Larry Christenson (1) (1928–2017)

Published in the US in 1977, this is a solidly Christian approach to marriage, yet, for its era, quite refreshing in some respects. It was written with the intent of challenging the growing statistics of marriage breakdown and divorce, looking at the importance of commitment rather than relying entirely on romantic feelings.

Inevitably there’s much that’s rather dated, and many would find the authors’ chapters on submission to be quite offensive; yet, reading them with an open mind, and remembering that the book is nearly forty years old, it’s quite enlightening. Certainly it's a well-written and readable book, with plenty of interesting anecdotes from the authors' own lives and those of other people too.

I’m not sure there’s anything in this that I found particularly useful or relevant. But it made an interesting quick read, and certainly gives a realistic view of marriage. Intended for those who are believers, and, unusually, with more advice for men than for women.

Perhaps worth picking up if you see it in a charity shop. But in my view there are better books available now on the topic. I’d particularly recommend Gary Chapman’s ‘Four Seasons of Marriage’ for a contemporary look at the subject.… (més)