The Great Sex Rescue

By Sheila Wray Gregoire,

R.G. Lindenbach and J. Sawatsky

Baker, 2021. 272 pages. $20 (e-book $14)

this new book dissects the teachings from bestselling Christian sex and marriage books. It draws on a survey of 20,000 women to unpack the effects of these teachings.

The authors – a Canadian blogger, a podcaster and a public health expert – conclude we need to rescue the way we talk about sex.

This book overturns the idea women’s desires are less pressing than men’s. It also addresses topics Christian resources have been disturbingly quiet about – consent, emotional and physical abuse, sexual pain and marital rape.

Church teachings can give the mistaken impression heterosexual, monogamous sex is sin-free as long as neither partner is cheating or watching porn. They can also overemphasize same-sex attraction and other struggles. This book proposes a fairer view of sexual brokenness, recognizing we’re all inching toward sexual purity.

The subject matter is serious, but the book is filled with hopeful stories of how Christ-like love can break down lies and restore healthy intimacy. The authors include check-in questions that give couples starting points to address issues. This makes the contents feel accessible rather than overwhelming.

This book can trigger vital conversations about how Evangelicals talk about sex, making it an important read for church leaders and anyone struggling with the messages they’ve heard about sexuality. More than that, it can help restore our understanding of how to honour ourselves and each other as made in the image of God.