Review of The Meaning of Marriage by Tim Keller

The Meaning of Marriage: Facing the Complexities of Commitment with the Wisdom of God by Timothy Keller

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Tim Keller, the author of Prodigal God and The Reason for God has produced a commendable volume on marriage. Admittedly a rework of his nine-part sermon series on marriage, it is still a valuable resource. I appreciate Keller's willingness to interact with the clinical and sociological material on marriage. In particular, he brings to the surface some surprising research on marriage that goes contrary to common knowledge, but is indeed common sense--those who stay married for five years after a period of marital conflict will experience greater satisfaction and marital stability than if they had separated. This does bring hope.

Keller does not just rely on sociological studies alone, but uses them as a bridge to Scripture. The typical intellectual type that values reason over faith will find themselves trapped in Keller's book, because the weight of reason sides with Scripture. A master of apologetics, Keller walks through the common objections to role and gender differences--especially Kathy's discussion of the Dance of the Trinity (borrowed from Tim's chapter in the Reason for God).

Keller does a great job of debunking the secular myth of the "sole mate" and with wisdom helps us consider that romantic love is just one aspect of marriage. We actually marry a stranger and choosing to love that stranger will help us to adapt to one another through the years and seasons of marriage.

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