Reforming Marriage

Run away. read this book when I was first married. Run away! Stay away from this "camp" that has infiltrated evangelicalism and our political landscape. The danger of this ideology is unlimited.

Really good. Any biblical teaching faces a double threat, Wilson says. There are those who directly oppose it, and those who will embrace it, but manage to shipwreck it. Throughout this book, Wilson is alert to both in areas such as raising children, various marital temptations, and the duties of husbands and wives. He consistently presents the biblical teaching on marriage that is a representation of Christ and the church, but not with empty sentimentalism, but grounded in efficacious love.

When I first read this about 12 years ago, I was intrigued and somewhat hooked. However, I've moved away from the dogmatic positions held in this book. I fear that there is a heavy handedness that could damage marriages and homes.

Perhaps the clearest explanation of Christian marriage available in print. Wilson walks through major biblical texts pertaining to Christian marriage and expounds a beautiful image of the Christian home

How would you describe the spiritual aroma of your home? The source of this aroma is the relationship between husband and wife. Many can fake an attempt at keeping God's standards in some external way. What we cannot fake is the resulting, distinctive aroma of pleasure to God.

Reforming Marriage does what few books on marriage do today: it provides biblical advice. Whether it has to do with respect and love, confession of sin, sexual fidelity, or even the gnarly issues of divorce and remarriage, Douglas Wilson points to the need for obedient hearts on the part of both husbands and wives.

This book is part of the Canon Press series of books on the family, which has helped many people trying to deal with the on the ground messes that come show more with sinners living under the same roof. Godly marriages proceed from obedient hearts, and the greatest desire of an obedient heart is the glory of God. show less

A really helpful book on a topic with tons of garbage "Christian" books to wade through. Wilson provides a sound theology of marriage with solid applications. He also gives a lot of practical, counter cultural advice on having a biblical, Christ-centered, covenantal, joyful home. Recommended!

In this book Douglas Wilson sets aside prevailing cultural standards and boldly addresses the Biblical standard of Christian marriage and the roles of Christian husbands and wives. He discusses headship and authority, different responsibilities or roles to be fulfilled in marriage, love, forgiveness, differences between men and women, pornography, faithfulness, bearing children, divorce, etc.

A chapter is devoted to the "roles" of a husband and a wife. They each have different roles, but one is not superior or inferior than the other. Just as the right shoe is not more important than the left shoe, neither the husband nor the wife is superior than the other. If the right shoe is exchanged with the left (or vice versa), neither can show more fulfill its role properly. The author explains how the husband and wife are equal in *worth* but differ in *role*, and they work together in love.

After reading this book, women no longer need to cringe when they hear that "s" word: submission. Mr. Wilson reiterates the Biblical concept of submission and explains what it means for wives to submit to their husbands as the leader and head of the family (Eph. 5:23-25). He also discusses the Biblical principle that husbands love their wife as Christ loves the church. (Most women don't have a problem submitting to a husband who loves them as Christ loves the church).

This book is helpful in equipping a Biblical understanding of a Christian marriage and the roles of husbands and wives.

[Please note this review reflects my opinions only toward this book, and not necessarily my agreement with the author's controversial views on theological issues like "baptismal regeneration," "federal vision," etc.] show less