Free Republic

Two of the world’s leading scholars on the harmful impact of cohabitation on relational health and marital success – Scott Stanley and Galena Rhoades, both of the University of Denver – have published an important new report expanding upon previous research. Scholars have long known, and there is surprisingly very little disagreement among them, that cohabiting relationships are associated with markedly higher rates of marital divorce. Something about the cohabiting experience tends to chip away at the likelihood of success in marriage. These scholars explain in this new report that “for decades in the U.S., living together before marriage has...

The Marriage Strengthening Research & Dissemination Center (or MAST Center) recently released a new report illustrating the vast scale of disillusionment regarding the institution of marriage in the eyes of America’s young people.Among other findings, the study found that almost 80% of teenagers (categorized as 15- to 19-year-olds) expect to cohabit before marriage, with 95% saying that they expect to marry someday.In an article analyzing the report, Alysse ElHage of the Institute for Family Studies highlighted some particularly revealing comments from teenagers about their thoughts on marriage from a New York Times story from 2019.A teen from Texas reflected:I feel...

In the United States, living together instead of marrying has become the norm for couples -- half of young adults aged 20-40 are cohabiting instead of getting married. Cohabitation has increased nearly 1,000% since 1980, and the marriage rate has dropped more than 40% since 1960. Some see substituting living together for marriage as an insignificant shift in family “structure.” Those who are better informed realize that the shift has disastrous ramifications for the individuals involved, as well as for society and public policy. The faulty reasoning leading young adults to make such a poor choice must be exposed. Here...

Professors Ellen Kennedy and Leigh Lawton had traveled together before for the University of St. Thomas. Where they slept was never an issue.But last month, as they prepared for a long-planned trip with students to Australia, they got a call from a St. Thomas official asking about their "living" arrangements for the trip.Kennedy, 57, and Lawton, 61, live together as unmarried, heterosexual partners. The university decided they could go to Australia only if they took separate rooms. They refused, considering it deceitful.The flight left Friday with other faculty on board. The controversy won't be leaving any time soon.Kennedy and Lawton's...