Week 2: Chapter 1 — The Secret of Marriage

1.Keller argues that the 'secret' of marriage, as Paul calls it in Ephesians 5, is that human marriage was always designed to point to the relationship between Christ and the church. Did this idea feel new, surprising, or familiar to you? How does it change the way you think about the purpose of marriage?

2.Keller draws on Genesis 1–2 to show that marriage is embedded in the very structure of creation, not just a social convention. What difference does it make whether marriage is a created institution versus a human invention?

3.Keller describes the common modern view that marriage is primarily a vehicle for personal happiness and self-actualization. He calls this vision both attractive and ultimately unsatisfying. Do you agree that this vision is unsatisfying? Why or why not?