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withotherhomelessindividuals(Pippert,
2003).Thisisespeciallytrueforstreet
childrenwhosometimescreatewell-
structured“streetfamilies”(Molina,2000).
Cohabiting Couples.Cohabitingcouples
involvetwopeoplelivingtogetherina
marriage-likearrangementwithoutthe
benefitof marriage.Thenumberof
cohabitingcouplesisontherise,
comprisinganestimated4.2%of allcouples
in2003(Fields,2004).

The Science of Marriage and
Family

Byvirtueof yourexperiencein
marriagesandfamilies,youalreadyknowa
greatdealaboutthesubject.Atleastyou
thinkyouknowagreatdeal.Strong
emotionsareassociatedwithany
discussionof marriageandfamilytopics—
somegood,somebad.Peoplespendagreat
dealof timethinkingandtalkingabout
theirfamiliesandotherfamilies.Theymay
arriveatmanydifferentconclusionsbased
ontheirobservationsof theirownfamilies
orothers.Thisexperientialknowledgeis
certainlyvaluable,butcanbelimitedinits
scope.Peopleoftenderivetheirideasabout
familyfromwhattheyseeontelevisionand
infilms,whichcanbemisleading.Sidebar
1.2presentssomecommonlyheldmyths
aboutlove,marriage,andsexwhichpeople
areledtobelievebyfriends,family,andthe
media.

When a couple’s marriage does not

conform to their myths,disillusionment

can set in and interfere with the vitality of

their relationship.We will discuss this in

more detail in subsequent chapters.We

mention this now as a means of prefacing

the need to approach a study of marriage

and family from an objective,scientific

perspective.In conjunction with biblical

teaching,we hope to help students

develop realistic expectations about their

own relationships.

How Scientific Investigation Works

Thescientific methodcan helpin

findingimportant information about

marriageandfamily relationships.In our

treatment of marriageandfamily,science

isnot intendedtoreplacebiblicalteaching.

However,it can supplement the

understandinggleanedfrom theBibleand

from our own personalexperiences.By

usinga scientific method,wecan gain a

morecompletepictureof what is

happeningin marriagesandfamiliestoday.

Biblicalrevelation isan ongoing

interpretivetask that Godhasgiven usand

through which Heblessesus.Thiskindof

discernment isa lifelongprocessof

spiritualgrowth that allowsustoform

definitiveconclusionson key issueslike

salvation.Sciencedoesnot alwaysenable

ustocometoonce-and-for-all,firm

conclusions.Scientific knowledgeis

Chapter 1