Courtship, not swiping: what intentional dating actually looks like

Swiping trains us to treat people as options. Courtship asks something different: that you get to know one person at a time, with marriage clearly in view, and that both of you know that is what you are doing.

In practice, courtship means being clear early about your intentions. It means meeting in settings where you can talk, often including friends or family. It means taking the time to see how someone treats people around them, not only how they treat you on a good evening.

It also means a pace that leaves room for honesty. Big questions are raised early, so that neither of you invests a year in someone who wants a different life.

Courtship is not old-fashioned for its own sake. It is simply the most reliable way we know to find out whether two people can build a marriage together.