Theological Research Paper

Working Resources for “Marriage & Christian Life”

Theology of Marriage (General)

Scott, Kieran, & Warren, Michael. Perspectives on Marriage: A Reader. Oxford, 1993. Collection of essays on a good selection of topics related to Christian marriage. Good course text.

Thomas, David M. Christian Marriage: A Journey Together. Paulist, 1983. History and theology of marriage. Good course text for information, though a little dry.

Theology of Marriage (Topical)

Cole, Hariette. Jumping the Broom: The African-American Wedding Planner. (reprint ed.) Henry Holt, 1995. Traditions, cultural and religious perspectives are explored in the context of planning for marriage.

Dominian, Jack. Make or Break: A Guide to Marriage Counseling. Michael Glazier, 1985. Good text illustrating key areas for marital counseling from a Catholic perspective.

Hart, Kathleen & Thomas. The First Two Years of Marriage. Paulist, 1983. Solid practical and spiritual advice for early marriage.

Jessey, Cornelia, & Sussman, Irving. Spiritual Partners: Profiles in Creative Marriage. Crossroad, 1982. A look at the lives of several couples who faced problems still impacting modern marriages. Some more laudable than others ( Includes Blakes, Chestertons, Sheeds, Clemens, Joyces, Bubers, Maritains, Mandelstams, Shantidas)

Lawler, Michael G. Marriage and Sacrament: A Theology of Christian Marriage. Michael Glazier, 1993. Short coverage of key issues related to the sacrament of marriage; scripture, history, current issues and disputed question. Issues and controversies related to remarriage are taken up.

__________. Secular Marriage, Christian Sacrament. Twentythird, 1985. Short overview of scripture, history, marriage in the church, and issues related to divorce and annulment.

Oliver, Mary Anne McPherson. Conjugal Spirituality: The Primacy of Mutual Love in Christian Tradition. Sheed & Ward, 1994. Positive exploration of spiritual dimensions of long term sexual relationship. Includes annotated bibliography.

Olthuis, James H. Keeping Our Troth: Staying in Love through the Five Stages of Marriage . Harper & Row, 1986. Explores the development of a relationship through stages identified as romance, power struggle, shifting gears, mutuality, and co-creativity, from the standpoint of Christian marriage.

Smolarski, Dennis C. Sacred Mysteries: Sacramental Principles and Liturgical Practice. Paulist, 1995. Sound look at key elements in liturgical practices in the light of Vatican II and current official texts. Basic pertinent elements from scripture, history and rituals are discussed in chapter on marriage (as in other chapters on other sacraments).

Orthodox Theology

Meyendorff, John. Marriage: An Orthodox Perspective. St. Vladimir’s Seminary, 1984 (3rd rev. ed.) Good basic introduction to marriage in Orthodox theology with treatment of many key issues.

Reference

Brown, Raymond E. An Introduction to the New Testament. Doubleday, 1997.

Brown, Raymond, et. al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Prentice Hall, 1990.

Coriden, James A., et. al. The Code of Canon Law: A Text and Commentary. Paulist, 1985.

Cross, F. L., & Livingstone, E. A., eds. The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church. (3rd ed.) Oxford, 1997.

Janson, H. W. & Janson, Anthony F. History of Art. (5th rev. ed.) Abrams, 1997.

Scripture

Cahill, Lisa Sowle. Between the Sexes: Foundations for a Christian Ethics of Sexuality. Fortress, 1985. Solid critique of sexual ethics from a feminist perspective. Scripture, selected key historical figures discussed.

Collins, Raymond. Sexual Ethics and the New Testament: Behavior and Belief. Crossroads, 2000. Strong exegetical look at New Testament passages pertaining to sex in their historical context, with important implications for teachings on sexual matters.

Falk, Marcia. The Song of Songs. HarperCollins, 1990. A rendering of the text into separate poems with solid supportive reflections and notes by a Jewish scholar and poet.

History

Clark, Elizabeth, ed. St. Augustine on Marriage and Sexuality. Catholic U of America, 1996. Text’s (and annotations) from St. Augustine on marriage and sexuality.

Gies, Frances & Joseph. Marriage and the Family in the Middle Ages. Harper & Row, 1987. Lots of information on the cultural context that impact religious issues.

Hunter, David G., trans. & ed., Marriage in the Early Church. Fortress, 1992. Selection of primary texts on marriage and sexuality.

Mackin, Theodore. What Is Marriage. Paulist, 1982.

