This courageous guest post from Cedarville University student, Sarah Jones, continues our Feminism & Faith series. See Sarah’s full bio after the jump, and be in touch with Courtney_at_feministing.com if you’d like to contribute a future column.

When I was seven years old, I asked my mother why our church made girls wear skirts. Her answer was simple: “I don’t know, honey, that’s just what we do.” Even at the age of seven, I wondered at that. My mother is college-educated and bright. I owe my love of books to her. But for my mother, and for millions of other American Christian women, doctrine rules all aspects of life.

I say doctrine, and not God, because the two don’t necessarily agree. And ...