The Highway Forums General Discussion Open Forum What is Marriage to Evangelical Millennials?

I'm sorry to have been so long coming back on this.
I do, of course, agree with you that marriage is for companionship, and also as a paradigm of federal headship, but I think Malachi 2:15 is rather clear.

Both the W.C.F. and the 1689 Confession give three purposes for marriage (WCK XXIV:II):

'Marriage was ordained for the mutual help of husband and wife, for the increase of mankind with a legitimate issue, and for preventing of uncleanness.'

FWIW, Cranmer's Anglican Prayer Book (1554 & 1662) gives as the primary reason for marriage: 'First, it was ordained for the procreation of children, to be brought up in the fear and nurture of the Lord, and to the praise of His holy Name.'

One reason why I am concerned that procreation should be given as a primary reason for marriage is that if companionship is the main reason, then two people of the same gender can give that to each other.