16<\/div>SHARES<\/span><\/div>

<\/span>Facebook<\/span><\/a><\/span>Twitter<\/span><\/a>

Few institutions are more misunderstood in the 21st century than marriage.\u2062 Even among devout Christians, it \u2064has \u2064come to have a multitude\u200c of different meanings. Setting aside the usual controversy of\u200b the\u2064 last two decades of whether marriage must be between a man\u2063 and a woman or\u2063 simply any combination of people who\u2063 claim to \u201clove\u201d\u200d one another, there are many other ongoing debates\u200d on the topic. Is marriage a \u200bcontract or a \u2063sacrament? What are\u2062 the rules on chastity? What role do children play in \u2064the\u2063 marriage?<\/p>\n

Typically, the \u200danswers to these questions would be answered\u200d by\u200b a community\u2019s moral and spiritual authorities and regularly discussed among everyone since\u200d marriage \u200dis so crucial\u200d to a healthy society and happy individuals. However, under the guise of being more \u201cpastoral,\u201d these authorities have\u200d instead worsened the confusion, giving their blessings on every kind of definition for marriage \u2014 or they scarcely mention marriage at all. Even for an orthodox Catholic like myself \u2063who has attended Mass his whole life, much of what I thought \u200cabout\u200b marriage\u2064 came more from pop culture than the pulpit.<\/p>\n

As an antidote to \u200cthis problem, the Catholic professor and composer \u200c Peter Kwasniewski<\/a> proceeds to systematically define, analyze, and evaluate marriage in\u2062 his most recent book, Treasuring the Goods \u2063of Marriage in a \u200cThrowaway Society<\/em><\/a>. As such, Kwasniewski \u200btakes a more theological and philosophical approach to the subject, respecting his reader enough to follow along. By the end \u2062of the book, he \u2062not only debunks the many modern heresies and myths concerning marriage, but\u200d he \u2064also reveals \u2062just how beautiful and holy marriage truly is.<\/p>\n

Kwasniewski breaks\u2064 up \u200bhis argument into four sections: \u201cMarriage\u2064 and Family,\u201d \u200d\u201cLiving \u2064Chastely,\u201d \u201cVirginity \u200band Celibacy,\u201d and \u201cContraception and Abortion.\u201d His first section establishes the foundation and \u2063framework of\u200d his\u200d argument by defining marriage in all its fullness. Above all, he stresses the oneness of marriage, in which both\u200c a husband \u200cand wife belong to one another \u2064in\u200b all dimensions: \u200b\u201ca nuptial \u2064vow is the binding together of two spirits, so that\u2062 their grace, peace, \u2064joy, and charity may \u200boverflow into and be reinforced by their bodily togetherness.\u201d<\/p>\n

This understanding obviously clashes with modern notions of\u2063 marriage which seek to affirm a person\u2019s individual good above\u2064 all. People can \u200crepeat\u200d the empty\u200b slogan, \u201clove is love,\u201d but without a religious context and absent of \u2063God\u2019s grace, the marriage quickly becomes precarious and spiritually corrosive: \u201cThis\u200b is exactly the modern \u200cpattern: \u200drampant fornication, promiscuity, multiple \u2063divorces, and the enormous heartache caused to spouses, children, and other relatives who must live among the rubble of collapsed marriages.\u201d <\/p>\n