__________. Divorce & Remarriage. Paulist, 1984.

__________. The Marital Sacrament. Paulist, 1989.

Mackin’s texts are a comprehensive attempt to examine the Catholic tradition and marriage, divorce, etc. I wonder if anyone has read all three...

Martos, Joseph & Hégy, Pierre. Equal at the Creation: Sexism, Society, and Christian Thought. U of Toronto, 1998. Somewhat uneven (agendas show) but with useful historical material. Quite readable.

Place, Michael. “The History of Christian Marriage.” Chicago Studies 181 (1979) Good short introduction to history of marriage.

Schillebeeckx, Edward. Marriage: Human Reality and Saving Mystery. Sheed & Ward, 1965. Classic, still useful on scripture and history of marriage, as well as useful theological insights.

Psychology/Development

Betcher, William. Intimate Play: Creating Romance in Everyday Life. Viking, 1987. Serious look at playfulness and its important role in a relationship. (Some need for adapting secular perspectives for a theology course.)

Fowler, James W. Stages of Faith: The Psychology of Human Development and the Quest for Meaning. Harper & Row, 1981. Classic study on developmental stages in dialogue with developmental psychologists (e.g., Erikson, Kohlberg)

Galinsky, Ellen. Between Generations: The Six Stages of Parenthood. Times Books,

1981. Adjustments parents go through with the arrival and raising of children.

Kayser, Karen. When Love Dies. Guilford, 1993. Useful look at the dynamics of breakups. Interesting illustrations of how Elizabeth Kubler-Ross’s stages in On Death and Dying may show up in other sorts of “deaths.”

Peck, Scott. The Road Less Traveled. Touchstone, 1978. Issues of self discipline treated well. Good grist for the discussion mill on issues like defining love. Not as compelling when Peck enters theological areas. Rather Freudian in his roots.

Wallerstein, Judith S. & Blakeslee, Sandra. The Good Marriage: How and Why Love Lasts. Warner, 1996. Good on different forms of marriage in modern society, and on developmental stages in marriage. Raises a wealth of important practical and value related issues. Good readable course text.

Communication

Tannen, Deborah. Gender & Discourse. Oxford, 1994.

__________. That’s Not What I Meant! Morrow, 1986.

__________. You Just Don’t Understand! Morrow, 1990.

The first text is more technical. The second two are on communication (especially between couples in the last) in a very readable style. In my opinion a more grounded and fuller approach then similar material from John Gray (e.g., Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus).

Societal Issues/Trends

Allyn, David. Make Love, Not War: The Sexual Revolution: An Unfettered History. Little, Brown and Co., 2000. An attempt to record (and justify) the events of the sexual revolution by someone who seems to rue the fact he missed it.

Critchlow, Donald T. Intended Consequences: Birth Control, Abortion, and the Federal Government in Modern America. Oxford, 1999. History of public policy decisions in the United States. Objective, but illuminating and suggestive of how decisions get made.

Gordon, Sol. Why Love is Not Enough. Bob Adams, 1988. Solid practical insights and advice (though too easily accepting of divorce).

Reibstein, Janet, & Richards, Martin. Sexual Arrangements: Marriage and the Temptation of Infidelity. Scribners, 1993. Concerned with practical reporting of effects of infidelity. Non-moral perspective of therapy. Good on gender differences. Illustrates role played by a couple’s definition of marriage.

Rubin, Lillian B. Erotic Wars: What Happened to the Sexual Revolution? Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 1990. A sociologist’s secular look at the issues and problems raised by modern sexual culture.

Schwarz, Pepper. Peer Marriage: How Love between Equals Really Works. The Free Press, 1994. A sociologist’s study of the category of peer, equal, companionate marriage. Fairly influential. Struggles at times with issues and values at stake in marriage, but largely honest and fair to what modern marriages are facing.

Shalit, Wendy. A Return to Modesty: Discovering the Lost Virtue. The Free Press, 1999. A young recent college graduate presents an argument to others in her culture and age group for a return to a chaste perspective on sex. Rooted in Jewish faith.

Stacey, Judith. In the Name of the Family: Rethinking Family Values in the Postmodern Age. Beacon Press, 1996. Very individualistic, concerned about rights rather than the marriage union as a central priority.

Anthropology

Fisher, Helen E. Anatomy of Love: The Natural History of Monogamy, Adultery and Divorce. Norton, 1992. Anthropological perspectives on developments of sexual practices in history, some speculative.

Sexual Issues

Boteach, Shmuley. Kosher Sex. Doubleday, 1999. Written by rabbi working with a Jewish education organization in Oxford (England). Useful source for viewing another faith’s perspective on the role of sexuality in marriage.

