The Ring Makes All the Difference

The Ring Makes All the Difference (The Hidden Consequences of Cohabitation and the Strong Benefits of Marriage)

by Glenn T. Stanton

Cohabitation. Many couples go this route to "test drive" their partner for marriage. What they don't know is how detrimental it is to their future relationship. Using current statistics, Glenn Stanton presents the case that couples who live together before marriage have a higher rate of divorce than those who don't. 

I had often heard that cohabitation was bad for a relationship, but I hadn't heard the statistics and reasoning behind it, beyond the church circles that say it's wrong. Stanton does an excellent job of presenting the fact in an unbiased manner. In fact, if I didn't know that Stanton comes from a Christian viewpoint, beyond the first and last couple chapters, I would think I was reading a secular sociological study. What is interesting to me is Stanton's conclusion that God knew what He was doing when He commanded against fornication. All of the statistics point to God's perfect plan.

This is the second book I've read and reviewed by Glenn Stanton (see my first review here). I have also read a lot of his material on Boundless.org (see an example of a great article of his here), and am impressed with his research skills and interesting take on today's issues. 

This is a great book - one I think would be great for anyone who counsels or works with youth or singles, or married couples. 

About the author, Glenn T. Stanton:

Glenn T. Stanton is the author of the book, The Ring Makes All the Difference: The Hidden Consequences of Cohabitation and the Strong Benefits of Marriage (Moody, 2011). He is a leading family researcher as the Director for Family Formation Studies at Focus on the Family in Colorado Springs and debates and lectures extensively on the issues of gender, sexuality, marriage and parenting at universities and churches around the country. He served the George W. Bush administration for many years as a consultant on increasing fatherhood involvement in the Head Start program and is a regular columnist at National Review Online and Boundless. He and his wife have five endlessly growing children and they live in the shadow of Pikes Peak in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Moody Publishers, through NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."