Within the Christian faith, dating is a little different; in fact, they call it Christian courting. Christian courtship revolves around maintaining the presence of God within your fledgling relationship. It is the process of determining if it is God's will for a man and a woman to marry. Biblical dating assumes a context of spiritual responsibility, as is true in all other areas of the Christian life.
Modern dating assumes that what I do and who I date as an adult is entirely up to me and is private (my family or the church has no formal or practical authority). The practice of traditional Christian courtship among church members who belong to various Christian denominations experienced a revival in the 1980s. It is also known as biblical courtship, and it is people's traditional Christian practice when addressing the marriage perspective. In certain countries such as Guatemala, where a large part of the population belongs to the Roman Catholic Church, Christian courtship is still normative.
By now, most of us are familiar with Christian courtship, thanks to the Duggars (from 19 Kids and Counting from TLC) and their unique way of handling romantic relationships: no kissing, no holding hands, and no dates without a chaperone, to name a few. So does biblical dating exist? If so, what is it? How can Christians think differently about this pervasive topic in media and culture? How are we doing so far? Christian courtship is an intentional way for two people to get to know each other better with the intention of marriage in mind. It involves both parties being open and honest about their intentions and expectations from the relationship. This type of dating focuses on developing a deep spiritual connection between two people before they become physically intimate.
It also involves spending time together in group settings or with family members present. This helps ensure that both parties are comfortable with each other and that their relationship is based on mutual respect and trust. The main difference between traditional dating and Christian courtship lies in the focus on marriage. Traditional dating often focuses on physical attraction and short-term pleasure, while Christian courtship focuses on building a strong foundation for marriage by getting to know each other spiritually and emotionally.
This type of dating also encourages couples to spend time together in prayer and worship, which helps them build a strong spiritual bond. Christian courtship also involves setting boundaries that both parties agree upon before entering into a relationship. These boundaries can include things like not engaging in physical intimacy until marriage, not spending too much time alone together, or not engaging in any activities that could be considered immoral or inappropriate. These boundaries help ensure that both parties remain focused on their commitment to each other and their commitment to God.
Christian courtship can be an effective way for two people to get to know each other better before entering into a serious relationship. It allows them to build a strong spiritual connection while also setting boundaries that will help them stay focused on their commitment to each other and their commitment to God.
