Monday, May 16, 2011

Marriage as?

In God's Joust, God's Justice, law historian John Witte Jr. explains that, “the Western tradition has...viewed marriage in at least four perspectives.” He goes on to list the four as contract, spiritual association, social estate and natural institution and that throughout different time periods and different denominations an emphasis has typically been placed on one perspective at the expense of the others. And he continues later saying,

“A single perspective on marriage – whether religious, social, or contractual – does not capture the full nuance of this institution. A single forum – whether the Church, state or the household itself – is not fully competent to govern all marital questions.”

If we truly merged all of these perspectives and considered them when we married what would looking for a spouse look like? What questions would be on Eharmony? What would premarital counseling look like? If we even equally balanced two or three of these perspectives how would that change our approach to marriage?

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