Battle-Scarred: Justice Can Be Elusive (memoirs by John F. Kippley)
The following is a recent book review at Amazon.com by a person previously unknown to the Kippleys.
This book is a lesson in forbearance and an excellent reminder about prudence. I have read and enjoyed the Kippleys’ work for over 20 years. John’s covenant theology of sexuality is beautifully expressed and easy to understand. His work drew me to become a member of the Couple to Couple League (CCL). I believe every member of that organization would be interested in reading this book.
CCL has moved away from certain key elements of the Kippleys’ system of natural family planning instruction, called the Triple Strand. The Triple Strand consists of the three concepts the Kippleys brought to the founding of CCL in 1971:
1. Ecological breastfeeding as a distinct form of natural baby spacing. It has now been further standardized as the Seven Standards of eco-breastfeeding.
2. The covenant theology, which is more completely stated as the renewal-of-the-marriage-covenant theology.
3. An open-to-choice version of The Sympto-Thermal Method of systematic NFP oriented to reducing abstinence as much as possible according to the evidence. All the common signs of fertility are taught, as well as rules that attempt to maximize the benefits and minimize the limitations of each of the signs.
I pray for the return of CCL to these core elements upon which the organization was founded. I can think of no legitimate reason to have removed/altered them. The excuse of “simplicity” is insufficient to justify these changes. The method was easy to learn and complete the way the Kippleys formulated it. The reformulation loses theological clarity as well as informed choice among the widest range of practical options.
These elements, especially Kippley’s covenant theology (simply & beautifully expressing the Truth of God’s plan for human sexuality) are precisely what drew me to & kept me with CCL.
It is heartening to read that the Kippleys have the fortitude to have founded Natural Family Planning International in order to continue their instructional material & methods.
I do not personally know the Kippleys, but I have come to know them through their published work and have deep respect and admiration for them. I will be eternally grateful for their message of Truth about marriage and for providing the practical means of living out that Truth.
Amazon reviewer for Battle-Scarred, October 12, 2012