This book covers a sociological, biblical and theological analysis of marriage and the family from biblical and early historical sources through to the twenty-first century. Waters argues that no particular social theory is more important than another regarding the natural or social family. His book is especially timely given the current debates on gay marriage and parenting which are in the forefront of society's discussions on the nature of these institutions. This is a very closely reasoned and researched text with an impressive breadth of information. It is not for light reading but for edification, providing an excellent counterpoint to the pop psychology and doctrinaire Christian books on the family flooding today's market.

The first chapter on ‘Biblical and Historical Sources’ begins with the Judaeo-Roman context where the main aim was to produce multiple children but more importantly a healthy marriage. This provided the legal and social foundations to Roman society which formed an oikos (household) and family became the basis of the polis (though Sparta was dominated by the military model of the polis).

In New Testament times, the focus was primarily on living under the sovereignty of God, with the Jewish emphasis on discipline and piety. According to Waters, the interpretation that the New Testament opposed marriage and family as interfering with complete loyalty to God is incorrect. Although the apostle Paul seemed relatively indifferent to family and marriage there was ‘a thinly veiled preference for singleness’ (pp. 11–12).

The patristic literature emphasised singleness and chastity as paving the way for a more holy life. During the medieval period, the church assumed the regulation of marriage as reflected in the Council of Trent. Concurrently, the rise of monasteries replenished church leadership while creating a group of celibates who could devote themselves full time to the running of the church and serving Christ.

Luther, of course, changed these structures where marriage and family belonged to the natural order, whereas Calvin emphasised the covenantal nature of marriage. From the Puritans up to modern liberalism, family held a central place.

Next Waters moves to an account of ‘Modern Liberalism and its Critics’ where primacy of freedom and autonomy is granted. Later contractarians replaced laws of nature with rights of voluntary affiliation and discussed civil society as an artificial construct so family became secondary to fulfilling social contracts. The family basically existed to serve the good of society, though voices such as Berger and Moller defended the nuclear family. It is here we see the influence of Oliver O'Donovan in Waters’ analysis of Christian liberalism though different points of view are strongly analysed and presented.

Waters discusses different views of the religious family where liberal principles, e.g. autonomy, are linked with Christian theological principles such as love and freedom (p. 96). Liberal Christian ethicists such as James Nelson claim that all relationships are ultimately sexual, with the heaviest emphasis on sexual freedom, so even adultery should not affect a marriage; for Waters, these strain the Christian understanding of covenant marriage. Later Waters criticises Nelson's view of same-sex marriage since the state's interest is in family and children, not just sexual relations. An illustration of the fine points of Waters’ scholarship is reflected by his critique of Nelson's misinterpretation of Barth's order of creation and male/female polarities, where I believe he rightly states that Barth is not making any ontological claims about heterosexuality (p. 167). The dual roles of father, mother, etc. and professional roles are explored, but in some conceptual theories being brothers and sisters in Christ replaces all roles.

The last section of the book moves from a mere historical account of marriage and family by tracing some dominant moral themes. Humans have a dual call of dominion and stewardship (p. 170), however, the command to be fruitful and multiply is a proximate rather than ultimate command.

In the chapter on the ‘Teleological Ordering of the Family’, Waters argues that the best setting for parenthood is marriage, i.e. a child-rearing covenant (p. 197). The telos of the family is within the context of its daily unfolding in a covenant relationship in a mutual and timely belonging (p. 174). (This discussion reflects W. F. May and Paul Ramsey: covenantal theology with fidelity linked to hsed (p. 180).) A household is energised by the concept of a family. Artificial parenthood inhibits the providential witness of the family (p. 214). This is perhaps the most controversial claim in the book as IVF and surrogate motherhood have been closely studied and the covenant of these parents to their children is no less strong than that towards so-called ‘natural children’.

The strength of this book is also its weakness, in the sense that it is so packed with information and analysis that it is not easy to find the thesis. However, as a serious, scholarly and erudite work, I highly commend it as one of the best reference works for those who want an in-depth analysis of the Christian social and political views of the family.