Coleman, Gerald D. Sexual Morality. Alba House, 1992. Thorough in information and treatment of key issues, undergraduates find it quite thick.

__________. Homosexuality: Catholic Teaching and Pastoral Practice. Paulist, 1995. Up to date on information and key debates. Pastoral and compassionate but supportive of magisterial teaching.

Doherty, Dennis, ed. Dimensions of Human Sexuality. Doubleday, 1979. A collection of responses to the material presented in the text of Kosnik, et. al. below.

Genovesi, Vincent J. In Pursuit of Love. (2nd ed.) Michael Glazier, 1996. Solid general treatment of array of issues, fair to magisterial teaching, introduces key debates and sources. Not an easy read, but a workable textbook.

Greeley, Andrew. Faithful Attraction: Discovering Intimacy, Love, and Fidelity in American Marriage. Tor, 1991. Uses Gallop survey material to refute assumptions about American marriage. Maintains the preponderance of support for faithfulness, enduring love and sexual involvement, and role for prayer.

__________. Sex: The Catholic Experience. Thomas More, 1994. Sociological data that challenges the myth of Catholic sexual unhappiness

Keane, Philip. Sexual Morality: A Catholic Perspective. Paulist, 1977. Early controversial (liberal) text on sexual issues.

Kosnik, Anthony, et. al. Human Sexuality: New Directions in American Catholic Thought. Paulist, 1977. Biblical, historical, social science resources examined to challenge Catholic perspectives. Commissioned by the CTSA, condemned by U.S. Bishops. Important for its challenges/influences. (See listings here from Doherty and May.)

May, William E. & Harvey, John F. On Understanding “Human Sexuality.”

Franciscan Herald Press, 1977. A rejoinder to the text of Kosnik, et. al., above.

Tannahill, Reay. Sex in History. Scarborough, 1982. Comprehensive, secular multi- cultural history of sexual practices.

Limiting Births

Aguilar, Nona. No-Pill, No-Risk Birth Control. Rawson, Wade, 1980. Solid holistic argument for natural family planning from an author in the La Leche League.

Asbell, Bernard. The Pill: A Biography of the Drug That Changed the World. Random House, 1995. Background on the modern history of the development of the birth control pill, including key participants from social and medical fields.

Balsam, Charles & Elizabeth. Family Planning: A Guide for Exploring the Issues. Liguori, 1985. Good pamphlet on the key issues.

Callahan, Daniel, ed., The Catholic Case for Contraception. Macmillan, 1969. Key articles and documents (“minority” and “majority” reports from papal commission) written to contextualize and challenge the papal encyclical.

Curran, Charles, & McCormick, Richard., eds., Readings in Moral Theology (several volumes, 1979-present) An array of articles and documents, often with a variety of perspectives from along the “liberal/conservative” spectrum.

Feldman, David M. Marital Relations, Birth Control, and Abortion in Jewish Law. Schocken Books, 1974. Very thorough, with historical, theological, cultural elements, and some comparison with Christian ideas.

Kaiser, Robert Blair. The Politics of Sex and Religion. Leaven Press, 1985. Classic history of the papal commission on birth control.

Kaufman, Philip. Why You Can Disagree and Remain a Faithful Catholic. Meyer-Stone, 1989. Explores the issue of dissent (could be better on the issue of the sensus fidelium).

Kippley, John F. Birth Control and the Marriage Covenant. Liturgical Press, 1976. Early theological support of church teaching.

Kippley, John & Sheila. The Art of Natural Family Planning. Couple to Couple League, 1984. Practical and theological support of church teaching.

McClory, Robert. Turning Point. Crossroad, 1995. History of the papal commission on birth control with input from Patty Crowley, one of the married participants.

Noonan, John. Contraception. Harvard, 1986 (rev). Classic history of the topic, read by liberals and conservatives, issued originally right before Humanae Vitae by a consultant to the papal commission.

__________. A Private Choice. The Free Press, 1979. Argues that Roe vs. Wade not only moves against moral principles at stake but truncated traditions of jurisprudence.

Rock, John. The Time Has Come. Knopf, 1963. Classic argument for allowing the use of the Pill from one of its developers, a Catholic physician.

Shannon, William H. The Lively Debate: Response to Humanae Vitae. Sheed & Ward, 1970. Early challenge to teaching of HV.

Smith, Janet E., ed. Why Humanae Vitae Was Right: A Reader. Ignatius, 1993. Anthology of articles supportive of the papal document.

