The Meaning of Singleness: Retrieving an Eschatological Vision for the Contemporary Church

Deacon Treweek examines Christian singleness in her demanding and meticulous debut. Though Christian culture has sometimes viewed being unmarried as a “deficiency,” Treweek argues a more complicated “theology of singleness” can be part of a religiously rich Christian life. Treweek lays out a history of how the church has understood singleness, from the “English construction of the old maid” in the 18th century to the crystallization of purity culture in 19th and 20th centuries. Next, she dissects common perspectives on singleness today (particularly in the evangelical community), where single Christians “are routinely described as those who were either once married or are not married yet,” implying a “negation and deficiency.” As part of a “theological retrieval” of singleness, the author analyzes theology, Christian culture, and biblical passages to show how they display a flexible attitude toward singleness, rather than a status quo reverence of marriage. Finally, she asserts that singleness is sacred and represents “a crucial form of eschatologically enriched Christian life.” While Treweek can sometimes be obtuse, academics will appreciate her rigorous scholarship and minute analysis of theological, historical, and exegetical evidence. Christian academics will find a lot to chew on. (May)