Why Marriage Matters: Reasons to Believe in Marriage in Postmodern Society [Paperback]

Glenn T Stanton (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 1997

Drawing from 100 years of social science research, Why Marriage Matters examines the state of marriage in America today and gives readers solid reasons to believe in marriage in a postmodern culture. Indexed for easy reference.

Editorial Reviews

Review

How many times have you heard it said that marriage is less risky if you live together first? That parents who can't get along should divorce for the good of the kids? That single people are happier than married? Notions like these seem as obvious to postmodern folk as their contraries did to our grandparent. No doubt you have heard them...You know they are all canards, and have read somewhere that they have been proven such, but can't put your finger on it. Seek no further...this book is all you need. -- J. Budziszewski, First Things, September 1998

From the Back Cover

SHE COOKS, CLEANS, AND PAYS HIM RENT, BUT SHE’S NOT HIS WIFE. HE’S HER FATHER, BUT THEY’VE NEVER MET. THEY SAY THEY LOVE EACH OTHER, BUT HAVE THE OPTION TO LEAVE IF THINGS GET ROUGH. Marriage is in trouble. Labeled old-fashioned, out-dated, and irrelevant, marriage is being abandoned for divorce, living together, single parenting, and sexual freedom. Lasting marriages, which used to be esteemed as the building block of society, are disappearing at an alarming rate. Drawing from one hundred years of social science research, Why Marriage Matters examines the state of marriage in America today and gives readers solid reasons to believe in marriage in a postmodern culture. If you want to know more about the benefits of marriage for society or understand why so many marriages are falling apart, Why Marriage Matters provides a strong, reasoned case for defending marriage in a society characterized by a lack of commitment.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: NavPress (October 1, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1576830187
• ISBN-13: 978-1576830185
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #328,030 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Glenn is the Director for Family Formation Studies at Focus on the Family and a research fellow at the Institute of Marriage and Family in Ottawa. He debates and lectures extensively on gender, sexuality, marriage and parenting at universities and churches around the country. He served the George W. Bush administration for many years as a consultant on increasing fatherhood involvement in the Head Start program.

He and his wife Jacqueline have five endlessly growing kids and they all live relatively happily in the shadow of Pikes Peak in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Live long and prosper..., November 21, 2000

By 

Eric Tweedy (Stone Mountain, GA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Why Marriage Matters: Reasons to Believe in Marriage in Postmodern Society (Paperback)

The results of over 100 years of scientific research are gathered together in one place, spanning studies from the 1890s to the present day. The data cover multiple cultures and deal with all stages and ages of life. Literally hundreds of individual studies are represented, many of which were done by researchers at some of the most "liberated" universities in Europe and America. Yet the results of all these studies uniformly support a consistent set of notions: that human beings fare best when they are reared in intact nuclear families; that they prosper best in adult life when joined, male and female, in lifelong monogamous relationships sanctioned and supported by the community; that both adults and children suffer enormously when divorce breaks up a family.

The implications are clear. The post modern mantras that "children are resilient," and that "we're better off apart if we don't agree" are just plain wrong.

The lessons to be learned are not just for those facing marital difficulties. I think the message is especially important for re-establishing in our children the expectation that marriage is forever, so choose well and work hard. This book may be a little dry for your teenager and addresses a difficult subject for many parents to discuss with their own children, so you might wnat to extract some nuggets for small group discussion at key places like church youth gatherings. In the process, you will probably discover some reasons of your own for "keeping at it."

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A "marriage saver". Critical information for every marriage, September 27, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Why Marriage Matters: Reasons to Believe in Marriage in Postmodern Society (Paperback)

My husband and I read this book at a critical point in our marriage, and found it a life-saver. Many of the author's points are based on research and statistics, but when he writes from the heart, it touches your heart. It truly was an eye-opener and beneficial to us.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Facts Win., February 20, 2010

By 

Charlene L. Knaps (Knoxville, TN United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Why Marriage Matters: Reasons to Believe in Marriage in Postmodern Society (Paperback)

You simply cannot argue with statistics like these. Marriage DOES matter, and there is no substitute for it.