Marriage After Modernity: Christian Marriage in Postmodern Times

by Adrian Thatcher

For most Christians, marriage is considered a sacrament, created and uniquely blessed by God. Yet, the theology of marriage rarely matches the actual experience. Marriage is too often a violent, loveless institution-and it is increasingly delayed, avoided, or terminated.
Marriage After Modernity offers new hope for Christian marriage at a time of unprecedented social and theological change. It provides an unreserved commendation of Christian marriage, reaffirming its status as a sacrament and institution of mutual self-giving. At the same time, it breaks new ground. It draws on earlier traditions of betrothal and informal marriage to accept some forms of pre-marital cohabitation and provides a new defense of the link between marriage and procreation by sketching a theology of liberation for children. Chapters shed new light on divorce and legitimate theological grounds for 'the parting of the ways,' contraception, and the question of whether marriage is a heterosexual institution. Particular attention is paid throughout the book to overcoming the androcentric bias of much Christian thought and the distorting effect it has had on marriage.
Marriage After Modernity argues for a vision of marriage which does not abandon its history, and which draws upon its premodern roots to grapple with our current social, cultural, and intellectual upheavals.

320 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 1999

Reviews

[R.L. Stollar]

I became interested in this book when I saw it has a section on child liberation theology. After reading it, though, it reminds me of the so-called “child rights advocacy” promoted by evangelical activists Katy Faust and Stacy Manning and their nonprofit organization, Them Before Us. Both Adrian Thatcher and Them Before Us baptize rightwing ideas and research in progressive language to argue for the necessity and superiority of intact families and to attack non-traditional families as dangerous. While Them Before Us is unabashedly conservative, Thatcher is not and presents himself as progressive. This makes his promotion of rightwing ideas and research by using the progressive framework of liberation theology all the more troubling.

[Marcas]

Excellent book for bouncing ideas off! Thatcher has done an incredible amount of research and makes a compelling critique of Christian and modern assumptions of what Marriage actually is. This is a great starting point for further reading and shares lovely insights for a conjugal spirituality, liberation Theology for children and especially how the Song of Song's presents an incredible Liturgical opportunity for Christian Marriage. The suggestions for a Trinitarian view of Marriage that respects the equality of the partners, their mutual and love and striving is absolutely necessary! Unfortunately the work lacks some of the good points of a more systematic account for Marriage as it is unevenly argued at times. He backs up some insights in a nuanced and convincing way, at other times he just begs the question. All round, this is a great resource and I look forward to looking deeper and some of his key ideas in his other work and the work of other Theologians of Marriage and Eros.