andersoj.org oddments

SoMA has a review of Real Sex up at Lauren Winner: Reformed Sinner or Canny Opportunist? - Astrid Storm, which is really the first negative review I’ve read of the book, so I wanted to give it some airplay. Storm is an Episcopal priest — Winner’s own tradition — and so her challenges deserve some attention…

I personally find Storm’s criticism as unsubtle as she asserts Winner’s arguments to be. In particular, she characterizes Winner’s advice to a young friend struggling with chastity very poorly: This section of RS certainly didn’t leave me with the idea that getting married young is anything less than risky. Winner certainly does challenge the idea that we must wait until we’re older, have experienced things and discovered ourselves before getting married.

I’m out of my depth here, but I’m also fairly sure that most of us, including Winner and Storm, are treading water together. Somewhere I’ll find an author who will struggle openly with a modern Christian model for the estate of marriage, but I have not seen it yet. Going back to scripture is a good start, though, because the Biblical discussions of marriage are enough for a lifetime of dialog, even if nobody else steps up to the plate. –JA