Marriage education is a process of teaching important knowledge, skills, and attitudes about relationships and marriage. As much as possible, it is founded on current relationships and marriage research. Marriage education is not counseling or therapy, but instead it focuses on building understanding and competence. In other words, its purpose is to build capacity and strengths and equip people to be successful in their roles as relationship partners and then as marriage partners. It begins with preparation for relationships and marriage for individuals and couples of all ages and experience levels. Marriage education provides marriage-strengthening tools for happily married couples. It can also provide skill building and assistance for deeply troubled couples considering separation or divorce, although this education is usually best paired with help from a trained counselor. Marriage education’s focus is on taking timely actions to prevent future problems.
The Role of Individual and Couples
Individual awareness and initiative are key factors in the effective establishment and maintenance of relationships and marriages in the Bahá’í community and the greater community. Individuals and couples can make the personal choice to seek out and participate in relationship and marriage education: knowledge and skill building for strong and happy marriages. As people establish strong marriages and families, this strengthens the community. Awareness also helps individuals and couples provide outreach and encouragement to others, helping them to understand how to establish strong marriages and assisting them with resources during difficult times. “The individual initiative of the friends should be carefully nurtured and encouraged so that they may, guided by the spiritual principles of our Faith, arise to fulfill their spiritual responsibilities.” (On behalf of the Universal House of Justice, Lights of Guidance, p. 556)
“Learning in action….” (Universal House of Justice, 1-13-03)
“The more we do, the more we learn.” (International Teaching Centre, 9-30-07)
Why Maintain Marriages?
Marital and family unity among the Bahá’ís builds credibility for their message of unity to the world; seriously courting a partner and maintaining marriages are part of an individual’s and couple’s service to God: “…[I]f the friends are not able to maintain harmony within their families, on what other basis do they hope to demonstrate to a skeptical world the efficacy of the pre-eminent character of the Revelation of Bahá’u’lláh? What possible influence could they hope to exert on the development of nations and the establishment of world peace?” (On behalf of the Universal House of Justice: Lights of Guidance, p. 222)
At times you will hear Bahá’ís say that the divorce rate among Bahá’ís is the same as in the general public. There has not been systematic data collection on this matter, so no facts are known. However, where some data is available, this does not appear to be true; the rates appear to be lower.
Marriage Enrichment/Strengthening
Modules for couple study and workshops are under development on the topics of unity and happiness, appreciating character qualities, excellent communication, sharing humor and fun, spiritual and passionate sexual intimacy, serving together, assessing and meeting needs, goals and commitments, love, equality, handling illness/death, and more.
Please see the Store for all available books and materials.
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