Q & R: Marrying a universalist?

Here’s the Q:

Hi Brian. You have changed my life. Your books have opened me up to the beautiful message of Jesus. I feel a mix of secure and totally shaken. This isn’t quite a question about your book-but I ask hoping so much that you’ll answer because I revere your opinion. How do you feel about two people getting married-say one a Christian and one a universalist insistent that there are many, many roads to God? Thank you thank you thank you for your time.

Here’s the R:
If you search my site on the word “universalist,” you’ll see that I’ve written quite a bit on the subject. As for the subject of marriage, my strongest suggestion would be to find a pastor or counselor or spiritual director you trust who can guide you through pre-marriage or (even better) pre-engagement counseling. Working with a skilled pastor, counselor, or spiritual director, you and your partner can explore your commonalities and differences and come to understand whether and how a marriage like yours could work. You might even come into greater alignment spiritually through the process. I think it’s very important for a couple to share a common direction in life – a shared sense of purpose and values. Otherwise they’ll be pulling in opposing directions which is good for neither party. Some differences are of a less significant nature – and they can be opportunities for a couple to learn to respect one another’s uniqueness. A good counselor can help in that discernment process at close range – far better than a writer/blogger can from a distance.