In the article, we argue that as a moral reality, marriage is the union of a man and a woman who make a permanent and exclusive commitment to each other of the type that is natural
Too much of the same-sex marriage "debate" in Australia has been slogans, spin and public bullying of opponents. The real debate has hardly begun, and we should resist being railro
Conjugal marriage is first and foremost about the creation and care of children. It is about creating a public institution that celebrates and secures the right environment whereby
Marriage, a prominent institution regulating sex, reproduction, and family life, is a route into classical philosophical issues such as the good and the scope of individual choice,
Same‐sex marriage, like heterosexual marriage, can be understood at a variety of levels: as a personal commitment between partners, as the social acknowledgment of that commitment,
Do obligations to children take priority over filial and other family obligations? Do blood kin have stronger moral claims than relatives acquired through marriage? Whatever their
Among the many difficulties parents encounter today, despite different social contexts, one certainly stands out: giving children an adequate preparation for adult life, particular
According to contemporary scientific research, the human person is so profoundly affected by sexuality that it must be considered as one of the factors which give to each individua
Given the historical understanding of marriage as the natural union of man and woman for the purpose of companionship and the having and rearing of children, the idea of same-sex marriage seems contradictory, and it was on that basis that some rejected it entirely, while others argued for the legal recognition of a different kind of relationship, namely ‘civil partnership’. Advocates and defenders of same-sex marriage argue that the latter is insufficient as it lacks equality of esteem. This assumes that the status of legally and socially acknowledged marriage is something valued in society, that it is in effect a public good to which everyone who wishes it should have access. There are, however, two important points to note. First, this involves a different conception of the nature and purpose of marriage, one focused on sexual partnership; second, this conception may be displacing the older one even among heterosexuals who do not assume that marriage is for the sake of having a family; and third, the decline of formal marriage, and the rise of divorce suggests that society in general is changing its views of these matters.