Most evangelical churches teach young people that sex should be saved for marriage. But Dianna E Anderson’s book ‘Damaged Goods’ claims that the purity culture of the American church she grew up in can be damaging for young people and that sexual relationships before marriage are permissible for Christians.

Sarah Long is a youth advisor for the Church Of England and has been involved with the Romance Academy, an organisation promoting a healthy view of sex to youth culture. She believes young Christians should be encouraged to save sex for marriage as the place God intended for sexual intimacy.