Posts Tagged ‘Cohabitation’
Cohabitation #1: Partner Choice
While popular wisdom suggests that a period of cohabitation before marriage is a sensible decision to ascertain compatibility, most people are surprised to learn that the practice actually increases the likelihood of divorce by around 50%. Over the next few issues, we’ll outline a number of reasons why cohabitation is actually counter-productive for a relationship.…
Read MoreIs Cohabitation Different to Marriage?
Is cohabitation different to marriage? Lots of cohabitors will say ‘no’. We regularly hear comments to the effect: “We’ve been living together for 5 years – we’re just as committed as any married couple!” They seem offended by the suggestion that couples in marriage would be seen as more committed than they are. We recall…
Read MoreSmart Dating #3: 21st Century Courtship
Dating With Purpose In times past, dating and courtship were closely linked to marriage in a clear sequence of relationship development. Dating was a low-commitment means of getting to know a person in their character. Once one individual was singled out for special attention, courtship followed and the unspoken assumption was that this was a…
Read MoreThe Commitment Challenge #2
What Are The Signs And What Do They Mean? In today’s dating scene there is a great deal of confusion about commitment and what it means. Scott Stanley*, one of the foremost thinkers on commitment, suggests that the old ‘commitment phobia’ explanation doesn’t fully explain the dilemma in which dating couples find themselves. One reason…
Read MoreCohabitation
Making Sense of Cohabitation Catholic marriage is a freely given, total, unconditional commitment, faithful and open to children. The wedding vows express this explicit commitment in words. What many don’t appreciate is that the words of the vows are expressed and renewed through the body language of sexual intercourse. Every time a couple make love,…
Read More