Families at the Crossroads
By Rodney Clapp
Covenant or Contract Fidelity
In Chapter Six the author looks at the distinctiveness married men and women bring to society as they witness to the value of marital fidelity. Christian fidelity needs definition as the fidelity accepted by our culture is not the same. Monogamous lifelong marriage is based on covenantal fidelity, promises which may be difficult to keep, where the partakers are dependent on God for the grace to keep them. Non-Christian marriage is often based on contractual fidelity, which is based on calculation, qualifications and reservations. It is not dependent on God's provision, because if it begins to go wrong then it is acceptable to dissolve it. Christian fidelity is a sign and witness of God's fidelity. His is a faithfulness which endured despite the unfaithfulness of Israel. For love to blossom their must be trust and confidence that promises will be kept and that the relationship will endure despite difficulty. Fidelity in sexual matters elevates sex from the recreational to the expression of love and commitment and unity.
The author then continues to compare and contrast the sort of fidelity and intimacy which are created by the two approaches to marriage, contractual and covenant, and demonstrates the consequences to society of an acceptance of the contractual model of marriage. Christians need to re-examine their understanding of marriage and recognise the strong influences that consumerism and capitalism have had on popular conceptions of fidelity and intimacy. The true Christian understanding of marriage has much to offer our society and we need to understand its uniqueness.
Order now from Amazon.co.uk
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.