Understanding Definition of Marriage

Professor co-authors book on what the implications of redefining marriage could be on families, society

By Brandon Vogt - OSV Newsweekly, 1/13/2013

Robert P. George is a visiting professor at Harvard Law School and professor of jurisprudence at Princeton University. He is an expert on marital law and a strong advocate of traditional marriage.  

George

Along with Sherif Girgis, a Ph.D. candidate at Princeton University, and Ryan T. Anderson, a Heritage Foundation fellow, George is the co-author of a new book titled, “What Is Marriage? Man and Woman: A Defense”(Encounter Books, $15.99). It’s based on their renowned academic paper on the same topic that appeared in the Harvard Journal of Law and Public Policy. 

George recently spoke with Our Sunday Visitor about the book, his work and the main arguments surrounding same-sex marriage. 

Our Sunday Visitor: In the book, you say the entire marriage debate hinges on one question: What is marriage? Why is that question so important? 

Robert P. George: Advocates of redefining marriage to include same-sex relationships appeal to the principle of equality. We cannot, however, understand what equality does and does not require without first determining what marriage is. 

Read the full interview at Our Sunday Visitor.

• Read 'Openers: Finding good answers in the same-sex marriage debate' here.
• Read  'Rebuttals to arguments for same-sex marriage' here.

Brandon Vogt is a Catholic writer and speaker who blogs at BrandonVogt.com. He is also the author of “The Church and New Media: Blogging Converts, Online Activists, and Bishops Who Tweet” (OSV, $13.95), which you can find at www.churchandnewmedia.com. He writes from Casselberry, Fla.