Why Can't We Be Friends?

Avoidance is Not Purity Written by Aimee Byrd The church stands firm against culture on many issues of sexuality . . . but misses this one! Society says we are merely sexual beings and should embrace this, and in the church we use this same view as an excuse to distrust...

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Avoidance is Not Purity

Written by Aimee Byrd

The church stands firm against culture on many issues of sexuality . . . but misses this one! Society says we are merely sexual beings and should embrace this, and in the church we use this same view as an excuse to distrust and avoid each other! We shy away from healthy friendship, and even our siblingship in Christ, in the name of purity and reputation . . . but is this what we are called to do?

Aimee Byrd reminds us that the way to stand against culture is not by allowing it to drive us apart—it is by seeking the brother-and-sister closeness we are privileged to have as Christians. Here is a plan for true, godly friendship between the sexes that embraces the family we truly are in Christ and serves as the exact witness the watching world needs.

Endorsements:

“With this book, Aimee Byrd has done a great service to the church. At a time when society at large is questioning the meaning of friendship in general and the legitimacy of friendship between men and women, Aimee challenges her readers to test their responses and determine whether they are dictated by Scriptures or by culture and tradition. The answers might surprise you.

Read this book even if you think you are already the best of friends. You will find many unexpected questions and insightful recommendations. If you have children, it will help you to establish in them, from an early age, good habits of friendship and sibling relationships.” —Simonetta Carr, Author, Broken Pieces and the God Who Mends Them and the Christian Biographies for Young Readers series

 

“The apostle Paul never called his closest associates “friends”; they were brothers and sisters in Christ. Expanding on his insight, Aimee Byrd explains friendship between males and females in the church as a sacred-siblings calling to love, sanctification, and celebration. Too many people today guard their hearts with rules motivated by fear, concern for reputation, or gross misunderstandings of who we are instead of by theology. Why Cant We Be Friends? ushers us into the deep spaces of Christian theology in a way that rearranges our relationships. If we will be siblings in the kingdom, it’s time we accepted our future for the sake of our present. This is the best book I have seen on this subject.” —Scot McKnight, Julius R. Mantey Chair of New Testament, Northern Seminary, Lisle, Illinois

“Have you ever wondered whether there’s more that God intended for men and women to experience in their friendships with one another this side of heaven? With winsome candor, extensive research, and a vibrant love for the church, Aimee Byrd urges readers to confront the stereotypes that limit friendship between men and women by seeking above all else to promote holiness in one another. Her words awaken a desire to richly enjoy the brother/sister relationships to which our elder brother, Christ, calls us. Her life bears this out. Thank you, Aimee, for such a courageous and timely gift to the church!” —Dave Myers, Elder, New Hope Orthodox Presbyterian Church, Frederick, Maryland

“In our hyper-sexualized culture, there is a very real danger that the church will unconsciously allow the world to set her priorities, if only by way of overreaction, and will thereby ironically lose sight of important aspects of biblical teaching. Nowhere is this more likely than in the sphere of relationships between the sexes. Thus, Aimee Byrd’s plea for a recovery of such friendships in the church, through the rediscovery of the significance of the biblical use of sibling language, is timely. The church is to be a place of love and hospitality where we are to take seriously the transformation of our identities in Christ. A provocative but irenic breath of fresh air on a contentious topic, this book shows how we can and should do that. Highly recommended.” —Carl R. Trueman, William E. Simon Visiting Fellow in Religion and Public Life, Princeton University; Professor of Biblical and Religious Studies, Grove City College

Paperback, 244 pages, notes, discussion questions

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