Cohabitation or Marriage

by Rev Declan Flanagan and Dr Ted Williams

Cohabitation or Marriage? discusses the increasing trend in cohabitation.  It outlines the biblical view of marriage and shows why cohabitation is not a good idea.  Exposing flaws in the arguments of those who encourage young people to live together before marriage, the booklet goes on to demonstrate many of the negative consequences for those who choose to cohabit. The authors show that marriage is God's intended way, and conclude that cohabitation is morally indefensible. The Christian Church needs to understand the issue to help reverse the current trend. Cohabitation or Marriage? aims to provide information that will be of value to Christian leaders, theological students, youth workers and, of course, concerned parents.  To read the text of the booklet click here.  A Southall GP, Dr Liz Walker, recommends the report as an informative tool for those who would recommend marriage.

Authors:  Declan Flanagan is Senior Pastor of Cheam Baptist Church. He has a background in education and spent time with the Universities and Colleges Christian Fellowship before entering the Christian ministry. He is married with two children.

Dr Ted Williams is an experienced medical practitioner.  He spent the early part of this career as a general practitioner in South Africa before moving to the UK to specialise in public health medicine. He has published many research papers in medical journals. He is married with five children and six grandchildren.

A review in Salt and Light by Nicola Baker comments: This attractively produced pamphlet has been written in response to social trends which show the growing popularity and widespread acceptance of cohabitation not only as a form of trial marriage but also as an alternative to marriage.
  They believe that cohabitation - a man and a woman living together and regularly engaging in sexual intercourse - cannot and should not be seen as the same as marriage in all but name, in contrast to some recent Church pronouncements. Rather, the Christian Church should reaffirm its belief in the biblical view of marriage as God's intended pattern for family life.

A review in New Christian Herald (3 May 1997) by Gillian Warren comments: In his foreword to this report Lyndon Bowring executive director of CARE describes it as an extremely informative resource, and so it is. It is well and clearly set out, with plentiful subheadings, excellent graphs and diagrams, good quotes and very readable text. It is also strikingly convincing as to the merits of marriage over cohabitation, showing that in every respect, married people fare better than those in less committed relationships.

28 page, A4 booklet, ISBN 0 9529939 0 2, Price: £3.00.  This booklet is available on line from Amazon or direct from Belmont House Publishing.  Please place an order by email, at belmonthouse1@aol.com  .

Read our leaflet on Essential differences between Marriage and Cohabitation.