What is the Point of Marriage? And Why Should I Care?

Our latest Literary Society read:

The Meaning of Marriage by Timothy Keller with Kathy Keller

G is not in our Literary Society but I thought it only fitting to work him into this picture.  :)  Considering the topic and all.

I have said this before about other authors and will now say it about Timothy Keller:  if you have never read any of his works, drop what you are doing, hire a sitter for the kids, go out and buy all his books and read through them ravenously.  Immediately.  Do not pass Go; do not collect $200.  He has been called the C.S. Lewis of our time and I agree with that description.

In the early 1990's Keller presented a series of sermons about marriage in his church.  Since then it has become one of the most sought-after and requested series he has ever done; and this is in a church of primarily young, single New Yorkers.  They refer to it as "The Marriage Tapes."  Due to an incredible amount of requests, he decided, with the input of his wife, to write this book.

Keller presents the Biblical view of marriage: it is a God-created institution designed to fully implement the strengths of men and women while also, through its redemptive qualities based upon Jesus' example of sacrifice, growing each person into a more complete version of themselves.  This is not to say that single people are incomplete.  This is not to say that divorced people are either.  This "completion" is based upon the effects and power of marriage and does not exclude in any way those that are not married.  God has plans for each individual; not just couples.  In fact, Christianity was a revolutionary religion in ancient times in that it gave both men and women freedom to live single lives rather than rely on the "idol" of the family unit and the necessity of having children.  It liberated individuals.  It would be a shame, and would miss the mark, to now view marriage as some sort of spiritual goal or elite fulfillment for Christians.

He uses modern studies and Biblical examples of why living together does not guarantee a successful marriage (and that these marriages result in divorce more often than marriages in which the people do not live together before); why sex before marriage is not only wrong, but why it is a harmful idea; how our culture has come to view marriage solely as a vehicle for happiness and personal fulfillment; how marriage should be our number one (earthly) relationship priority, meant to supercede our relationships with both our parents and our children.

Keller has a gift for conveying complex and controversial issues in a way that is academic and spiritual without being preachy, condescending or patronizing to non-believers.  Besides Philip Yancey and Anne Lamott, he is one self-proclaimed Christian who I would recommend to non-Christians.

Enjoy!  Happy Reading!  And Happy Marriage!