Customer Reviews

Sex: The Catholic Experience

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It is about American Catholic experience of sex and marriage
based on national probability samples and good sociology and
statistics. Fr. Greeley emphasizes that he is describing what
is happening and in some cases why. He is not teaching theology,
nor spirituality, nor what should be done. He makes that clear
in several places.

The suprising, encouraging results are tied to a favorite Greeley theme, the religious story, the God image of the lay
person. It is mostly about married life, images of the spouse,
but also touches church history, teachings, single sex, celibacy, and priests.

Although it was first published in 1994 based on social surveys
of that time, I accidentally came across the book recently. I
was suprised that I had not heard of it in 1994. It still gives
useful ideas about American (US) Catholic practices and images.

He has put statistical graphs at the end of chapters, rather than
in the chapters. Hopefully, to make it easier reading for the
non-statistical general public.

I recommend the book.

It is about American Catholic experience of sex and marriage
based on national probability samples and good sociology and
statistics. Fr. Greeley emphasizes that he is describing what
is happening and in some cases why. He is not teaching theology,
nor spirituality, nor what should be done. He makes that clear
in several places.

The suprising, encouraging results are tied to a favorite Greeley theme, the religious story, the God image of the lay
person. It is mostly about married life, images of the spouse,
but also touches church history, teachings, single sex, celibacy, and priests.

Although it was first published in 1994 based on social surveys
of that time, I accidentally came across the book recently. I
was suprised that I had not heard of it in 1994. It still gives
useful ideas about American (US) Catholic practices and images.

He has put statistical graphs at the end of chapters, rather than
in the chapters. Hopefully, to make it easier reading for the
non-statistical general public.

I recommend the book.

I was prepared to read inspiring words that made me believe that as a Catholic, my thoughts concerning behavior and teaching of sex was not out of the norm. I was instead bored with information that seemed out of date and from a fairly limited study. When I could "interpret" the data provided, it was in a technical form and not in a very personal perspective. Though I think that there is a shortage of "Christian" and certainly "Catholic" material in book form, I would not recommend this book to others.