Of\u200d course, this \u2064equally applies to the opposite\u200c reality\u2064 for \u200bmany adults who never find their soulmate, never marry, and suffer from chronic loneliness. Kwasniewski explains\u200d how \u2062so much of this is a consequence \u200dof a materialistic understanding of marriage. The spirit that gives the relationship life eventually dissipates<\/a>, leaving \u200demptiness and\u200d strife in its wake.<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n
There\u2019s \u2062little any believer would argue with in this first\u200c section. However, this \u2062changes\u2063 in\u200b the following\u200d two sections, when Kwasniewski considers the\u2064 responsibilities and proper limits of marriage. \u200dIt is here that Kwasniewski handles the thornier questions of marriage like allowing divorced and remarried Catholics to\u200b receive Holy Communion, living chastely in marriage,\u2062 dealing with\u2064 a culture that\u2019s\u2062 hostile to\u200b traditional\u2064 Christianity, rejecting\u2063 all forms of contraception, and \u2064honoring priestly celibacy. <\/p>\n
Because\u2062 religious and\u200c moral leaders \u2014 not least, Pope Francis himself \u2014 have\u200d either softened on \u2062these \u200bmatters or outright contradicted them,\u2063 Kwasniewski is forced to take on the unpopular \u200dtask \u2064of articulating what \u2063has always been the church\u2019s position: Catholics\u200d living in\u2064 sin cannot receive Holy Communion; they cannot act in lust or tempt others to do the same; they cannot endorse\u2064 any aspect of the LGBT agenda; they cannot\u200c use contraception, inside or outside of marriage; and with very few exceptions, the priesthood must remain celibate.<\/p>\n
Along with St. Thomas\u200d Aquinas and Aristotle, Kwasniewski cites a number of philosophers and theologians, both ancient and modern, as well as Holy \u2063Scripture to bolster his arguments. Besides demonstrating the reasoning\u2064 behind the church\u2019s seemingly anachronistic positions, this abundance of evidence \u2063helps to diffuse the \u200bstrong feelings that people have about these issues. <\/p>\n
Nothing about what\u200d he is writing is arbitrary; \u2064it is the result of intense reflection\u200b and debate throughout the\u200b centuries. When such conclusions about marriage\u2064 are conveniently forgotten for\u2062 the sake of keeping up\u200c with the\u2063 times, \u200dthe joy and beauty of marriage \u200dbecome impossible to realize: \u201cWe have forgotten \u2063what the day [a happy and holy marriage] looks \u2063like; we might wonder \u200cif the dawn will ever come; we could be deceived by the evil one into believing that night has won and the \u2064day has\u200c been vanquished.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/div>\n
In \u200cthe fourth and final section, Kwasniewski takes up the horror of abortion, a crisis \u2063that \u200cstems directly from today\u2019s distortion and corruption of marriage. After all, once marriage serves the personal needs of individual adults and ceases to be about children, those children become\u200b an intolerable burden, thrown away like \u2062trash. On\u200c this front, Kwasniewski\u2019s words cut through\u2064 the equivocations \u2062and distortions of the pro-abortion left<\/a> and get\u2063 to the heart of \u2063the matter: \u201cMaterialism\u2064 \u2026 is a system that can only be abused because it only leads\u2064 downward,\u2063 into\u200b the pit of \u2064utilitarian egoism. There is no \u2062possible room\u200b for human\u200b dignity \u200dand human rights.\u201d<\/p>\n
Overall, Kwasniewski is largely successful in his \u2063goal of recovering the traditional meaning of marriage\u200b and clearing\u2063 away \u200cthe misconceptions\u200c that cropped \u2064up in the past few decades. However, in his efforts to set the record straight, his \u2063book \u2062suffers from\u2064 two flaws. First is his tendency to stray into some of\u2064 the \u2062more obscure points of Catholic theology and, second, his lack of sensitivity to his opponents.<\/p>\n
The first flaw is not a major problem, especially\u200b if the\u2062 reader\u200b happens to be\u200d a traditionalist Catholic who has\u200b read some of\u200d the Summa Theologica<\/em>, but for anyone outside \u200cthis tiny group, some of Kwasniewski\u2019s claims seem to appear out of nowhere. Such\u2062 is the \u200bcase when he touches on issues like St. John Paul II\u2019s \u201cTheology of the \u200bBody,\u201d \u2063the sacramental superiority \u200dof the holy orders \u200bover marriage,\u200b the disastrous liturgical reforms of Vatican II, \u200bor the appropriate use \u200bof natural family planning<\/a>. Although \u200dthere are \u2062spirited debates on these issues in certain corners of the internet, they\u2019re not exactly\u2063 essential to\u200c Kwasniewski\u2019s argument, nor are they inherently interesting.<\/p>\n
The second flaw is also\u2064 not \u2062major, nor is it really Kwasniewski\u2019s fault. He is speaking \u201chard sayings\u201d\u200b to an unserious culture, and his\u2062 words are bound to rattle even the most sympathetic audience. Nevertheless, there are points in the book where\u200c he could be more charitable to his opponents \u200dand give them the benefit of the doubt. <\/p>\n
For instance, even if people who divorce their abusive spouses or use contraception to space out pregnancies might be ultimately in \u2063the wrong according to Catholic teaching, it\u2019s \u200bunfair to assume they\u2019re \u2064just selfish \u2063or \u200chateful. These teachings\u200d are serious stumbling blocks for many believers, and they deserve more compassion and\u2064 patience from people like Kwasniewski who\u200d actually know\u200b enough to \u200canswer their objections.<\/p>\n
