Bride gives dad 'purity' certificate to prove she's a virgin

Mary Bowerman | USA TODAY Network

A Maryland bride presented her father with a "Certificate of Purity" at her wedding to prove she kept a promise she made to him as a 13-year-old.

Brelyn Bowman pledged to her father, Michael Freeman, the founder and pastor of the Spirit of Faith Christian Center in Maryland, that she would remain a virgin until marriage.

Brelyn, who married Timothy Bowman earlier this month, posted a photo a week ago of her dancing with her father at the wedding. In the caption she explained why she chose to give her father the certificate.

"Dancing with my first love. I was able to present a certificate of purity to him signed by my doctor that my hymen was still intact," she said in the post. "Also, the covenant he gave me when I was 13. When you honor God, your life will automatically honor others! I love you, daddy."

Another one of my favs! Dancing with my first love! ❤️ I was able to present a certificate of purity to him signed by my doctor that my hymen was still intact. Also the covenant he gave me when I was 13. When you honor God, your life will automatically honor others! I love you daddy @drmikefreeman A photo posted by Brelyn Bowman (@brefree) on Oct 13, 2015 at 5:56pm PDT

Since news of the certificate broke, Bowman has been the brunt of criticism online, with many questioning why she chose to publicly announce her intact hymen at her wedding ceremony.

On Instagram, a user named meducated22 questioned why a woman in 2015 felt the need to share details of her sex life with her father.

"This is like turning all intellectual and humanistic progress backward," meducated22 wrote. "Back to the days of handing your father your wedding night bed sheets and possibly being killed for not having a hymen."

Jenny Del Toro wrote on Instagram, "And what on earth does her dad want with a certificate of her virginity? Was he going to stone her to death otherwise?"

Bowman's father responded to the criticism in an Instagram post on Tuesday. He posted a picture of his daughter with the certificate and said he was "praying" for the people who took it upon themselves to criticize his family.

"Who knew that a picture like this would get so much negativity? But a natural man will not understand things of the Spirit for they are foolishness to them," he said.

Who knew that a pic like this would get so much negativity but a natural man will not understand things of the Spirit for they are foolishness to them!!! #meetthebowmans #readyourbible #prayingforyou A photo posted by @drmikefreeman on Oct 18, 2015 at 3:33pm PDT

Freeman said he had no idea his daughter was going to present him with the certificate at the wedding, Buzzfeed reported.

“I was totally unaware of what was about to take place. During the remarks, she shared that she wanted to honor me by not allowing any man to touch her before her husband,” Freeman told Buzzfeed.

And while many have condemned the certificate as an "archaic" practice, others have championed Bowman for sticking to her Christian values. Bowman said on Instagram she plans to use the attention as a platform to talk about waiting for marriage.

Follow @MaryBowerman on Twitter.