Thanks so much for writing this! I have struggled with the “quiverfull” movement for a while, not knowing why. It just seemed extremely legalistic and religious. I agree with you and think that the contradictions in scripture is enough to pinhole (if not explode) the quiverfull interpretation. I am glad you are how you are and who you are because it has blessed me:)))

Hey Kate and Rohan,
I haven’t read the whole paper yet – just the first couple of pages, but I noticed that Kate treats the pill and IUDs diferently. There’s a recent Zadok paper (I forget when it came out, but can find out if you’re interested) on the pill which argues that the pill is often actually abortive. I can’t remember the details – it was one of those papers that I set aside so that I could “get back to it and read it properly”, but it made…frustrating and disturbing reading, and I’m not sure what else!

I haven’t read the paper, but I was interested to read that you’ve done some postgrad theology study? Which college was that through?

Thanks for this, I am very interested in reading this paper. While I don’t regard contraception as sinful per se, following our own experience with conceiving a child I have found that my views on this issue have swung toward the much more cautious and conservative end of the spectrum. I haven’t read the paper but from your post I suspect we’ll be on the same wavelength. NFP methods seem like a wholistic ideal; it’s a shame that we as a society are very poorly educated in this area.

cheers
James

ps. remind me to pass you a copy of my paper on the problem of evil; I would welcome your review of it once it’s completed.

That was an interesting paper, Kate. Not sure if you’ve read my blog on our journey to conceive (http://belindascontemplativecorner.blogspot.com … in the “June” section), but we have reason to believe the pill had some kind of part to play in us not being able to conceive for nearly 2 years (not counting an early miscarriage). It wasn’t until after I had been off the pill for some months that I read about the Billings method, which I found made sense, but was difficult to interpret my fertile times. I (finally) came across the Fertility Awareness Method – which is basically the same as Billings but adds the basal body temperature-taking (which Billings says you don’t need, but I found I DID need to take my temps!). I found this invaluable (Taking Charge of Your Fertility by Toni Weschler).

James and I have vowed NEVER to go back on the pill again!!! I wish the pill wasn’t such an automatic thought when first getting married (I didn’t think twice about it – you get married, so you go on the pill … I was so naive!). It’s amazing the power it gives a couple to know the woman’s cycle and not rely on pharmaceuticals. I was literally in awe when I finally understood how God designed our cycles (how come nobody told me in THAT level of detail?!!!).

I’d love to catch up and chat sometime about all this :)

Hey James.

Yes, I think ‘wholistic’ is something that Kate and I are becoming more aware of and are seeking toward. We are quick to compartmentalise dimensions of our lives and not think about or see how they affect each other. We also make decisions for now and don’t work through the implications for later.

we decided to go on the pill as it was easy, simple and now. if Kate were on it for 10 years – what effect could that have had on her body? did we think and talk this through?

this wholism issue goes for our time, food, exercise, attention – we think we make informed decisions, yet the pool of information that we draw from is sometimes quite small and biased…

love to have a read of your paper.