Earlier this week, author and former pastor Joshua Harris — whose bestselling book I Kissed Dating Goodbye became go-to courtship advice for a generation of teens raised within 1990s-early 2000s evangelical purity culture — announced via Instagram that he and his wife were separating. In the post, he says, "In recent years, some significant changes have taken place in both of us. It is with sincere love for one another and understanding of our unique story as a couple that we are moving forward with this decision. We hope to create a generous and supportive future for each other and for our three amazing children in the years ahead."
Last year, Harris and filmmaker Jessica van der Wyngaard released the documentary I Survived I Kissed Dating Goodbye, which chronicles Harris' confrontation with dozens of critics of his book — along with many of the tenets of purity culture. The project came about during Harris' studies at Regent College, where he attended after stepping down in 2015 from the lead pastor role at Covenant Life Church, part of the Sovereign Grace Ministries network, after allegations of improper handling of abuse within the SGM network over decades came to light.
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