Ed Young's Marriage Views Find Unlikely Affirmation in Atlanta Journal-Constitution Study
Texas author and pastor finds the views in his Sexperiment book inadvertently confirmed by new study from Journal of Marriage, Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
GRAPEVINE, Texas, Jan. 24, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Historically, marriage has been viewed as an institution that ultimately provides happiness, at least when compared to singleness. A new study from the Journal of Marriage, picked up by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, calls this into question. According to the report, marriage does provide "benefits over being single," but these benefits "reduce over time, following a honeymoon period." The new study may initially seem to take a negative view of marriage, but in actuality it affirms the very pro-marriage views of evangelical pastor Ed Young.
Ed Young, Jr. has recently made headlines for his non-traditional views on marriage and sexuality. In his new book Sexperiment, Ed Young acknowledges the importance of intimacy and steady communication within a marriage, saying that passion and creativity are necessary for sustaining long-term happiness. The book has drawn attention for offering an alternative to the generally less candid discussions of intimacy that appear in religious books.
It also finds unlikely and perhaps unwitting support from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution study. The study's central critique of marriage is that its benefits fade as intimacy and communication decrease. The point affirms Ed Young's own teaching, that regular, passionate sex is necessary for sustaining a healthy and satisfying marriage. Where the study interprets these facts pessimistically, Ed Young's book takes the view that marital happiness can be preserved simply by ensuring that sex remains regular, passionate, and creative.
In Sexperiment, Ed Young challenges Christian married couples to have sex together daily, for the duration of a week, and then to assess the effect of intimacy on their marriage. The pastor's contention is that regular intimacy will prolong marital happiness and create a chance for the marriage to have a future.
ABOUT:
Ed Young, Jr. is the founding pastor of Fellowship Church in Grapevine, Texas. He has written 13 books, including his latest release, Sexperiment: 7 Days to Lasting Intimacy with Your Spouse. The book, co-authored with his wife, Lisa, has garnered a great deal of attention for its unconventional take on the importance of sex within a marriage. While many religious leaders avoid the topic, Ed Young has preached the importance of intimacy within a marriage for years.
For more information about Ed Young and Sexperiment, visit www.thesexperiment.com.
SOURCE Ed Young, Jr.
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