Living Together and Christian Ethics [Hardcover]

The first positive, in-depth study of cohabitation outside marriage from a mainstream Christian theological perspective.Living Together and Christian Ethics is the first positive, in-depth study of cohabitation outside marriage from a mainstream Christian theological perspective. The book retrieves the traditions of betrothal from the bible and church history, and shows how these can transform Christian attitudes to living together before marriage. It takes issue with theologians who marginalize marriage, and suggests that the recognition of marital values can act as a helpful bridge between Christian teaching and people who are not formally married.Living Together and Christian Ethics is the first positive, in-depth study of cohabitation outside marriage from a mainstream Christian theological perspective. The book retrieves the traditions of betrothal from the bible and church history, and shows how these can transform Christian attitudes to living together before marriage. It takes issue with theologians who marginalize marriage, and suggests that the recognition of marital values can act as a helpful bridge between Christian teaching and people who are not formally married.This book is the first positive, in-depth study of cohabitation outside marriage from a mainstream Christian theological perspective. The book retrieves the traditions of betrothal from the bible and church history, and shows how these can transform Christian attitudes to living together before marriage. It takes issue with theologians who marginalize marriage, and suggests that the recognition of marital values can act as a helpful bridge between Christian teaching and people who are not formally married.Part I. Living Together as a Theological Problem: 1. A guide to living together; 2. Living together: a preliminary theological analysis; 3. Testing the betrothal solution; Part II. An Exercise in Retrieval - Bringing Back Betrothal: 4. The bible and betrothal; 5. Evidence from liturgy and lawlã"