“The notion that marriage is an impediment to commitments to the larger community is a long-standing one - and one reason early Christians did not place the institution at the top of their moral hierarchy, complaining that married couples cared more about pleasing each other than doing the Lord's work.”

American author and historian, faculty emeritus at The Evergreen State College

Stephanie Coontz is an American author and historian, and faculty emeritus at The Evergreen State College. She is known for her work on the history of family life and marriage. She taught history and family studies, and served as Director of Research and Public Education for the Council on Contemporary Families, which she chaired from 2001 to 2004. She has written and edited several books on family and marriage, and appears in the 2017 documentary Monogamish, which looks at monogamy, marriage, and alternative relationship structures in American society.