THE HISTORY OF MARRIAGE

On October 16^th, Nancy and I will celebrate 44 years of marriage. On September 25^th, my youngest son, Marcus, (age 32) will marry Julia. He is the last of our 5 children to enter into matrimony. Looking forward to an anniversary and a wedding ceremony got me thinking about the institution of marriage. When did it start? Why do people enter in to it? How do you define it? How has it changed since it’s beginning? It predates recorded history and has changed dramatically over the years. One of the oldest known marriage laws was recorded in Hammurabi’s Code enacted in ancient Mesopotamia. Confucius said, “Marriage is the union of two different surnames, in friendship and in love.” Christians quote Jesus, “So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate.” In Ancient Greece, no specific ceremony was required for the creation of a marriage—only mutual agreement was required. For most of European history, marriage was a business agreement between two families who arranged the marriages of their children. In modern times it is a legal contract recognized by the government and a religious authority. The act of marriage changes the personal and social status of the individuals who enter into it. Now days, romantic love and affection are considered essential. I say, “Show me a marriage with humor and I’ll show you a healthy marriage! I hope Marcus and Julia have as much laughter as Nancy and Harry.