Authors: Em. Prof. Patrick Parkinson AM
Overview
There has never been a golden age of marriage; but Christian teaching has at least given to the world a golden idea of marriage. The common law defined marriage, in Christian understanding, as a union for life of one man and one woman to the exclusion of all others. Progressively, every element of that definition has been abandoned in Australian law. Perhaps the most significant change in recent years has been to give de facto relationships the same status and legal consequences as marriage. There is nonetheless a downside to these societal changes. 40% of children in Australia will reach adulthood with their parents no longer together. Many indeed, begin life without a father in the home. Parents living in de facto relationships are far more likely to break up than those in married relationships. Family instability has had demonstrable and serious impacts upon the mental health of young people. It also exposes children and young people to a much higher risk of abuse. Children need safe, stable and nurturing families. The problem of family instability is one of the greatest challenges of our time.
This was a short summary of the original article
which can be downloaded in full as a PDF below
