I just wish Lifeway would set their theological bar as high as their, um, appropriate speakable genitalia bar. When the bookstore flagrantly features authors such as Joel Osteen and William P Young yet chooses to censor a word, instead of an entire false theology - it's concerning, to say the least.

Caryn, your article is well written, strongly argued, and quite necessary. Thank you for being a voice that speaks for so many Christian writers. I am always, always, always shocked at the comments on Christianity Today's blogs, many of which are judgmental and condescending. Never, ever should a person claim that the "majority of so-called Christian authors are NOT truly Christians, and neither are their books." I believe the only person who decides whether we're going to heaven is our creator alone. That's more important than whether I have a vagina, and whether I'm allowed to call it a vagina.

If there is going to be a "taste culture"in the marketplace that calls itself anything-- "Z"-- then there is going to be passionate debate about what belongs in the emporia of the Z culture. Why? People join taste cultures so that they can have silly arguments with others about what belongs in them, and in that way they use marketplaces to prop up some part of their selves. Obviously the controversies take two sides, and are most valuable as props where they are about the unreal. So, if you call yourself a Z writer, then you implicitly promise to deal with the Z fandom and those who cater to them. It is what it is. That said, the pleasures of fully aroused indignation at the trangression of divagating boundaries never defined in advance is not a feature of every taste culture. Such a fandom needs a certain sort of author, ever-provocative, but never quite beyond the pale, to satisfy the appetite for indignation with controversy ever renewed.

I saw that a couple of other people mentioned this already, but are "Christian" bookstores (I regularly maintain that "Christian" should not be used as an adjective) really such powerful players in the book publishing industry?? As a writer and researcher myself I have never purchased books from these places. I -- and most people I know -- purchase books from Amazon (or download them to a Kindle). I see no reason why any author need to cater to the whims of these stores in the year 2012. I encourage Rachel (whose book I look forward to reading), Thomas Nelson and other authors and publishing companies to leave these book stores out of the editorial decision-making process entirely.

The word, "vagina" is neither tiresome nor vulgar. It's one of the many wonderful things God made. Are you calling him tiresome and vulgar? God also made the penis, and he made the two to do something together. Is that tiresome and vulgar? Speaking as a guy who's been very happily married for 34+ years, I can definitively say it's neither. It's no more tiresome and vulgar than chocolate. Now you can do something vulgar and tiresome with any of those (just as you can with a Bible), but that doesn't mean the thing itself is any less glorious than on the day God made it. You could argue that it lost its lustre in the fall, but Jesus came t redeem ALL of creation. American Christian culture-- especially a lot of evangelical culture here-- is sick and needs a physician (gee, I know one!), There are reasons the Church as a whole has been shrinking and becoming less effective. It's not because the world is wicked, or Satan is nearing his azimuth, or any other external problem. The world was plenty wicked in Jesus' day. The hedonism and paganism of Rome and the world in general at that time are well documented. And in the midst of all that perversion, Jesus and the disciples turned the world upside down. Maybe if we quit focusing on body parts and such, and concentrated on the two greatest commandments, we'd see things turn around. In fact I *know* we would, because there's a whole lot of that going on in the Austin area, and we *do* see lives being transformed. I'm amazed at what some of you took away from Rachel's posts. I pray for the healing of the hurt in your lives that causes you to see things the way you do. I pray Daddy God gives you some very tangible, healing hugs. Because if you think Rachel is all about the money, or doesn't care about the people who need to read the book, you are way, way off. I urge you to go reread Rachel's posts without any agenda, without pre-judging her because of her using a "tiresome and vulgar" word. Christy: That's hysterical!

I really don't care if this book has the "V word" or not, and as was pointed out by others, this publicity stunt will undoubtedly translate into more sales. However, I do take issue with the following: "publishers and bookstores are making it a lot harder for writers to tell the stories God has called them to write. And when Christians are barred by other Christians from serving God, it dishonors God. In fact, it’s sin." Nobody is preventing anyone from telling his or her story. What publishers and bookstores are doing is deciding what they will pay for. Any author who wants to tell a story and feels called by God, can do so pretty easily with today's technology.

I have a keen urge to make a t-shirt that says, "I'm Christian, and I have a vagina." All proceeds to Rachel Held. Thank you for a wonderful article.

General circulation publications are slightly different than books. Newspapers and some magazines must consider that a child may actually read their publication. A book on Biblical Womanhood would have a far less chance of having a random child browsing its pages. In actuality, the word in question, vagina, is the correct name for the organ being referenced. It is not euphemistic nor vulgar. It is a word that every adult should be aware of. Again, it is the proper word used in a proper context.

Interesting discussion. I work as a reporter for a newspaper which is read by school children to grandparents. And yes, we do consider the words and content. Management has to listen to readers calling in their protest. It is all very fine and well to say "freedom of expression" and "but this is my story" ... until you have to pick up the 15th phone call that day for the same complaint. If it is important, we will publish, but otherwise the questionable will be reviewed. We have to consider our audience and what sells ... and how much time we want to spend on the phone ... and how many readers we want to keep. And we know, that for every one who says "put some good news on the front" we will sell a couple hundred or more extra papers the day a murder story breaks or some other dramatic crime story. It is a difficult balance, but bottom line is ... we want to continue to be able to afford to cover the news in the community.

Interesting discussion. I work as a reporter for a newspaper which is read by school children to grandparents. And yes, we do consider the words and content. Management has to listen to readers calling in their protest. It is all very fine and well to say "freedom of expression" and "but this is my story" ... until you have to pick up the 15th phone call that day for the same complaint. If it is important, we will publish, but otherwise the questionable will be reviewed. We have to consider our audience and what sells ... and how much time we want to spend on the phone ... and how many readers we want to keep. And we know, that for every one who says "put some good news on the front" we will sell a couple hundred or more extra papers the day a murder story breaks or some other dramatic crime story. It is a difficult balance, but bottom line is ... we want to continue to be able to afford to cover the news in the community.