Forbidden Fruit: Sex & Religion in the Lives of American Teenagers [Hardcover]

Mark D. Regnerus (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 2007

Americans remain deeply ambivalent about teenage sexuality. Many presume that such uneasiness is rooted in religion. But how exactly does religion contribute to the formation of teenagers' sexual values and actions? What difference, if any, does religion make in adolescents' sexual attitudes and behaviors? Are abstinence pledges effective? What does it mean to be "emotionally ready" for sex? Who expresses regrets about their sexual activity and why?

Tackling these and other questions, Forbidden Fruit tells the definitive story of the sexual values and practices of American teenagers, paying particular attention to how participating in organized religion shapes sexual decision-making. Merging analyses of three national surveys with stories drawn from interviews with over 250 teenagers across America, Mark Regnerus reviews how young people learn-and what they know-about sex from their parents, schools, peers and other sources. He examines what experiences teens profess to have had, and how they make sense of these experiences in light of their own identities as religious, moral, and responsible persons.

Religion can and does matter, Regnerus finds, but religious claims are often swamped by other compelling sexual scripts. Particularly interesting is the emergence of what Regnerus calls a new middle class sexual morality which has little to do with a desire for virginity but nevertheless shuns intercourse in order to avoid risks associated with pregnancy and STDs. And strikingly, evangelical teens aren't less sexually active than their non-evangelical counterparts, they just tend to feel guiltier about it. In fact, Regnerus finds that few religious teens have internalized or are even able to articulate the sexual ethic taught by their denominations. The only-and largely ineffective-sexual message most religious teens are getting is, "Don't do it until you're married." Ultimately, Regnerus concludes, religion may influence adolescent sexual behavior, but it rarely motivates sexual decision making.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"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 of Emerging Adulthood: The Winding Road from the Late Teens Through the Twenties

"Forbidden Fruit is 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 of Soft 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": Forbidden Fruit should be required reading for anyone who loves young people." Kenda Creasy Dean, parent, pastor, professor and author of Practicing 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

About the Author

Mark D. Regnerus is Associate Professor of Sociology and a Faculty Research Associate in the Population Research Center at the University of Texas at Austin.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 304 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA; 1 edition (March 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 9780195320947
• ISBN-13: 978-0195320947
• ASIN: 0195320948
• Product Dimensions: 6.4 x 1.1 x 9.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #99,168 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #65 in Books > Religion & Spirituality > Religious Studies > Gender & Sexuality
  • #72 in Books > Religion & Spirituality > Religious Studies > Ethics

More About the Author

Mark Regnerus is an associate professor of sociology at the University of Texas at Austin and a faculty associate at the university's Population Research Center. He considers himself a student of the sociology of family, sexual behavior, and religion.

His 2011 book "Premarital Sex in America" has already been cited and discussed in a variety of media outlets, including the New York Times, CNN, Salon, Macleans, The Guardian, Austin American-Statesman, TresSugar, Time, The Daily Mail, the Washington Times, the Daily Caller, Christianity Today, Psychology Today, Fox7Austin, The New Republic, Commentary, and the Agenda with Steve Paikin. His op-ed on marital timing was featured in the Washington Post in April 2009, and one on the low price of sex appeared in Slate in February 2011.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 28 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars This book is a must-read for religious leaders, educators, and parents February 20, 2007

By JB

Format:Hardcover

Forbidden Fruit asks questions about the connection between religion and sex among American teenagers, and the answers Regnerus finds are neither simple nor straightforward. In fact, the author concludes that simple and straightforward answers to questions about sex (like, avoid sex before you're married) have largely fallen flat among American teens, Christians included. There's new material on emerging sexual norms, masturbation, homosexuality, virginity loss, post-virginity sexual decision-making, etc. For these reasons, I think the book could be considered as a standard in the study of adolescent sexual behavior, independent of its illustrative emphasis on religion.

Forbidden Fruit is broad in its analyses of nationally representative survey data and rich in its conversations with real people. The writing is clear, crisp, and engaging, and should appeal to parents and educators alike. It's also fun to read but avoids a frivolous or overly playful tenor. There are many refreshing turns of phrase in the presentation of arguments that make this book enjoyable. In sum, the author talks about serious matters in a disarming way, one that is respectful to religious traditions, and doesn't lend itself to easy politicization or demonizing. The stories about evangelical youth (who seem sexually "traditional" in word more than in deed) and the emergence of a "conservative" middle class sexual morality that has little to do with religion are fascinating. I think the author is right: most religious groups in America don't know how to address adolescent sexuality; in turn they hold out no compelling vision for their teens in how to be both devout and sexual. In sum, it's an outstanding contribution.

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Insightful December 6, 2008

By N. Corona

Format:Hardcover

I took Dr. Regnerus's class in the introduction to religion (a sociology course) when I read this book. I was shocked to learn about how ignorant and unintelligent these teenagers are, especially when you realize just how little they know actually about their religion. Interestingly enough, it inspired me to learn more about my religion.

As "obvious" as a previous reviewer may have thought the book was, I think they are terribly mistaken. Sure, we know some teens have sex and are religious, or have sex and are not religious, etc. but Regnerus does a great job of trying to understand why they chose what they chose. As an engineering major, it was important to me that it is also well-written and easy to follow.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars Quantitative Data is a Poor Substitute for Insight February 17, 2012

By A. Winters

Format:Hardcover

I have been looking forward to reading this book for some time. I was pleased when I recently discovered a copy at my local library. Unfortunately, upon actually taking it home and reading it, I am very disappointed.

The title of this review is my objection to this book. The first chapter contained some remarkable excerpts from interviews conducted during Mr. Regnerus's research. I was expecting what Mr. Wilcox stated this book would deliver on his blurb on the back cover, namely, "shattering the pieties of the religious right and secular left." In other words, I hoped the book would contain genuine insights into religion and sexuality among American teenagers.

Regrettably, the book is too academic for its own good. It is bogged down by its own weight. Reading the second chapter almost gave me a headache because it was so dull. Mr. Regnerus may be a skilled social scientist, but his writing skills need some polishing.