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Christian Dating is contrasted against biblical courtship (see biblical courtship), and Christian betrothal. Although the church's aim is for men and women to court for marriage (Matthew 19:5-6, New Testament Bible), some church-goers date, form relationships, dissolve relationships and engage in various levels of romantic interaction that resemble what goes on in the world around them.

Online dating websites for Christians demonstrate that Christians interact romantically with one another without the explicit emphasis on a marriage context.

The tendency and expectation that Christians might fall short of biblical ideals (Romans 3:23), Western ideals of love and self-determination, or Christians' desires to discriminate and qualify between marriage prospects, before entering marriage covenants, may account for Christian dating.

More controversially, biological determinism may account for Christian dating. Sociobiologists argue that sexual genetic programming draw men and women together in relationships (Ridley, 1993). If so, non-biblical motivations may overwhelm otherwise conscientious Christians intent on biblical courtship, influencing them to come together in romantic relationships. From a biblical point of view, this is plausible by the account of the Gospel of Matthew which reads that often "...the spirit is willing, but the body is week" (Matthew 26:41, NIV, New Testament Bible). This can be a Biblical account of why things may happen differently for Christians, then was intended by the Biblical scriptures.

Christians have differing opinions on whether or not God allows for people's romantic, sexual feelings to attract them into a relationship with one another, whereby they then save full sexual intercourse for marriage-- Or whether or not it is God's intention for people to strictly follow arranged marriage, or betrothal courtship processes and save romantic and sexual feelings themselves, as well as sexual intercourse for marriage. Either way, God's intention for the romantic unification between men and women has been under such critical debate that many churches often steer clear of detailed discourse about sexuality, dating and the condition of Christian singles (Rosenau & Tan, 2002).

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