I recently had the privilege of interviewing Jason Evert. Jason and his wife, Crystalina, have delivered talks on chastity to over a million individuals across six continents, including notable appearances at World Youth Days in Australia, Spain, Poland, and Panama. They co-founded The Chastity Project and host the podcast Lust is Boring. As best-selling authors, they have created numerous books and resources aimed at making the Theology of the Body understandable for teens and adults. Jason plays a pivotal role as a lead author and presenter of Ascension’s updated program, Envision: Theology of the Body for Middle School, and is also a presenter in YOU: Life, Love, and the Theology of the Body, among other Ascension initiatives.
In today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape, middle school students face a barrage of conflicting messages about their bodies, relationships, and identities. Recognizing the need for a present day faith-based approach to these challenges, Jason aims to provide an up-to-date resource for young people, their educators, and parents as one of the authors and presenters of Envision: Theology of the Body for Middle School.
In this interview, Evert discusses the inspiration behind the program, its key differences from previous editions, and the importance of addressing crucial topics like love, sexual identity, and body image in an age-appropriate manner. He also shares his hopes for the program’s impact on students’ understanding of relationships and their long-term spiritual growth. I encourage you to delve into Jason’s insightful answers to my questions.
1. Can you explain the inspiration behind creating Envision: Theology of the Body (TOB) for Middle School?
Our last TOB for Teens Middle school program was created more than a decade ago, and needless to say, times have changed quite a bit for young people in the past decade. So, we wanted to give young people, as well as their educators and parents, an up-to-date resource to counteract the false messages they’re now bombarded with on a daily basis.
2. How does this updated program differ from the previous Theology of the Body for Teens?
The new edition dives into topics such as body image as well as the responsible use of technology and social media, and addresses issues such as pornography and gender in an age-appropriate manner.
3. Can you discuss the importance of addressing topics like love, sexual identity, and body image with middle school students?
Even if parents choose (wisely) for their middle schoolers not to have their own smartphone, many of their peers have unfettered access to social media and the internet, and are exposing themselves and others to messages that contradict the gospel. As a result, young people need straight answers to these tough topics, so that they can learn the good news about God’s plan for them.
4. How do you envision this program impacting the students’ understanding of relationships and sexuality?
Our hope is that the young people will discover that the Church’s teachings on these matters are not a litany of prohibitions. Rather, the virtue of chastity is one that frees them to love and frees them to know if they’re authentically being loved. It’s good news that isn’t only possible to live out, but is truly liberating.
5. What are your hopes for the long-term impact of this program on the students who go through it?
The ultimate goal is their salvation. The remote goal is that they discover their vocation and live it joyfully. The immediate goal is that they would encounter Christ and the transforming power of the Theology of the Body, so that they can be free to live and to love as God has created them to.
Author’s Note: Visit AscensionPress.com where parents can get a free preview of the program and religious educators can request a full review pack. The downloadable trailer and press release are available for view as well. You can follow the Everts on social media at the following handles:
Instagram: @ascensionpress and @jasonevertFacebook: @AscensionPress and @JasonandCrystalinaEvertX: @AscensionPress and @jasonevert
Photo by CHUTTERSNAP on Unsplash
