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Renewal group studies a better approach to building strong marriages and families

The Layman Online, Posted Tuesday, March 18, 2003

FAIRFAX, Va. – Enormous changes in the social science research of the last decade now clearly show the detrimental effects of divorce and family breakup on society, an ecumenical renewal movement says in advocating a better approach to building strong marriages and families.

Nearly three dozen leaders within the ecumenical renewal movement, meeting under the auspices of the Association for Church Renewal, met earlier this week for discussions ranging from public policy to philosophy, human sexuality to divorce – all focused on how churches might better approach building strong marriages and families.

Speakers at the two-day consultation included:
  • University of Virginia professor of sociology W. Bradford Wilcox, who conducted social science studies of marriage within the mainline Protestant denominations.
  • J. Budziszewski, a professor in the departments of government and philosophy at the University of Texas at Austin and the author of several books on natural law.
  • Don Browning, professor emeritus at the University of Chicago and an expert in the field of marriage and family.
  • David Blankenhorn, president of the Institute on American Values.
  • Bill Coffin, a marriage education specialist with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Blankenhorn cited recent research that documents damaging socio-economic effects experienced by people who divorce and enter into extramarital marriage arrangements. He and others participating in the consultation, however, noted how mainline church leaders in America still were basing their assessments of family life on outdated and inaccurate assumptions.

"The irony is that so many of our denominational leaders pride themselves on being on the cutting edge. But regarding marriage, they are on the cutting edge of the '70s," said Diane Knippers, president of the Institute on Religion and Democracy.

Other discussions focused on plans by the federal government to provide marriage training for those who wish to marry. One presentation highlighted the gap between the better-than-average stability of marriages in mainline congregations in contrast with national church policies and teachings that would undercut such stability.

A public address by Budziszewski explored the natural law and sacramental foundations that are central to the Christian understanding of the marriage relationship, including arguments that can be made from reason alone for traditional Christian marriage.

Budziszewski's presentation was designed to provide basic tools for defending the institution of marriage against what has been a three-decade long assault by modern notions of individual autonomy and the de-sacralization of marriage within the mainline churches.

A Generation X participant described the hope that Budziszewski's presentation gave him about the institution of marriage in the face of predominating cultural pressures.

"I came away with a deeper sense of what marriage is and what it represents - things that our churches don't often teach us," he said. "The possibilities for communicating this rich perspective give me hope for the future."

The consultations on ways in which to strengthen marriage and the family follows a national Association for Church Renewal conference in October titled "Confessing The Faith: Reclaiming Historic Faith and Teaching for the 21st Century." For complete details about the Indianapolis conference, visit the Web site.

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