stories from students public, private, Catholic, and evangelical schools. The stories are many and so are the experiences but their is one common theme: students do not have a clue how to navigate their sexuality.
Sexually active students have trouble finding the deep relationships and romance they desire. Sexually abstinent students have trouble understanding their role as a sexual being. Almost all don’t know where to go for help.
I really enjoyed this book and am thankful for the information. I think the practical applications listed by Freitas are unreasonable and impractical. For example, I don’t think asking your campus tour guide about sex and dating on campus will get you the answers you desire, and it may creep out everyone else in your tour group.
November 3, 2020
"So many young women have no idea how to draw lines between what is and what is not acceptable to them, what they are willing and not willing to do, and when whatever is being asked of them is just too much. Young women also receive the message that they must not only be sexy but also be overachievers academically because they have to work harder to get the same things that boys do." - Donna Freitas
Pretty sure that Donna Freitas accurately described college life and expectations for the 2000s. I started college in 2011 and the attitudes around dating and how women are perceived in relationships was the same as described here.
This book includes surveys and conversations with college men and women that are enlightening and also pretty sad. The double-standard for how men and women are judged in regards to sex and dating is prevalent throughout the book. Freitas also compares Evangelical, Catholic, and secular institutions and reveals how differently that dating and sex are approached on each campus (for example, the "ring by spring" phenomenon at Evangelical institutions does not cross over into secular ones).
I would be interested to see updated studies on current college students and how things have changed or remained the same. From hearing my single friends and students talk, dating apps have really influenced their relationships and how they view potential suitors. One thing that has definitely aged this book is the mentions of Joshua Harris, who renounced his I Kissed Dating Goodbye book and efforts.
Pretty sure that Donna Freitas accurately described college life and expectations for the 2000s. I started college in 2011 and the attitudes around dating and how women are perceived in relationships was the same as described here.
This book includes surveys and conversations with college men and women that are enlightening and also pretty sad. The double-standard for how men and women are judged in regards to sex and dating is prevalent throughout the book. Freitas also compares Evangelical, Catholic, and secular institutions and reveals how differently that dating and sex are approached on each campus (for example, the "ring by spring" phenomenon at Evangelical institutions does not cross over into secular ones).
I would be interested to see updated studies on current college students and how things have changed or remained the same. From hearing my single friends and students talk, dating apps have really influenced their relationships and how they view potential suitors. One thing that has definitely aged this book is the mentions of Joshua Harris, who renounced his I Kissed Dating Goodbye book and efforts.
February 5, 2020
A question Freitas asks of her college-touring readers is to ask school tour guides if there are any classes available for students to actively engage in discussions based on individual sexuality and its diversity in college campuses inside the U.S., as well as the relation of world view and spirituality to these topics.
Well, as this is my second college class based on sex and the philosophy thereof, I can proudly say that I had no trouble involving myself (accidentally) in these classes in either of the two college campuses I have studied at.
Unfortunately for everyone on GoodReads, this also means that an interesting chunk of my bookshelf contains books about sex, especially in regard to college campuses. A friend who is taking this class with me recounted to me the judgmental looks a public librarian served her when she checked out all the assigned readings at once. "It's for a class," she offered. Librarian didn't care.
Anyways, I do find the subject matter interesting, and as Freitas' book is based on interviews of college students in secular, spiritual, and evangelical colleges in the United States, maybe it is worth a read if you are a little interested in what college students say behind closed doors, and not around their peers.
Well, as this is my second college class based on sex and the philosophy thereof, I can proudly say that I had no trouble involving myself (accidentally) in these classes in either of the two college campuses I have studied at.
Unfortunately for everyone on GoodReads, this also means that an interesting chunk of my bookshelf contains books about sex, especially in regard to college campuses. A friend who is taking this class with me recounted to me the judgmental looks a public librarian served her when she checked out all the assigned readings at once. "It's for a class," she offered. Librarian didn't care.
