Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Should You Encourage Your Kids Just To Date Within Their Faith ? - Catholic Mating Rituals

It seems that interfaith marriage is a topic here and there this week. Christianity  Today had several major figures talk about this at this piece here. Is Interfaith Marriage Always Wrong, Given that the Bible Teaches Us Not to Be 'Unequally Yoked'?

Interesting enough a convert to the Catholic Faith that is now a layman in the Arkansas had some thoughts on this here. 

3 comments:

Shane Schaetzel said...

Jason,

I am the blogger you cited in a recent story about Catholic dating. Thank you so much for the link and the plug! :)

I just thought I would point out two corrections though. First, I am not a priest. I am a layman. Sorry if the vestments in the picture threw you a curve ball. Many people make that mistake. They are actually laymen vestments of the old fashioned altar boy style -- a black cassock and white surplice. It may be hard to see, but there is no white collar under the neckline. The picture was taken while I was leading evening prayer for an Anglican Use Roman Catholic vespers. Anyway, thought you might want to know that. Second, I am actually on the Missouri side of the border in the Ozark Mountains. That's an easy mistake. The Arkansas side is generally more hilly and quite beautiful. I love driving down there whenever I can.

Yours in Christ,

Shane Schaetzel

Undergroundpewster said...

One of my kids visited every church around because of an absence of youth in our church. While dating one person from a more Biblical church, they came back and told me that that our church (TEC) was a cult. I felt reassured that they were doing the right thing, and I encouraged them to continue to date outside our denomination

I think the unequal yoke image is somewhat analogous to inter-denominational marriage (which may be the consequence of such dating), but clearly is not the intent of the scriptural references.

Marriages are sealed and preserved by God, and an absence of unity in faith at the onset of a relationship, will be a stumbling block between the couple and God unless they can come to worship Him together with other Christians in a supportive church family.

Kids are often not firm in their faith during the dating years, so I think the emphasis should be on their upbringing in order that they understand, love, and have confidence in their faith.

James H said...

Oh wow thanks for commenting !! Yeah I saw the Vestments and it I saw Anglican Convert and the Arkansas reference. I guess I am so used to thinking about the Arkansas Catholic community in the northern part of the state I just assumed again . Nice article