For a Glory and Covering: A Practical Theology of Marriage
Overview
"Lord, here am I. Change him."
"God, I’m trying. She started it."
Common claims, but they’re so far from Trinitarian life. We invoke Christ at the wedding, but then seem to default to an alien theology afterward. In this simple and practical book, Doug Wilson offers a richer and more comprehensive theology of marriage than in his prior works. Here he grounds marriage in the life of the Trinity and in the life of the church. Marriage is intended to be a glorious picture of the Gospel, and marriages grounded elsewhere regularly create a small hell on earth. Don’t miss the riches of marriage.
Top Highlights
“The chief end of marriage is the same as the chief end of man—to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. The chief end of marriage is not to have ‘your needs met.’ The chief end of marriage is not to get your husband ‘to finally see.’ It is not to get your wife to be more responsive. The chief end of marriage is to glorify God and enjoy Him (on His terms) forever.” (Page 34)
“Marriage is a form of death in separation and resurrection in union. When God created the world, He immediately set about fashioning the world by means of division. He separated man into male and female and pronounced it all very good. But He divided for the sake of richer union, and not for the sake of division itself. What is the principle of this kind of union? The answer is covenant—specifically, covenantal partaking. The bond that ties division and union together is a covenant bond; marriage is based on covenantal realities.” (Page 32)
“Here we should note that in St. Paul’s language, ‘head’ does not mean ‘boss.’ Headship is a covenantal category, and an essential aspect of covenant living is covenant partaking or fellowship (koinonia). There is no such thing as a boss over here commanding someone else over there. Covenant headship bridges the division and accomplishes union.” (Page 32)
“God is ‘working in’ trinitarian realities. He is working Himself into us. He is our salvation, and He is triune.” (Page 5)
“we now come to the third major hindrance, which is the temptation to ‘fix the other one first.’” (Page xvii)
Product Details
- Title: For a Glory and Covering: A Practical Theology of Marriage
- Author: Douglas Wilson
- Publisher: Canon
- Publication Date: 2006
- Pages: 176
Douglas Wilson (1953– ), a prolific author and speaker, has been the pastor of Christ Church in Moscow, Idaho for over 30 years. He is a senior fellow of theology, a permanent member of the Board of Trustees, and a professional in residence at New Saint Andrews College. Wilson graduated from the University of Idaho with a BA in classical studies and a BA and an MA in philosophy.
He is the editor of Credenda/Agenda magazine and has authored numerous books, including The Paideia of God: And Other Essays on Education, Standing On the Promises: A Handbook of Biblical Childrearing, Reforming Marriage, and Reformed Is Not Enough: Recovering the Objectivity of the Covenant, which can all be found in the Douglas Wilson Collection (17 vols.).