Synopsis
Relationships are changing, and the church is struggling to keep up. Many Christians are adrift, faced with a faith culture far removed from their experiences and a faith that finds itself in interesting times: diverging theologies, reports of a shrinking church, and unequal numbers of women and men. Add to that the effect of technology on how people meet and match, the growing problem of loneliness, and changing norms of dating, family, sex, marriage, work, and life. What is the future for relationships between men and women? What will singleness and marriage look like? Relatable hopes to provide answers and start conversations.Exploring science, sociology, history, theology, and the many, many messages circulating in society and church culture about men, women and relationships (spoiler: some of them are pretty wild…), Relatable looks at the history of marriage (spoiler: even wilder), and why Christians are prone to promote coupling up as the ultimate achievement. From Old Testament polygamy to Samantha the sex robot, changing perceptions of singleness, sexual hang ups and celibacy, why dating looks different when it happens through a screen, whether women and men really are so different, who doesn’t go to church and why, and whether churches can be part of the answer in creating supportive communities.Almost 1500 people contributed, sharing experiences and opinions with the Real Life Love survey and they’re a core part of the book. From teens to over sixties, stories from all stages of life and love bring into focus the challenges of navigating faith and relationships.Relatable is a brilliant, encouraging, revealing, informative and fascinating look at the history up to current times of relationships between men and women in church. I love Vicky's humour, which brings a lightness to what can be a very intense subject. I will be referring back to it as on a first read there is simply too much to take it all in. Very excited to see this book out there and cannot recommend it strongly enough!Katharine Welby-Roberts, speaker and author of 'I thought there would be cake' So many books about Christian dating paint a simplistic, narrow and formulaic fairy tale of what love and life are supposed to be. But Real Life Love does the opposite - and that's what makes this book so remarkably refreshing. In portraying the messiness of people's vast and varied stories and experiences of singleness, dating, marriage and beyond, Vicky shows that there is no one-size-fits-all approach. This is a story the Church needs to be telling, and in so doing, liberating people from the pain that can often arise from unrealistic relationship expectations. This is more than a dating manual, but a deep dive into the history, sociology and story of real-life love."Chine McDonald, Writer, broadcaster, and speaker
About the Author
Vicky Walker is a writer, speaker and radio broadcaster fascinated by modern relationships and where faith fits in the world. She has presented on BBC Radio 4's Daily Service and Premier Radio. She also organises the Gathering of Women Leaders and a faith community for artists in London.
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