What God Has Joined

Much has been written about marriage from the sociological and psychological point of view and as an object of civil and canon law. But in terms of systematic theology this treatment of marriage as a sacrament may very well be unique. Every effort has been made to keep the text from becoming too academic while at the same time providing the average educated reader with a wealth of original insights into the "mystery" of marriage: in creation and as transformed by Christ. Chapters cover sacramental consent, bond, and covenant as well as the quest for the sign. Such thorny problems as the role of faith in the sacrament, marriage with an unbaptized person, the most pressing ecumenical questions and the relationship between the sacrament and contraception are studied in depth. Finally, the "sacrament of family" is treated at some length with an eye to its social and redemptive dimensions.