I enjoyed Jesse Holcomb’s article on young Christian couples swimming against the cultural stream through marriage ("Marriage and the Common Good," July 2005). I am the father of Andrew Carlson Lier, mentioned in the article. I married at age 20 and have remained in that state more than 33 years. Never would I, or Andrew’s mother, have been able to achieve what we have were we not married. Our partnership has enabled us to engage in ministry to the retarded, refugees, and other homeless and wandering folks down through the years, not to mention raising five children to swim against the cultural tide. My wife and I were privileged to have had people in our lives that modeled for us marriage as transforming community. But such a life is not easy, though it seems to me to be the best life. Those who are yearning for Christian community can find it in marriage, but like other forms of community, it is risky and requires humility and sacrifice. But that is what the Lord requires of us, isn’t it?
Roger Lier
Andover, Massachusetts
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