Conjugal America: on the public purposes of marriage

Abstract

The institution of marriage has become perilously weak in America. Changes in law over past three decades, such as spread of no-fault divorce and broad acquiescence to cultures of divorce and intentional childlessness, have stripped traditional marriage of important legal supports. Half of all marriages end in divorce and just as many are childless. Conjugal America seeks to recapture real purposes of marriage and unchanging nature of this most vital and fundamental human institution.Confronting contemporary issues and drawing heavily on natural and social sciences, each chapter also reaches into past to find truths grounded in human experience. Carlson reexamines basic bond of marriage to procreation, showing that this tie has been no less than foundation of unwritten sexual of Western civilization. He also shows how Gnostic heresy, which despises procreation, posed a stark danger to early Christian movement and to the sexual constitution of our own time as well. He then dissects claims regarding evolution of showing that true marriage always represents vital connection of sexual with economic.Carlson explores political nature of marriage showing, why every ambitious totalitarian government seeks above all to destroy marriage, and why true marital bond actually stands for liberty. He concludes by arguing for necessity of marriage policy. Because both nature of centralizing state and pressures of modernity have altered family circumstances, new protections and encouragements to marriage are now imperative. Conjugal America will be central to new debate on marriage and its purposes. This book sees current moment as an opportunity to revitalize a necessary institution that has recently been abused and neglected and reinstate it as primary source of commitment and care in modern world.