Aside from these drawbacks, Treasuring the Goods of\u2064 Marriage \u2062in a Throwaway Society <\/em>is an\u2062 important book that speaks to a\u2063 critical problem threatening the stability, and \u200dindeed the very future, of the \u2063developed world. For so long, society\u2019s leading intellectuals \u2062pointed out \u2063what\u2019s wrong with marriage and sought to redefine it, which \u2062precipitated today\u2019s \u200dcrisis. Finally, there\u2019s a book\u200c taking\u2063 the major step of explaining what\u2019s right with marriage, \u2064recovering its \u200dtrue definition, and \u2062restoring it to a place of honor.<\/p>\n
<\/div>\n
\t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n
rnrn <\/p>\n
What are the different perspectives within religious communities, such as devout Christians,\u200c regarding the\u200d meaning and purpose of marriage in the 21st century?<\/h2>\n
Marriage has always \u200dbeen a topic of debate and controversy throughout history. However, in recent years, the confusion surrounding \u200cthe meaning and purpose \u2062of marriage has intensified. This\u200d is particularly\u200b true in the 21st century, \u200cwhere societal attitudes<\/a> and values have shifted drastically.<\/p>\n
Even within religious communities, such as devout Christians, there is a lack of consensus on what marriage truly represents. \u200cThe traditional understanding of marriage as being between a \u200cman and a\u200b woman \u2064is now being challenged and \u200dredefined to \u200binclude any combination of individuals who claim to\u200c “love” each other. This ongoing debate has caused further confusion and division on the topic.<\/p>\n
In addition to the question of who can marry, \u200dthere are other crucial \u200daspects of marriage that are being contested. Is marriage merely a \u200clegal contract or is it also a\u200d sacrament with sacred significance? What are \u2064the expectations and\u200b rules regarding chastity within a marriage? Furthermore, what role do children play in the institution of marriage?<\/p>\n
In the past, these \u2064questions would have\u2064 been\u2064 addressed and answered by moral\u2064 and spiritual authorities within a community. These discussions would \u200bhave been ongoing and used to guide individuals in their understanding and practice of marriage. \u2064However, in recent times, these authorities have\u200c either worsened the confusion \u200bby\u2064 endorsing multiple definitions\u200c of marriage or have simply\u200c neglected to address the topic altogether. \u200bThis has led individuals, even those\u2063 who \u200bhave grown up in religious traditions, to form their understanding of \u200bmarriage based on secular influences and popular culture rather than spiritual teachings.<\/p>\n
To counter this problem, \u2062Peter \u2062Kwasniewski, a\u200c Catholic professor and composer,\u2064 has written a book titled “Treasuring\u2062 the Goods of Marriage in a\u2062 Throwaway Society.” In this book, Kwasniewski takes a theological and philosophical approach to define, analyze, and evaluate\u2064 marriage. His intention is to provide clarity \u200band debunk the many modern\u200c misconceptions and myths\u200c surrounding marriage. Additionally, Kwasniewski highlights the beauty and sacredness\u200b of marriage by presenting \u2064a \u200ccoherent \u200band comprehensive understanding of its \u200bpurpose and significance.<\/p>\n
The book is divided into four sections: “Marriage and Family,” “Living Chastely,” “Virginity and Celibacy,” and \u2064”Contraception and Abortion.” Each section addresses different aspects of marriage, establishing its foundation and framework. Kwasniewski emphasizes the importance of the oneness of marriage, where both husband and wife belong to one another in all dimensions. He argues that marriage is not solely about individual fulfillment \u2062but \u2063about the mutual support, grace, and joy that a couple can offer one another.<\/p>\n
Kwasniewski’s \u200bperspective on marriage contrasts sharply\u2063 with modern notions that \u2062prioritize individual desires and self-fulfillment above all else. \u2062He argues that without\u2064 a religious context and\u2064 the presence of God’s grace, marriages can quickly become unstable \u200dand spiritually detrimental.\u200c Kwasniewski points to the prevalence \u2063of rampant promiscuity, divorce, and the consequent \u200bheartache caused by broken marriages as evidence of\u2064 the dangers of deviating from\u2062 the true meaning and \u2064purpose of \u200cmarriage.<\/p>\n
In conclusion, the confusion surrounding marriage in the 21st century \u200dis a result of shifting\u200b societal attitudes and a lack \u2062of consistent \u200bguidance \u200bfrom moral and spiritual authorities. Peter Kwasniewski’s book, “Treasuring the Goods \u200dof \u200dMarriage in a \u2062Throwaway Society,” provides a much-needed\u200d theological and philosophical examination of marriage, aiming\u200b to clarify its purpose and debunk modern \u200cmisconceptions. By emphasizing the oneness, unity, and sacredness of marriage, Kwasniewski reminds\u200d readers of the beauty and importance of this institution in creating a healthy society \u2062and happy individuals.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Few institutions are more misunderstood in the 21st century than marriage. Even among devout Christians, it has come to have a multitude of different meanings. Setting aside the usual controversy of the last two decades of whether marriage must be between a man and a woman or simply any combination of people who claim to<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":551,"featured_media":2094900,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[546],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2094899","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-federalist"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2094899","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/551"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2094899"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2094899\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2094900"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2094899"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2094899"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2094899"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}