A biblical perspective of inter-religious marriage: Implication for the Seventh-day Adventist Church in New Tafo, Ghana

Abstract

Marriage is in every respect a great concern in every socio-cultural affair and more so in every socio-religious culture. Within the religio-cultural factors is the dynamics of mixed marriage which is well featured in the Scriptures. Though the biblical information concerning mixed marriage is not subpar, the phenomenon still seems unimportant in Christendom today. While Christians could be well informed with the biblical instructions on the subject, it continues to plague many Christian marriages today because of people’s ignorance about it. This is perhaps because the Scriptures’ view concerning mixed marriage still lacks the utmost concern it deserves. It is the deductive conclusion of this research that the concept of mixed marriage is well-featured in the Scriptures. However, the biblical situation under which mixed marriage is featured is in many respects different from the situational underpinnings of mixed marriage in today’s contemporary context. Yet, the knowledge of Scripture about mixed marriage can provide significant guiding principles for what we face today. In other words, the setting within which the Bible discusses mixed marriage seems fairly contemporarily different. However, it can still provide some essential principles on the subject for us today. This research dips into this so-called sensitive issue of mixed marriage which seems outdated today and calls attention to its ignored relevance. It discusses the issue of mixed marriages both in the Old Testament (OT) and the New Testament (NT). The project peruses the possible instances of mixed marriages in the Scriptures and evaluates and discusses their implications then and now. The OT has some stern instructions against mixed marriage that should not be ignored. In almost all of the categories of the OT (Pentateuch, Historical Books, and the Prophets), some instances call attention to mixed marriage. The NT has little to say about mixed marriage. However, the issue is well featured in the writings of Paul, particularly in both Corinthian correspondences. The method of discussion features biblical analysis, exegetical analysis, and theological analysis, to bring into perspective the biblical information concerning mixed marriage and its contemporary relevance. The project uncovers the knowledge gap around the issue of mixed marriage and calls attention to scholars’ need to have their contributions felt on the issue.