ManTalks Podcast Why Weddings Have Lost Their Meaning with Stephen Jenkinson
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Oct 13, 2025 In this conversation with Stephen Jenkinson, an author and elder focused on ritual and cultural meaning, he delves into the essence of matrimony versus marriage. Stephen discusses how modern weddings often lack depth and meaning, advocating for vows that truly resonate. He emphasizes the importance of rituals in both personal and community contexts and critiques individualism’s impact on relationships. By reconstructing ceremonies from traditional fragments, he offers insights on how to revive meaningful matrimonial practices in today’s culture.
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Matrimony As Culture’s Mothering
- Stephen Jenkinson distinguishes wedding, marriage, and matrimony as separate orders of commitment and culture-making.
- Matrimony specifically invokes mothering the culture rather than merely creating spouses or children.
Turning The Circle Outward
- Matrimony moves a gathered community from inward-facing solidarity to outward-facing service for the broader culture.
- The rotation of witnesses outward symbolizes returning the fruits of the union to the community.
Individualism Undermines Collective Matrimony
- Contemporary culture prioritizes individual sovereignty, which undermines collective obligations like matrimony.
- This individual-first stance reshapes marriage intentions toward personal safety and convenience over cultural care.
