Her Hand in Marriage: Biblical Courtship in the Modern World

Rating:
Summary: Godly Advice on Courtship by a Respected Pastor and Author
Review: Even though this book seems to have been written for parents in helping their children, I as a college student find it helpful as well for insight into a godly way of courtship in the modern world.

This is a relatively thin book but the size is deceiving. Mr. Wilson is an eloquent and persuasive writer who wastes no words and shares godly advices in this 95-page book: Preparing for courtship, qualities to consider in a mate, things to consider that would affect the relationship in marriage, criteria and principles of courtship, the parents' authority, etc.

The appendix titled "The Garden" (a story of a girl "tending her own garden") was excellent. The allegory illustrates the significance and virtue of purity and compellingly encourages the readers to keep themselves pure prior to marriage.

Some may believe not everything in this book is practical (especially if the parents are non-Christians or perhaps refuse to participate). Whether that may be true or not, I think overall this book is filled with nuggets of godly advices and there's much that can be gleaned from the book.

Rating:
Summary: a must read for anyone who plans to date
Review: I was throughly impressed with this book. It was short, easy to read, and straight to the point. Biblical courtship brings back the respect men and women deserve in their mutual interactions. Biblical courtship also shows dating for what it is - a game. I appreciate his emphasis on the importance of the father in the family. The father has an awesome job as husband, protector of his daughter, and example for his son. When the father falters, the family falls apart. The father is the unsung hero who deserves much respect. Thank you, Mr. Wilson, for writing this book.

Rating:
Summary: A Father's Love
Review: It is evident within two pages that N8 M16 never read the book. Oh for a father that loves his daughter enough to participate in her life and care enough for her to help her through the difficult decision of finding a marriage partner. Some of us have such a bad example of a father/husband in our lives that we wouldn't know what to expect from a good man. You may not agree with all the things Mr. Wilson says in the book, but there will be little doubt as to his love for his wife and daughters.

Rating:
Summary: Biblical principles, practical applications
Review: This book is my favorite on the topic of courtship. At first I was displeased with Mr. Wilson's writing style, but as I progressed through the book, the clarity and eloquence of his writing really hit home. The sheer beauty of this book is quite a wonderful tribute to the glories of courtship, and is worth reading merely for the delightful phraselogy.

But the greatest thing about this book is, of course, the content. Doug understands that the whole dating vs. courtship debate has largely been kept to the mere level of terms, instead of hashing out the underlying principles. So in Her Hand in Marriage, he first outlines the Bible's teaching on a proper path to marriage, and then he tentatively labels this system Biblical courtship. He recognizes that what is traditionally labeled dating has many success stories, and likewise, what is traditionally labeled courtship has many horror stories. This is why he wants to keep the debate to the fundamentals, and then wisdom can be shown no matter what you call the system.

One of the key Biblical principles Doug lays out in his book is the authority of the father in the courtship process. The father, he shows through a thorough study of Old Testament passages, is responsible to protect his daughter by acting as a sieve of sorts that young men must go through before courting his daughter. Fools who might otherwise pressure his daughter to go out with them are stopped cold before they even get a chance to mess around with her. And once a proper fellow is allowed to court his daughter, the father can offer a sense of accountability so that couples in their passion might not do something they would later regret.

After a chapter on this point, Doug then covers the different roles of boys and girls in courtship, with the boys initiating everything and the girls responding to the initiation. He shows that a great thing about courtship is that young couples are more accountable to keep their eyes on the intended culmination of marriage, rather than merely enjoying the journey. And he covers miscellaneous details such as what criteria to use when selecting a spouse, what the governmental implications of marriage are, and how weddings should be conducted.

While the book may not be directly practical to moderners, the principles discussed make the book a worthwhile purchase. Once you get the fundamental ideas ingrained within you, God will give you wisdom to apply them to whatever situation you are in.

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Rating:
Summary: A courageous effort!
Review: This book more than many others, has the courage to address the all-important spiritual component to dating. While books like DOGGIESTYLE addresses spiritual things in a more subtle fashion, Her Hand in Marriage is an excellent example of how courtship issues can still be exposed to those not afraid to look at them dead on with their naked eyes.

Rating:
Summary: The best book on this subject!
Review: This book should be read by every Christian parent, young man, and young woman. It sets forth the Biblical basis for courtship in a very readable, clear, concise manner. Wilson lays down the basic principles behind Biblical courtship--a godly young man building a relationship with the father of the godly young woman he wants to marry. If the young man is suitable to the father and the young woman, the father gives him permission to court her under the oversight of her parents with the full intention and express purpose of marrying her. Wilson does not present courtship as a magic formula for marital bliss or a legalistic ritual that automatically guarantees success. He clearly emphasizes the fact that the principles are more important than the methods, and that appropriate methods (which do not have to be uniform for every couple) will follow if the principles are taken seriously. The model Wilson sets forth is a manner of getting a wife which is actually Biblical, respectable, courteous, and honoring to parents rather than the more common (though also more recent) idea of dating. It takes into full account the Biblical teaching that a particular woman is to be under the authority of a particular man (first her father, then her husband). Gender roles are further emphasized in the fact that sons are raised up to leave home, and daughters are raised up to be given away in marriage--to depend upon, and be a helpmeet to, a godly man. Having been in a courtship for four months now, I recommend Wilson's book without reservation