3. Marriage in God’s Original Plan.pdf

Marriage in God’s Original Plan

Marriage in God’s Original Plan • God’s 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 God’s 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 man’s 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 God’s 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 God’s 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 God’s 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

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