Issue WAS divorce - (which peaked in the 80's - now back to 60's level)
Issue NOW - "cohabitation" - (14 times higher than in 1970)
- 25% unmarried adults (25-34 years) living with a partner
- 24% children born to un-married people
- another 20% spend part of childhood in cohabiting situation
Which = 44% of kids spend part of childhood in unmarried household
So --- demise of marriage? evolution of marriage?
On the surface - yes
at the core - no - not much change in core values
typical cohabiting couple mainly in America:
1) heterosexual
example: the Center for Disease Control & Prevention - found that in a 2013 poll, 96.6% = straight
(the % of G, L, T living together??? not known - married is less than 1/2 of 1% of the adult population
2) monogamous (ie - 1 man, 1 woman) - regarding polygamy? on one hand, 16% say "morally acceptable" with other people, however, the % practicing it = tiny fraction, almost nobody. This even across the world.
3) exclusive - a) sexually ... contrast open relationships!! - 60's commune situation very short lived.
b) otherwise - ie: claim ownership - my fiance, my partner, my boyfriend, girlfriend
4) share financial burdens
5) accept, claim, own inlaws
6) accept responsibility for the children in the home (born, blended)
7) assume (legal) marriage is in the future
STATISTICS:
89% of people (worldwide) marry before age 49 - (from 2003)
70% of American Adults - 1) in a marriage or 2) cohabiting or 3) in a committed, long-term, exclusive relationship with a view to eventual marriage
58% of divorced/widowed people re-marry
Americans age 18-34 - only 9% say never been, never want to marry (some of whom will change mind!!)
Single Americans 18-30 years who want to marry, believe when they do it'll be for life ---- almost 100%.
POINT:
While waiting longer to marry and living together before marry and never getting legally married, nevertheless, acting as if married, living as married, (adults playing house)
Marriage (at the core) = "a cultural universal" (ie: practiced by all people, cultures, societies in all eras!!) It's NOT going away!!! WHY??? - Rom. 2:14-15 - written in mankind.
So, on one hand, are many variations worldwide. However, it remains "Marriage" at it's Core!!
Variations List with marriage as observed in adjectives:
traditional
religious
civil
common-law
temporary
trial
probationary
open
arranges
child
forced
incestuous
polygamous
inter-racial
(now) same sex
group marriage (common in the 60s)
marriage of convenience (green card marriage)
Therefore - the demise and/or evolution of marriage? not likely!!
The concept, institution, practice - remains, endures
Christian Marriage: - same core with additional elements
#1. heterosexual - example: Adam and Eve - ie: male and female
#2. monogamous - polygamy recognized, tolerated, but never offered, instructed, condoned - Gen. 2:24, 1 Tim. 3:2
#3. intimate - more than sexual intimacy - Gen. 2:25 - not ashamed to bare souls
#4. exclusive - another cultural universal (even in polygamy and polyandry!) Everywhere there is marriage, there is exclusivity.
#5. complementary - "add to, fill up" - Gen. 2:18 - "help mate"
note #1 - modernist objection - says I am complete in myself - don't need someone else
note #2 - spouse should ADD to, not complete!!
#6. permanent, binding - "til death do us part" - NOT always practice but universally understood! This is NOT meaning NO VALID DIVORCE - Jer. 3:6-9
#7. productive - IF children, then this = environment
- IF children, then are to be raised "Christian" - Mal. 2:14-18
AND:
Christian marriage is:
#8. sacred - "holy matrimony" - different than civil. = God's invention, God's institution
Therefore: embrace His design
follow His rules - "The Book"
invoke His presence
#9. a covenant - contract of 3!!
between 2, before God (witness), with God as participant!! - involved
Spiritual marriage ---> Ruth 1:14-17
(Public) oath of commitment necessary?? = John 4:16-18
#10 with Christ at the Core
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment