[Vision2020] (no subject)

[Michael]

Joan Writes:

Historically, marriage was until very recently an economic exchange of
goods, and that exchange was made between men. Women were chattel, property,
and those worth exchanging brought with them real goods -- gold, land, a
herd of goats. What we have gradually come to accept in more modern times is
that marriage is now a relationship between two people, not two fathers.

 

 

Joan,

 

I am open to see evidence for this claim outside of the Hebraic tradition
and I'm sure the Hebraic narrative is full of intersections with its more
general cultural contexts on this issue as well as any other.  However, as
for the biblical text, I just can't see how this claim could be supported as
is.  In fact, my hypothesis is that the author(s) of Genesis not only
expressed marriage as a relationship between a man and woman, but
consciously contrasted legal marital tradition from the relational 'essence'
of marriage.  If this is even plausible, then your thesis would be
implausible. Not only do you have the beautiful story of Adam and Eve, you
have marriages formed through romantic attraction, familial permission,
feasting, and the all important sex.  The first marriage 'covenant' we see
in Genesis was actually between the man and the father (yet not between
father and father), but the story makes it clear that this was many years
and many children after the actual marital relationship had begun.  And then
consider the prophets, who begin using marriage as theological metaphor, and
emphasize the passion, jealousy, and love in doing so; the law has to come
in on a separate Mosaic track.  What do you think about this? I sincerely
look forward to your colorful response!....

 

Michael Metzler 

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