Welcome back to my blog. Thank you for taking time to read it.
We recently started a new series about the exciting research findings from Teleios! Our first evidence, presented over the last several weeks, was that peer-reviewed and Teleios sponsored scientific studies support improved wellbeing with Christianity!
Today let us continue this thrilling journey of the benefits of scripture by exploring what the medical literature states about religion and traditional man/woman based marriage. This a vital topic for our lives.
Remember, most all academic studies evaluating religion are performed in traditionally First World countries which are historically Christian. Although academic authors typically are shy to mention Christianity, the majority of subjects in these studies would have been de facto evangelical or social Christians.
Our review of the medical literature shows an overwhelming benefit of traditional marriage on both general wellbeing and specific parameters that might affect wellbeing, including: physical and mental health, sexual satisfaction, family income, and children’s outcomes. Of the numerous articles we evaluated, only three did not note a marriage benefit.
Further, although not all articles assessed the same subject groups, there is a progressive trend of enhanced wellbeing and its associated parameters, the stronger the relationship commitment; generally manifested by the following:
- Never married, widowed and divorced individuals show the lowest wellbeing.
- Individuals in a committed relationship, even unmarried, have improved wellbeing compared to uncommitted couples.
- Cohabitating couples demonstrate improved wellbeing compared to those not in a relationship.
- Cohabitating couples who are committed enjoy greater wellbeing than uncommitted cohabitating relationships.
- Married couples show the highest wellbeing ratings compared to other commitment levels and singles.
Why would traditional marriage relationships provide the strongest associated wellbeing with levels decreasing with less committed relationships? The answer is not completely clear, but we speculate marriage may:
- Help with income, reducing costs, household tasks, and raising children.
- Provide needed socialization and a potential source of personal enrichment, encouragement and empathy.
- Allow confidence and trust in a spouse in discussing sensitive issues and reaching personal as well as professional goals.
- Assist the marriage partner in maintaining good health such as in keeping medical appointments, taking medicines and achieving a healthy lifestyle.
- Facilitate sexual satisfaction by eliminating competing love interests.
- Build a healthy spiritual relationship by encouraging mutual adherence to the Christian faith and in studying God’s word. One past study indicated that marriage increased the probability for attending religious services. However, a cohabitation alone reduced the probability of attending church.
Our review suggests that traditional marriage generally provides numerous benefits to the relationship partners through enhanced measures of mental and physical wellbeing, and benefits to their children compared to other heterosexual partnership arrangements or single status.
We have a great God who has instituted marriage out of His wisdom and for our good. It works best in a committed, encouraging relationship which promotes many aspects of wellbeing including our Christian lifestyle, which as we’ve seen in recent past blogs, has its own positive impact on wellbeing.
Read more from this study at Benefit of marriage.
Please join us again next week as we continue through exploring Teleios research that can help our daily lives.
William C. Stewart, MD
For questions or to view more of our research…
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Disclaimer – This blog and its content are provided only as information and are intended for visitors 18 and older. No content on the website should be taken as advice or recommendation to any personal or institutional situation. The views expressed are those of the author and not necessarily either shared or endorsed by Teleios. Both the blog and the contents are subject to change at any time without notice. Although I endeavor to ensure that the blog and the content are current and accurate, it may contain errors. I do not represent that the blog or the content is current, accurate or complete, or appropriate for your specific requirements. I do not accept any liability from any person for the blog, the content or any other information (or the use of such information) I provide. I do not have a seminary degree, but I have trained myself in the scriptures to teach and provide this information. For any specific question, I suggest you contact experts in that field and or do your own research into the scriptures.
