Singled Out: Why Celibacy Must Be Reinvented in Today's Church [Paperback]

Christine Colón (Author), Bonnie Field (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1, 2009

Authors Christine Colón and Bonnie Field thought that by a certain age they would each be married. But they watched that age come and go--and still no walks down the aisle.

In Singled Out, they reflect on their experience--and that of an increasing number of Christians. Rejecting overly simplistic messages from the church about "waiting for marriage," they explore a deeper understanding of celibacy that affirms singles' decision to be sexually pure, acknowledges their struggles, and recognizes their importance in the church community.

Thoughtful and accessible, Singled Out is an invaluable voice of realistic encouragement for any single as well as an important tool for church leaders and others concerned with mission and ministry for singles.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Christine Colon and Bonnie Field thought that by a certain age they would each be married. But they watched that age come and go--and still no walk down the aisle. In Singled Out, they reflect on their experience and that of an increasing number of Christians. From the secular world and the evangelical church, singles are bombarded with negative images of celibacy. Here, Colon and Field explore a deeper understanding of celibacy that affirms singles' decision to be sexually pure, acknowledges their struggles, and recognizes their importance in the church community.

"This book should be required reading for every adult Christian not yet (and perhaps never to be) married. Use it as an antidote to others' expectations for your life. I love how Colon and Field have resurrected St. Paul's teaching to the church in Corinth--that marriage, family, and singleness are all callings from God, and that ultimately, following Christ trumps them all."--Jon M. Sweeney, author of Cloister Talks: Learning from My Friends the Monks

"Finally--a whole book dedicated to redeeming and reclaiming celibacy for people aged 30 and beyond! Colon and Field offer a refreshing critique of stilted messages in the media and in our churches and call us to challenge assumptions that one needs to be married to be a happy, well-adjusted contributor to society. I recommend it to anyone (married or not) wanting to take singleness and celibacy seriously."--Lisa Graham McMinn, George Fox University, author of Sexuality and Holy Longing: Embracing Intimacy in a Broken World

"Colon and Field let the issue of abstinence graduate from the youth group and move on to the sanctuary and the bedroom, the pages of church history, and the screens of our current entertainment media. I'm so grateful they acknowledge that honest, intelligent conversation about singles and sexuality requires not just three simple words--'just say no,' 'true love waits'--but more words like those found on the 256 pages they've thoughtfully penned here."--Camerin Courtney, senior editor of Today's Christian Woman and author of Table for One

About the Author

Christine A. Colón (PhD, University of California at Davis) is associate professor of English at Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois. She has published articles in Women's Writing, Renascence, and Brontë Studies as well as in several volumes of collected essays. Bonnie E. Field is an educational consultant and curriculum specialist who lives in Dallas, Georgia. She has also taught English at Arizona College of the Bible and Wayland Baptist University.

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Brazos Press (June 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1587432374
• ISBN-13: 978-1587432378
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #781,791 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Finally! A Comprehensive Evangelical Response, June 4, 2009

By 

Pamela Trice (Wheaton, IL) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Singled Out: Why Celibacy Must Be Reinvented in Today's Church (Paperback)

Finally! A Solid Evangelical response to those in the Church who are single and are over 25! First--this book is not a dry, intellectual, sterile treatise on abstinence. No-- this book is alive and born out of the authors' own experience of being in their 40s and single in the Church. The authors hold up a positive, vibrant view of celibacy (already understood more by our Catholic brothers and sisters)that debunks the myth that celibacy is to be equated with repression and immaturity (emotional or spiritual). This book is written from both the heart and the head--and is a much needed conversation starter for this generation.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Putting the Temporary Nature of Family and Marriage in the Eternal Light of Christ and the Church, April 3, 2011

By 

Rebecca Clemens - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Singled Out: Why Celibacy Must Be Reinvented in Today's Church (Paperback)

This book is not trying to say that traditional families aren't important or that those who wish to be married should give up hope. It does, however, remind us that although God does not promise the same blessings and circumstances to everyone, but our differences do not make us unworthy of being a valued member of the family of God. Churches often focus on the biblical illustration that marriage provides, but neglect that singleness too provides a different but just as important illustration of God's relationship to man, one which this book explores in detail in a way that made me fall in love with God all over again.
So many other books on singleness try to salve the "wound" that we are apparently supposed to be afflicted with, but Singled Out calls us to rethink such negativity and reminds us that your martial status and the biological offspring you produce are only temporary in light of eternity. Colon and Field present an intelligent, well researched and scripturally sound counterargument to false assumptions often made by both the secular society and the evangelical church. It is human nature to want to fulfill our longings, but in our eagerness to have what we see others having, to get what we want (even if what we want is a good thing), we must be careful not to ignore God's truth and the blessings he is giving us right now. I challenge anyone who is single, has family or friends that are single, or wants to make sure their church has the right perspective on family to read this book and check out similar conversations on this topic by John Piper (at [...]) and Willow Creek sermons and classes (at [...]).

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A much needed book for the Christian Church, December 9, 2009

By 

Patrick J. Southam - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Singled Out: Why Celibacy Must Be Reinvented in Today's Church (Paperback)

This is a book much needed by the Christian Church in America, which has too much made an idol of marriage.

The plusses of this book include: I was extremely impressed by the authors' research; it was extensive! I was impressed by their willingness to share the pain they have experienced at the hands of other Christians. This is quite a comprehensive book in 250 pages.

The minuses of this book are: They spend a little too long in lamenting what is wrong (wrong attitudes and behavior in churches toward singles) before getting to their proposed solutions, which doesn't come until the last third of the book, and was the part I was really interested in so that I can be a more loving Christian brother. And, I think they let Focus on the Family off a little too easy.

My prayer is that this book will be widely read and widely heeded by Christians who truly desire the church to be the place where all are welcomed into God's family and not shunned.