tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8782597.post9142807055693107639..comments2024-02-14T19:05:20.541-06:00Comments on The Arrow's Path: Thoughts on MarriageThe Archer of the Foresthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075768526819990250noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8782597.post-74186965727506616422007-11-02T13:56:00.000-05:002007-11-02T13:56:00.000-05:00I find that website in the first comment really di...I find that website in the first comment really disturbing, but not surprising. <BR/><BR/>As to the 2nd comment, you make some good points, but I guess we will have to agree to disagree. Can anything really manifest the fruit of the Spirit if the Holy Sacraments have been purposefully circumvented (even with a Bishop's permission)? That would seem to be the work of the Spirit countermanding the work of the Spirit. I really do not like where that theological road goes. <BR/><BR/>I get really jittery when people start trying judge the fruits of the Spirit in determining whether something is "of God." I am reminded of that line from CS Lewis' Voyage of the Dawn Treader, "Things that look safe and things that are safe are often two different things." I think the same if true of that which is of God because only God knows if they are actually of Him or not. <BR/><BR/>I do like your point about asking about relationships before marriage. You are right, TEC has largely become incoherent on issues of relationships. Marriage is a vocation, just as celibacy is a vocation. I think the Church would be well served to remind people of that.The Archer of the Foresthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03075768526819990250noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8782597.post-61204957798331985512007-11-01T20:41:00.000-05:002007-11-01T20:41:00.000-05:00In some ways I agree with you.. but, as with so ma...In some ways I agree with you.. but, as with so many things, I think it depends on the people involved and their theology/philosophy, intentions and conduct.<BR/><BR/>I look more to Galatians 5; does it manifest the fruit of the spirit? Does this relationship reflect the kind of conduct and care for one another that God calls us to?<BR/><BR/>I'll fully confess, I lived with my husband for the year before we were married. We made promises to one another (in the name of God) regarding how we would live together, how we would treat one another. We acted jointly in every aspect (legally allowed anyway). We sought counsel from the bishop before making that choice.<BR/><BR/>I agree with you, though, that plenty of people who cohabitate in ways that do not honor or respect themselves, who act in an individualistic way.<BR/><BR/>On the other hand, there are plenty of people in marriage who act as though they were two individuals who owe very little consideration to the other.<BR/><BR/>I think cohabitation is often a symptom of a larger cultural laxity about marriage, but that the solution lies in the church clarifying its theological and ethical stance around the sacrament of marriage -- divorce and remarriage are also symptoms of this, for example, and many of the people who are now considering cohabitation experienced divorce in their childhood, either of their parents, aunts and uncles, etc. <BR/><BR/>The Church also has a central role in modeling what it means to live in covenant -- this is the essence of both relationships, baptismal and marital. What would it look like if the Church asked: What does it mean to have a vocation to which we are bound by a covenant, through a sacrament? What if that is where we began in pre-marital counseling? Post-marital counseling? What if we talked about relationships before people asked to be married? (From what I've seen TEC is not much on addressing dating etc..)<BR/><BR/>Sorry for the long comment, but this is a great conversation starter!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8782597.post-89894297282265503212007-11-01T20:35:00.000-05:002007-11-01T20:35:00.000-05:00Thanks for your commentary. You might find this he...Thanks for your commentary. You might find this helpful...<BR/><BR/>http://www.cohabitating.org/Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com