By Andy Hale
This week on the CBF Podcast Conversation, we welcome Dr. Camden Morgante, a licensed psychologist and author of Recovering From Purity Culture. In this important conversation, Dr. Morgante explores the lasting impact of purity culture and the difficult—but necessary—work of healing from its myths. While purity culture peaked in the late 1990s and early 2000s, its messages continue to shape individuals’ experiences of faith, sexuality, and identity in both explicit and subtle ways. She challenges the deeply ingrained beliefs that have caused shame, fear, and disillusionment, offering a path toward reclaiming a healthier, values-based sexual ethic. Through her expertise in counseling, she provides tools for self-acceptance, boundary-setting, and holistic healing, helping those affected by purity culture move toward freedom and wholeness.
Dr. Morgante unpacks several of the key myths purity culture instilled, including the Fairy-Tale Myth—which promised that waiting for marriage would lead to a perfect relationship—and the Flipped Switch Myth, which falsely assured young Christians that sexual repression would seamlessly transform into fulfillment after marriage. She also addresses the trauma responses many experience, from sexual guilt to feelings of being “damaged goods.” Her insights extend beyond personal healing to systemic change, urging faith communities to dismantle patriarchal structures that continue to harm individuals, especially women and queer Christians. If you’ve wrestled with the effects of purity culture or long to help others find a healthier way forward, don’t miss this deeply insightful and compassionate conversation.
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Andy Hale is the creator and host of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship Podcast. Hale is the Associate Executive Coordinator of CBF North Carolina. He’s also served as CBF’s Church Start Specialist, the founding pastor of Mosaic Church of Clayton, and the senior pastor of University Baptist Church of Baton Rouge. Follow on Twitter @haleandy.