Marriage in Gods

Original Plan

Marriage in Gods Original

Plan
Gods plan was revealed to man
in creation highlighting: Imago
Dei
Genesis presents a picture of the
unfolding of the mystery behind
love, sexuality and oneness
desired by man and woman

Marriage in Gods
Original Plan
Purpose of Marriage in Creation
Original Purpose Disturbed by Sin
Marriage Realized Among the
Chosen People

Purpose of Marriage in
Creation
2 Accounts of Creation:
Drawing the picture of the Divine
ideal for the institution of
marriage
Yahwist Tradition (Gen. 2:2-25)
Priestly Account: (Gen. 1:1-31)

Purpose of Marriage in
Creation
Yahwist Tradition:
2:18-25 : Not good for man to be alone
God wanting to share His love
Sexuality = a gift from God
Answer the deep longing to be with

another or to have a companion

Solitude is overcome by companionship

God wants to share His Love
Sexuality = original sign of creative
donation of mans ability to give oneself as
a gift.

Purpose of Marriage in
Creation
To consider sexuality in lower term
is reducing it to biological dimension
or erotic sexual act.
According to PJPII, if sexuality is
violated and degraded sexuality is
abused or manipulated.
Christian tradition firmly holds:
sexuality / sexual act can be
performed only within the context of
marriage.

Purpose of Marriage in
Creation
Man and woman as essentially the
same: nature and dignity
Become as one means
A divine ideal for marriage as
monogamous
Exclusive, permanent union
Fidelity of spouses
Dynamism of marital relation:
2 = 1

Purpose of Marriage in
Creation
Priestly Account:
Introduces man and woman to a permanent
state = Reality of Lifetime process
Let us man make man in our image male
and female He created them Gen. 1:26-28
Clear evidence man and woman as equal
Both are created in the image and
likeness of God
Each bears the intrinsic goodness
Reflecting the Divine image in themselves
Both are tasked to be as caretaker

Purpose of Marriage in
Creation
Equal significance: to be fruitful to
multiply
General responsibility appropriate
for stewardship
Tasked to participate in Gods
creative activity and dominion of
life which takes place in their
generous act of transmitting
human life (Clifford, 1994)

Purpose of Marriage in
Creation
Two complementing accounts from
Priestly & Yahwist
= Providing us a fuller knowledge
of the nature of marriage and
sexuality as part of Gods plan for
his people.

Purpose of Marriage in
Creation
2 basic dimension of marriage derived
here:
Unitive dimension = expressed in
love relationship of husband and wife
Procreative dimension = concretized
in begetting of offspring
God ordained marriage
Possess qualities of exclusiveness
and permanence
Unity and indissolubility of marriage
(2 x separated)

Original Purpose Disturbed

by Sin
Genesis 3
All is not well in Gods Creation
First Parents: Unwilling to commit
Disobeyed God
Gave in to temptation: Abandoning
responsibilities
Relationship with God was deeply
affected: 1st SIN

Original Purpose Disturbed

by Sin
Relationship with God was deeply affected: 1st
SIN
Disturbed by mutual recrimination
From Mutual attraction changed into
domination and lust
Fruitfulness was burdened by pain and toil
Childbirth angst / suffering (woman)
Hardship of work (men)
Sexual hierarchy came:
Man is superior
Woman claiming rights over men
Switching of gender roles

End of Lesson