Mormon Marriage: the Mysterious Power of Social Change

The Mormon church is about as pro-marriage as it is possible to be, since they reserve the highest circles of heaven for the married. Yet even among Mormons, age at first marriage is rising rapidly, and the number of over-thirty singles is exploding. The changes taking place in our society are far greater than can be explained by any simple formula like, say, increasing secularism. The forces pushing us toward delayed marriage and increasing singlehood are various and very powerful.