Magisterium/Law

John Paul II. Christifideles Laici. 1988. Apostolic Exhortation. The Lay Members of Christ’s Faithful People.

__________. Evangelium Vitae.1995. Encyclical. The Gospel of Life.

__________. Familiaris Consortio. 1980. Apostolic Exhortation. On the Family.

Orsy, Ladislas. Marriage in Cannon Law. Michael Glazier, 1986.

Paul VI. Humanae Vitae, 1968.

Pius XI. Casti Connubii. 1930.

Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. Declaration on Certain Questions Concerning Sexual Ethics. 1975. See also USCC printing, 1977, for additional Commentaries.

__________. Letter to the Bishops of the Catholic Church on the Pastoral Care of Homosexual Persons. 1986.

__________. Instruction on Respect for Human Life in Its Origin and on the Dignity of Procreation. 1987.

United States Catholic Conference. On Human Life in Our Day. 1968. U.S. Bishops presentation/response in re Humanae Vitae.

__________. The Many Face of Aids: A Gospel Response. 1987. From administrative board of USCC, controversial.

__________. Called to Compassion and Responsibility: A Response to the HIV/AIDS Crisis. 1989. Issued by full USCC.

Vatican Council II. Gaudium et Spes. 1965. Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World.

Divorce

Garrity, Carla B. & Baris, Mitchell A. Caught in the Middle: Protecting the Children of High-Conflict Divorce. Lexington Books, 1994.

Riley, Glenda. Divorce: An American Tradition. Oxford, 1991. History of the development of divorce in the U. S. Argues for acceptance of divorce as an option with concern for those impacted by it.

Whitehead, Barbara Dafoe. The Divorce Culture. Knopf, 1997. Especially important on impact of divorce on children.

Annulment

Wrenn, Lawrence G. Annulments. (3rd rev. ed.) Canon Law Society of America, 1978. Source book on canon law concerning annulments in the Roman Catholic Church.

__________. Decisions. Canon Law Society of America, 1980. Cases in annulment law.

Zwack, Joseph. Annulment: Your Chance to Remarry within the Catholic Church. Harper & Row, 1983. Very readable with solid details.

Intermarriage

Cowan, Paul & Rachel. Mixed Blessings. Doubleday, 1987. Jewish authors, raises issues well.

Ho, Man Kueng. Building a Successful Intermarriage. St. Meinrad, 1984. Includes inter racial, ethnic, religious, etc.

Lawless, Richard M. When Love Unites the Church. Abbey Press, 1982. Short basic look at key issues.

Sandmel, Samuel. When a Jew and Christian Marry. Fortress, 1977. A classic introducing key issues for Christians and Jews, written by a rabbi.

Schiappa, Barbara. Mixing: Catholic-Protestant Marriages in the 1980s. Paulist, 1982. Solid look at issues, still useful.

Sperling, Vatsala & Ehud. A Marriage Made in Heaven: A Love Story in Letters. Ten Speed, 2000. Written from a Hindu/Jewish arranged marriage. Interesting narrative told through letters that introduces basic steps in modern Hindu arrange marriage. Not particularly insightful on interfaith aspects.

Women’s Issues

Bateson, Mary Catherine. Composing a Life. Plume, 1990. A non-threatening yet compelling look at feminist perspectives through the lives of several women in creative, leadership roles.

Barreca, Regina. They Used to Call Me Snow White...But I Drifted. Viking, 1991. How women and men are different, seen through their use of humor.

Gilligan, Carol. In a Different Voice. Harvard, 1982. Classic text in development theory by a student of Kohlberg; looks at differences of moral developmental stages in women.

Silbermann, Eileen Zieget. The Savage Sacrament: A Theology of Marriage after American Feminism. Twenty-Third, 1983. Early feminist argument for a new look at marriage.

Trible, Phyllis. God and the Rhetoric of Sexuality. Fortress, 1978. Feminist critique of key scriptural passages.

Men’s Issues

Blankenhorn, David. Fatherless America: Confronting Our Most Urgent Social Problem. Basic Books, 1995. Sociological look at current problems in culture related to fatherlessness, and concern for reclaiming roles of fathers.

Nock, Steven L. Marriage in Men’s Lives. Oxford, 1998. Sociologist’s look at effects (notably healthy) of marriage on men and implications generally for modern marriage.

Theological Method

Lonergan, Bernard. Method in Theology. Herder & Herder, 1972. Classic examination of

the use and integration of different sub-disciplines in theology.

