Marriage and Family

The question raised in “How Many Children” concerning “Octomom’s” choice to have 14 children without a husband to help support them has continued to challenge us in an age when artificial means for conception are a blessing to some couples. The next case, “What Makes A Marriage?”, provokes us to think again about marriage itself and its varied meanings to couples. Finally, “Mixed Blessing?” treats the question of marriage between two women. Each case challenges us to find reasons for our beliefs and to ask new questions about the choices based on a sense of what “the good” actually means in relationships.

Using “How Many Children?” as your primary case consider initially the ethical issues surrounding Octomom’s choices: what makes a choice of this nature more challenging? Is this woman just seeking fame and fortune? Then weigh the case in some relation to one of the other cases cited. What does make a marriage? Or consider the example of the two women who wish to marry each other in a Lutheran community. How might parenting become a question for them? How can we find the language with which to seek the good and the right in this new situation?