Rebecca is unflinching in outlining biblical truth, but mixes this with a wonderful pastoral sensitivity. The chapter on gender discusses feminism, women and Christianity, transgender experience, and what it means to be man or a woman. Rebecca makes great use of her own story and the stories of some of her friends and does a great job of showing both the reasons for the Bible’s teaching and its plausibility. The chapter on sex and relationships covers the purpose of sex, same-sex relationships, singleness, friendship, pornography and more. Both chapters are impressive for the amount of ground they cover, without being too long or complex. The book is pitched at pre-teens and teens, and I’m sure it would be of huge benefit to that audience, but it was also a really helpful and enjoyable read for this university-educated 30-year-old! On sex and genderġ0 Questions does a great job of handling two of the most difficult topics for young people today – sex and gender. There is also a lovely warmth to the way she writes – this isn’t a stuffy lecturer talking to their students with an air of superiority this is a friend, sitting alongside, helping us to learn and explore. Rebecca writes with an incredible clarity, making great use of illustrations and real-life stories. And in this book, Rebecca offers this equipping on 10 key areas, covering within them a diverse range of topics including truth, morality, science, suffering, racism, abortion, sex, gender, and even the health benefits of the Christian life. Like me, Rebecca recognises the importance of helping young people to question well: ‘Rather than protecting kids from divergent ideas, or urging them to affirm all beliefs equally, I want to equip them to have real conversations with real people who really think differently from them – and from me’ (p.16). That’s why I was so excited to see the publication of Rebecca McLaughlin’s 10 Questions Every Teen Should Ask (and Answer) about Christianity. Helping young people to wrestle with big questions protects and strengthens their faith. Contrary to what we might often assume, helping young people to wrestle with big questions protects and strengthens their faith. Many report that they weren’t encouraged to or even allowed to question anything about Christianity when they were younger, with the result being that when they grew up and became aware of the many questions that could be asked, their faith was shaken and they felt unable to work through those questions. Many people in my generation who came to faith as children or young teenagers have since turned away from Christianity, or at least biblical Christianity, and questions have often been central to their journey. I’m convinced that having the freedom to ask questions and explore tricky topics is vitally important to maintaining a strong faith. Rebecca McLaughlin, 10 Questions Every Teen Should Ask (and Answer) About Christianity (Crossway, 2021)
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