Whitehead, James D. & Whitehead, Evelyn Eaton. Method in Ministry: Theological

Reflection and Christian Ministry. Seabury, 1980. An introduction to theological method applied to ministry using the “triangle” model (a balance of Scripture and tradition, Cultural Information, & Personal Experience).

* * * * * * *

ADDENDA:

Egner, G. (pseudonym) Contraception Vs. Tradition: A Catholic Critique. New York:

Herder & Herder, 1966. A challenge to the RCC’s teaching on contraception. A critique of the natural argument at the root of the teaching charges that the teaching is based in a physiological foundation at the expense of other human concerns. The historical, theological tradition that supports the church teaching is also examined, and shifts in pertinent views of sexuality are considered. The book consciously views the issues and the author’s critique in the light of development of doctrine in the church.

Gaillardetz, Richard R. A Daring Promise: A Spirituality of Christian Marriage. New

York: Crossroad, 2002. Very solid spirituality of marriage; down to earth yet rooted in solid incarnational and Trinitarian theology.

Groneman, Carol. Nymphomania: A History. New York: Norton, 2000. Probes the shifting “definitions” of nymphomania in U.S. society through the changes from Victorian to contemporary perspectives in medical, psychological, social and moral models. Insightful look at sexual history in America from the point of view of this diagnosis/label, used in shifting contexts.

Hewlett, Sylvia Ann. Creating A Life: Professional Women and the Quest for Children. New York: Talk Miramax Books, 2002. Covers issues that challenge working women in their quest for relationships and parenting. Topics include the personal costs of pursuing a career, issues related to fertility, workplace strategies, personal and government possibilities for making personal life and career more within reach. Sobering information on how the break through generation has had to chose career or family. Good link to related literature.

Kipnis, Laura.  Against Love: A Polemic. New York: Pantheon, 2003. A cynical, post-

modern dismissal of love and commitment.  Connects marriage with other civic

commitments, and argues for adultery as an indicator of the problems with commitment and traditional ideals.

Lewis, C.S. The Four Loves. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1960. A reflection

by a Christian essayist on the nature of love as affection, friendship, eros and charity. Date in some respects, but with solid insights, still worth considering.

McLaughlin, Loretta. The Pill, John Rock, and the Church: The Biography of a

Revolution. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1982. Biographical and

contextual look at John Rock’s impact on the development and acceptance of the

Pill, and birth control. Flawed by a lack of reliable referencing.

Paul, Pamela. The Starter Marriage and the Future of Matrimony. New York: Villard, 2000. Effective look at what happens to couples whose early marriages (less than five years, no children) end. Lacks a governing argument, especially for talking about the future of marriage; some traditional values are ratified, often a variety of views are presented (in a way that is at times confusing). Many current social assumptions are accepted (e.g., cohabitation, where negative studies are admitted, but explained away as not true to context). Useful as a look at what divorced people from “Generation X” have experienced.

Rubio, Julie Hanlon. A Christian Theology of Marriage and Family. Paulist Press, 2003.

Excellent look at values issues facing modern families. Strong on parenting choices. Helpful insights on scriptural, historical and cultural angles on marriage and family.

Stanton, Glenn T. Why Marriage Matters: Reasons to Believe in Marriage in Postmodern

Society Colorado Springs: Piñon Press, 1997. Several key topics (sexual ethics, cohabitation, divorce, child rearing, benefits of marriage) are covered through survey of literature and meta-studies. Good source for bibliographical material. (Some of the suggestions at end less focused and rooted in the material presented.)

Tentler, Leslie Woodcock. “A Bitter Pill: American Catholics & Contraception.”

Commonweal 131: 8 (April 23, 2004). A brief look at the modern history (20th

century United States) of the topic of contraception in the Roman Catholic

Church, with emphasis on its impact (and specifically Humanae Vitae’s impact)

on attitudes toward authority in the church, especially among laity and priests.

White, Kevin. Sexual Liberation or Sexual License? The American Revolt Against Victorianism. Chicago: Ivan R. Dee, 2000. Useful history and fairly strong critique of the sexual revolution in the U.S.

Wojtla, Karol. Love & Responsibility. Rep. Ed. San Francisco: Ignatius, 1993. Early work of John Paul II (originally printed in 1981, but based on lectures rooted in the late 1950’s). Phenomenological look at relationships and the nature of the human person. Natural law arguments show some dated qualities in the light of the teaching of Gaudium et spes on the ends of marriage. Still useful look at differences between personalistic and utilitarian views of the person.