The Meaning of Marriage

Thank goodness that's done. I wanted to DNF this several times, but I kept coming back because Matt got such meaning out of it a few years ago when he read it. I started skimming towards the end (after the garbage chapter on gender), but I'm not a very good skimmer, so I essentially just read the sections that Matt had thought it important to underline or comment on.

I don't want to get into all the ways the Kellers and I differ in terms of theology, because it's not important to this review, but let's just say they come at this topic from a very complementarian perspective, and I am more of an egalitarian.

That said, it was frustrating because despite this clear complementarian view towards gender, gender roles and the way the Kellers' marriage operates, I got the sense that they really didn't want to turn people off to their message, so they tried to be, essentially, all things to all people. It kind of muddied up some of their points.

Which is chiefly my biggest complaint: the writing style was hard for me to follow and understand. Now, I'm an educated person, and I read a whole heck of a lot. My comprehension is fine. So when I get to the end of a section and am not sure what the point was - that's a problem, either with the writing or the editing. I also wish there had been more examples to demonstrate their ideas, besides those of the authors' marriage. (Because, not all marriages are the same! I am never going to be one that smashes the dishes because my husband isn't being a good leader. DISHES COST MONEY YO.)

I imagine this would have been a fantastic sermon series though, as that is the form this content originally took.

Things I DID like:
- At one point I laughed out loud because Tim said the only time in the creation story when God says something is NOT good - it's about Adam being alone. Everything else He made He declares good! But nope, Adam by himself - not good.
- I did appreciate the emphasis on friendship within a marriage, and the idea that romantic love can fluctuate over long years but friendship-love is a good strong basis even in the rough times.
- The idea of servant-love/submission being required of BOTH spouses, despite the Biblical “husbands, love your wives” / “wives, submit to your husbands.” (Colossians 3) (But we've established that Paul and I don't see eye to eye on lots of things.