Purpose of marriage

The argument of this book is that marraige is not in principle God's remedy for human loneliness. This remedy, in general, in principle and for all men and women, is fellowship and friendship. If in our society the unmarried... do experience loneliness... we are not therefore to point their hopes inevitably in the direction of a sexual relationship, but rather to human relationships of friendship and fellowship....
We conclude that marriage ought to be considered under the umbrella of the governing ethic of human responsibility (to the Creator) and of the human task (over the creation).
C. Ash, Marriage: sex in the service of God (p. 122)