Anyways, I do find the subject matter interesting, and as Freitas' book is based on interviews of college students in secular, spiritual, and evangelical colleges in the United States, maybe it is worth a read if you are a little interested in what college students say behind closed doors, and not around their peers.
October 13, 2019
Freitas presents some riveting, thoughtful, and extremely well-done sociological work on an important topic. Methodologically she emphasizes the stories and experiences of the students she interviewed. She is a master at bringing important and interesting narrative threads that she discovered in her research.
My only issues were with regard to some of her ethical and philosophical assumptions. In her emphasis on sex-positivity she was a bit too judgmental of evangelical students who desire to remain celibate until marriage. Freitas seems to be coming from the Roman tradition in some sense, so I was surprised that she seemed to have such a low view of celibacy.
All things considered, this book was fantastic and I appreciated the opportunity to listen to these students alongside Freitas.
My only issues were with regard to some of her ethical and philosophical assumptions. In her emphasis on sex-positivity she was a bit too judgmental of evangelical students who desire to remain celibate until marriage. Freitas seems to be coming from the Roman tradition in some sense, so I was surprised that she seemed to have such a low view of celibacy.
All things considered, this book was fantastic and I appreciated the opportunity to listen to these students alongside Freitas.
August 8, 2023
While the study is a little outdated (being first published in 2006 and re-published in 2015), Donna does an excellent job of providing an even-toned and thorough analysis of the relationship between sex and spirituality on college campuses across America. Both those who have attended evangelical colleges affected (or perhaps governed) by purity culture norms and secular or loosely religiously affiliated universities ravaged by hookup culture will be able to relate to and learn from the student experiences and the resulting analysis Donna provides. I think most individuals with an interest in the relationship between sex/spirituality and a care for college students will enjoy the read, but I would strongly recommend it for any university or college administrators and/or faculty who care about holistic student well-being (whether or not they are ready to talk about sex ;)
June 7, 2017
I did not "like" this book but it is superb. Its' subtitle is "Juggling Sexuality, Spirituality, Romance,
and Religion on America's College Campuses." Its' basic division is between the evangelical colleges,
which are indeed religious, and the others, private non-religious, public, and Catholic, euphemized to be spiritual.
Spiritual is hardly defined, an amorphous hope for some kind of quasi-religious, or perhaps, non-religious feeling of faith. It is stunning to read that the difficulty of raising children in an
alien atmosphere to faith has already come.
and Religion on America's College Campuses." Its' basic division is between the evangelical colleges,
which are indeed religious, and the others, private non-religious, public, and Catholic, euphemized to be spiritual.
Spiritual is hardly defined, an amorphous hope for some kind of quasi-religious, or perhaps, non-religious feeling of faith. It is stunning to read that the difficulty of raising children in an
alien atmosphere to faith has already come.
August 28, 2017
At the end of the book Freitas admits that everything is open to interpretation. Yet, her own study doesn't play out this possibility. While allowing a window into what is going on among elite college students relative to sexuality, her own theological and philosophical assumptions carry the day.
Yes, it's fine to admit one's biases. No, it's not fine to present said biases as sociological fact.
Yes, it's fine to admit one's biases. No, it's not fine to present said biases as sociological fact.
Currently reading
September 20, 2011I enjoyed the author's use of statistical science for the purposes of obtaining and validating some aspects of her work. If I could take something from her work it would be the way in which she presented her information. I loved how the beginning set up the stage of her interest and pursuit of the idea of sex and how it fits in with student's spirituality. As a writer I could say her work has inspired me to go out and learn for myself what others think they know.
September 4, 2013
I had to read this for my freshman writing seminar about sex culture and behaviors among college students, and it's a great study into what really goes on and how students feel about it. It ends with practical advice that I think more people should follow. Awesome stuff :)
August 23, 2008
Relevant to my research, and still interesting!
November 9, 2008
college students are supposedly sick of the "hook up culture" on campus and want some real live lovin' complete with actual relationships that include a bit of spirituality...
June 8, 2010
Anyone who works with college students ever or was ever a college student should read this book.
October 21, 2014
excellent but incredibly disturbing
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews