Singleness and Marriage

Singleness and Marriage after Christendom, Lina Toth (Cascade, Eugene, 2021)

Congregations have long acknowledged they have a problem when it comes to Singles Ministries. The Christian Church has become the haven of couples and families. Women also make up a significant percentage of congregants. These demographics don’t mirror those of society where over 50% are single. The challenge faced by the church is how to respond to this reality.

Lina Toth, in her book Singleness and Marriage after Christendom, addresses these issues that face the church. She does so by first painting a picture of where the church and society are. Toth then sketches the past—from the early church to the present day—to show the theological, historical and societal forces that shaped the concepts of singleness, marriage and sex into what they are today. Finally, she offers some glimpses of future possibilities—in what she calls (along with others) the Post-Christendom Age.

I appreciate the positive, yet realistic nature of Toth’s writing. Her style is clear and concise, and her arguments are easy to follow. Toth’s descriptions of the changing attitudes toward sex and marriage through the ages were both informative and interesting. They were helpful in understanding the challenges we now face.

Singleness and Marriage after Christendom is not a recipe book for building effective ministry programs for singles. It is, however, a good discussion starter for congregational leadership that provides the participants with something more than mere opinions. Post-Christendom is not the end of the Christian faith. It is, instead, a challenging and exciting time for ministry and sharing God’s love and grace.

I received this book free from the author and/or publisher through the Speakeasy blogging book review network. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.