Marriage is in trouble in South Africa. This wonderful yet complex institution is under immense pressure, which has far-reaching consequences for personal happiness and social harmony. Unhappy marriages create uncertainty and grief for many husbands and wives but even more so for the children. The challenges facing marriage in South Africa affect Christian couples and congregations as much as anyone else. This places a particular responsibility on church leaders and theologians to listen to people's experiences, analyse the causes of conflict, and mobilise the resources of faith and culture to address these challenges.

In this book, Prof. Elijah Baloyi explores three areas of concern for African Christian couples, namely excessive family intervention, the practice of lobolo, and the influence of infertility. In addressing these issues he avoids both the ‘Christ against culture’ and ‘Christ of culture’ positions and proposes a way forward that mobilises African cultural resources in the interest of healthy Christian marriages. His Christ is a transformer of culture who empowers and guides His followers to live with ‘their eyes on tomorrow and the feet on today’ (Miriam Makeba).

As a reformed theologian, Prof Baloyi reads the Bible as Scripture that bears authority for Christian believers. As a contextual theologian, he also recognises that it needs to be interpreted with and for people living in a concrete situation. His readers may not always agree with his understanding of cultural practices or his interpretation of Scripture; however, I am convinced that they will respect his commitment to a Christian praxis that is faithful to the Christian tradition and relevant to contemporary African challenges. I invite those who disagree with him to engage in lively debate with him, so that this publication may serve as a catalyst for deeper reflection and action on this crucial topic.

This is not the first book about African Christian marriages, and it will not be the last. I see it as an important contribution to the search for a wise Christian praxis that neither romanticises the collectivism of Africa nor idealises the individualism of the global North. I congratulate my colleague on this publication and wish him the best for his onward theological journey!