Dr. Sara Moslener

Sara Moslener is a lecturer in the Department of Philosophy and Religion at Central Michigan University where she teaches courses at the intersection of religion, race, sexuality, and U.S. history.  Her first book, Virgin Nation: Sexual Purity and American Adolescence describes how evangelical purity teachings have been used to craft a narrative of national decline that re-enforces the cultural and political influence of conservative evangelicals. Her next project, After Purity: Resistance and Recovery among Current and Former Evangelicals, addresses the aftermath of the contemporary evangelical purity movement and investigates how these teachings contribute to cultures of abuse within evangelical communities. 

Supported Project:

Dr. Sara Moslener, “After Purity: Recovery and Resistance among Current and Former Evangelicals”

About the After Purity Project:
After Purity investigates a post-purity movement among current and former evangelicals whose formative years were shaped by evangelical purity culture. I’m interested in understanding how former and current evangelicals have made sense of purity teachings as adults. Purity teachings are presented as an essential element to the Christian faith, so what happens when those teachings are challenged by the individuals who formerly embraced them? What life events, shifts in thought or self-understanding causes one to question purity teachings? These teachings offer promises about future marital and sexual relationships. I hope to understand how former adherents to purity teachings negotiate the complexity of adult relationships. The goal of this study is to be able to explain how former and current evangelicals understand the relationship between faith and sex after they have left purity teachings behind. To learn more visit AfterPurityProject.com