-- Episode Resources --

• Focus on the Family: https://www.focusonthefamily.com/
• The Ring Makes All the Difference by Glenn Stanton: https://a.co/d/0h6h8YGg

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In this episode of The Pro-Life Perspective, host Abigail Lorenzen sits down with Glenn Stanton, the director of global family formation studies and a family sociologist at Focus on the Family, to explore the critical relationship between the pro-life movement, the institution of marriage, and the cultural trends surrounding family structure.

Drawing from decades of data and insights from his book The Ring Makes All the Difference, Glenn shares how his own journey in advocacy began in the pro-life movement before he recognized that the issue of abortion is fundamentally intertwined with family and relationship health. Abigail and Glenn dive deep into the social science surrounding the rapid rise of cohabitation, exposing the myths of the "test-drive" relationship and explaining why marital commitment remains the ultimate protection for men, women, and children. Glenn offers deep insights into:

• The stark rise of cohabitation among young adults and why social science demonstrates it functions poorly as a testing ground for long-term marital success.
• The psychological distinction between "sliding" into a relationship out of convenience versus making an intentional, structural decision to commit.
• How gender differences manifest in cohabiting arrangements, where women frequently view the layout as a track to marriage while men often view it as a casual convenience.
• The socioeconomic reality of marriage as a wealth-builder, detailing how married couples accumulate significantly more material and emotional security than cohabiting partners.
• The communal nature of weddings, evaluating why custom vows and destination weddings isolate couples from the accountability of their local community.
• Practical advice for past cohabitors on how to reset their relationship dynamics and navigate the complex emotional residuals dragged into their new marriage.
• How the church and local community can step up to provide material support—like offering a couch to sleep on—to help couples transition out of cohabitation before their wedding day.

Join us for this compelling, data-driven, and culturally urgent conversation about moving past relationship ambiguity, honoring the natural design of human sexuality, and restoring the sanctity of the family unit.

Learn more about our organization here: www.ichooselife.org