Traditional Marriage details how marriage developed from a private affair of "taking a wife" to a public taking of vows. Since the time of Abraham, marriage customs and practices evolved in many ways. This book discusses these traditions and related topics, including divorce and remarriage, homosexuality, the treatment of women, monogamy and polygamy, and the importance of one's bloodline.
The first part covers the Old Testament period. Hebrew laws are explained along with the behavior of the Israelites.
The first century, including the New Testament, is the subject of the second part. The words of Jesus and Paul are explained in their historical and biblical context, especially divorce and remarriage, monogamy and polygamy, and the bloodline of Abraham.
The third part takes up the Christian era, in which the theology of marriage became more complex, with the introduction of wedding vows, the doctrine of a marriage bond, the spiritualization of marriage as a sacrament, and a conflict between theology and practice regarding divorce and remarriage. We see how different branches of Christianity developed their theology and practice in contradictory directions.
The purpose of the book is to present historical and biblical facts and not to take a stand favoring any position on traditional marriage and its related topics.