In this volume, Theodore Mackin, S.J. comprehensively fills a large gap that existed in the treatment of marriage in the Catholic Church. He begins with the New Testament generation and traces the various historical interpretations which have been accorded to marriage over the centuries. His study indicates inconsistencies and even anomalies in the Church's teaching. He brings these to light and invites critical reflection on them. This history is brought to a contemporary conclusion with an important appraisal of the modern understanding of marriage since the Second Vatican Council and the publication of Humanae Vitae.