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Patriarchal Lineages in 21st-Century Christian Courtship

First Comes Marriage

Palgrave Macmillan
  • Bridges sociological and historical studies of American Christianity with girlhood studies
  • First scholarly text to focus on modern Christian courtship and how familial, cultural, and religious dynamics interact with romance, dating, and courtship
  • Provides insight into how the conditions of late modernity affect the religious values and experiences of Christian young adults and their families

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Table of contents (7 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-ix
  2. Introduction

    • Elizabeth L. Shively
    Pages 1-19
  3. Kissing Dating Goodbye

    • Elizabeth L. Shively
    Pages 21-45
  4. Luminous Femininity

    • Elizabeth L. Shively
    Pages 47-74
  5. Proverbs 31 Women

    • Elizabeth L. Shively
    Pages 75-111
  6. “Guard Your Heart”

    • Elizabeth L. Shively
    Pages 113-146
  7. First Comes Marriage

    • Elizabeth L. Shively
    Pages 147-172
  8. Epilogue

    • Elizabeth L. Shively
    Pages 173-177
  9. Back Matter

    Pages 179-183

About this book

Drawing from a study of courtship media and ethnographic work at purity retreats and home-school conventions across the Midwest, this is the first inquiry into modern Christian courtship, an alternative to dating that asks young people to avoid both romance and sex until they are ready to be married. Bridging sociological and historical studies of American Christianity with youth and girlhood studies literatures, Elizabeth Shively finds that the courtship system is designed to shore up the patriarchal nuclear family structure at the center of conservative Christianity and ensure predictability in the face of emerging adulthood: single young women work to embody ideals of “luminous femininity” and model themselves after archetypes such as the “Proverbs 31 woman,” the “stay-at-home-daughter,” and the “mission-minded girl,” and courting couples strive to “guard their hearts” against premature emotional intimacy. Nonetheless, participants report that courtship, like other relationships, inevitably carries an element of risk, and it ultimately fails to offer a substantial challenge to the to the sexist realities of youth dating culture.

Authors and Affiliations

  • Sam Houston State University, Huntsville, USA

    Elizabeth L. Shively

About the author

Elizabeth L. Shively is a lecturer in the Sociology Department at Sam Houston State University, USA.

Bibliographic Information

  • Book Title: Patriarchal Lineages in 21st-Century Christian Courtship

  • Book Subtitle: First Comes Marriage

  • Authors: Elizabeth L. Shively

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-49622-7

  • Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan Cham

  • eBook Packages: Religion and Philosophy, Philosophy and Religion (R0)

  • Copyright Information: The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020

  • Hardcover ISBN: 978-3-030-49621-0Published: 11 August 2020

  • Softcover ISBN: 978-3-030-49624-1Published: 12 August 2021

  • eBook ISBN: 978-3-030-49622-7Published: 10 August 2020

  • Edition Number: 1

  • Number of Pages: IX, 183

  • Topics: Sociology of Religion, Ethnography, Childhood, Adolescence and Society, Sociology of Culture

Buy it now

Buying options

eBook USD 39.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book USD 54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book USD 54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Other ways to access