Open Embrace: A Protestant Couple Rethinks Contraception [Paperback]

Sam Torode (Author), Bethany Torode (Author), J. Budziszewski (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 2002

In this bold critique of modern ideas about sex, marriage, and contraception, Sam and Bethany Torode set forth a vision that is fresh for our times yet rooted in centuries of Christian tradition. Weaving together a sound theology of spousal love with honest information and personal insight, Open Embrace offers a compelling alternative to the unquestioned use of contraception. The Torodes challenge modern lifestyles and popular wisdom about how soon to have children, how many are desirable, and how to prevent them, while still recognizing that the number of children each family can best support will vary. Open Embrace is far more than a case against contraception - it is a positive affirmation of fertility, childbearing, and prudent self-control. Couples who practice Natural Family Planning, as advocated in this book, cooperate with God's design for their bodies, making wise decisions about family size without losing respect for the mystery and meaning of sex. Whether one agrees or disagrees with its conclusions, Open Embrace is a rewarding read for all engaged and married couples seeking to sharpen their moral discernment.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

For such a short book, Open Embrace: A Protestant Couple Rethinks Contraception packs some serious punches. Authors Sam and Bethany Torode argue that all married Christians, not just Roman Catholics, need to seriously examine the widespread usage of contraception, which they feel is against God's plan for creation. (Pregnancy is not a disease, they assert. Why vaccinate against it?) While supporting Natural Family Planning, which they define as informed abstinence, they also make a particularly uncompromising case for stay-at-home moms, which will probably irritate many readers. More controversially, they argue that a culture that worships sex without procreation will sacrifice its children through abortion, claiming that America's increasing permissiveness about legalizing contraception in the 1960s led inexorably to Roe v. Wade in the 1970s. While it's good to see some ecumenical diversity in the contraception debate, some of the basic arguments of this book are problematic.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

Review

Sweetly written and solidly argued, this is a head-clearing, heart-warming read. -- J. I. Packer, author of Knowing God

The Torodes combine gentleness of spirit and wisdom beyond their years with the urgency of a fresh "95 Theses." -- Allan Carlson, President of the Howard Center for Family, Religion & Society

This clear and well-written book presents a winsome case for the integrity and sweetness of sex 'au naturel.' -- Frederica Mathewes-Green, author of The Illumined Heart

Product Details

• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company (March 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0802839738
• ISBN-13: 978-0802839732
• Product Dimensions: 7.2 x 4.7 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (35 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #153,235 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Closed Embrace: A Greek Orthodox Couple Rethinks Contraception - Again, July 2, 2006

By 

Alan Friesen (Rural Alberta) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Open Embrace: A Protestant Couple Rethinks Contraception (Paperback)

Four years after writing this book, the Torodes have changed their mind on natural family planning. Why? It's apparently too difficult and causes too much guilt to the husband in a married relationship (...huh?). They no longer advocate NFP, and instead condone certain forms of contraception (google "Open Embrace" - one of the top hits is an essay that rejects the principles set forth in this book). This may or may not have any bearing, but they've also joined the Greek Orthodox church - as such, I'm not exactly sure if there's any part of the book's title that's actually true for the authors any more. Do some homework on the Torodes before you purchase this book to see if it's worthwhile to buy it; this doesn't mean that I'm necessarily condemning or endorsing it, but ask yourself whether you'd want to take the advice of a couple who have recanted their position a mere four years after publication.

From a slightly more cynical perspective, I can't help but wonder why the Torodes are still allowing the book to be sold if they no longer agree with what they've written in it. While they might be embarassed with the book's contents, I'm sure they're not embarassed about spending the royalties.

18 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars must-read!, April 18, 2002

By 

Gretchen Acheson "a farmer's wife" (The Little Pink House) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Open Embrace: A Protestant Couple Rethinks Contraception (Paperback)

Sam and Bethany have done a beautiful job with Open Embrace! Humble, practical, inspiring, down-to-earth, well-written, and easy-to-read, it is a book that every couple should read. Singles will appreciate its message as well. Rarely have I read a book which said so clearly what I thought and believed on a subject. Bethany writes so sweetly of the blessing of motherhood, sharing from her heart. And Sam does a great yet humble job of laying forth their findings about birth control and natural family planning. They don't force an opinion on you, but leave the reader to draw their own conclusion, encouraging you to pray and study about it for yourselves. This couple has stood up as a voice for their generation. May they be an inspiration to young and old alike to follow God's design for love and family!

19 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Antidote to Pre-Marriage Counseling Books, April 30, 2002

By 

Jonathan Harris (Colorado Springs, Colorado USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Open Embrace: A Protestant Couple Rethinks Contraception (Paperback)

The preface says: "the previous generation pioneered in forgetting the oldest things. Perhaps this generation will pioneer in remembering them."

If you are looking for an alternative to Birth Control in your Christian marriage, this is the primer for you: a first-person account by a husband and wife team, Sam & Bethany Torode, on the merits of Natural Family Planning (NFP) in their marriage and a short survey on the fall from grace of contemporary Evangelical leadership in the realm of sexual intimacy and attitudes towards the procreation of children. This is a very well and personably written marriage account with grounding in the historical and doctrinal position of the Church through the ages, transcending any particular denominational affiliation. An exhilirating, joyful marriage primer to be recommended for engaged couples, newlyweds, and a sobering side-hand indictment of popular attitudes inside the Evangelical community.

This young couple articulately reflects a growing conscience across Christian denominations on the physical dangers of the birth control pill and on the spiritual benefits of listening to the wisdom of Christians who have gone before us. A hard hitting book that is destined to help rally a coalescing movement in the Protestant Evangelical world . The writers write with a comfort level that comes from growing up in the Evangelical church, but also from first-hand experience in rubbing shoulders with other living and genuine believers in the Orthodox and the Roman Catholic community. "We are not alone!" is the refreshing rallying spirit of this marriage primer.

This book has a "rage de vivre" that is refreshing, unequivocally prolife, and completely in sync with other Christians who have embraced and experienced the notion that in Christian marriage can be found joy and contentment as God intended it to be. Instead of a gradual dissapearance into oblivion, the Christian life is meant to be one of perpetual and exciting growth, and in the area of sexuality and the procreation of children, the Torodes leave no room for exception. This is the antidote to your average pre-marriage counseling book. It will make you believe in love all over again.