A new trend is starting to rise in the world of relationships that has not been seen in previous generations: Platonic Friendship Marriages, or Committed Platonic Life Partners.

The phenomenon is described as two friends deciding to commit to each other for the rest of their lives, enjoying all the benefits of a marriage, but without physical intimacy or sex.

MoAndra Johnson is a relationship expert who noticed this trend starting all over the world:

[Platonic Relationships are] a relationship between friends, and while these relationships can be loving, they are not physically intimate. They however may exhibit other forms of intimacy and create a bond just as strong. A platonic relationship may consist of one or all of these forms of intimacy: emotional intimacy, intellectual intimacy, creative intimacy, experiential intimacy, [and/or] spiritual intimacy

MoAndra Johnson, MFT

She also shared in a recent Buzzfeed article that “that platonic love teaches us to pursue greater goals and essentially motivate each other to become the best versions of ourselves”

The trend caught the attention of the public when 7 female friends decided to pool all their money together to buy a $580,000 house, and live out the rest of their lives together.

While there haven’t been any official reported marital documents written up between platonic friends quite yet, those who enter into these relationships enjoy all the non-sexual commitments of marriage, including many combining money, purchasing homes together, and more.

I know what you’re thinking. What happens if you enter into this type of relationship and then start dating someone you may want to marry? Those who consider themselves in this type of relationship say they’re still open to finding romantic partners outside of their friendships:

Having built a committed companionship with [my best friend] has allowed me to approach romantic relationships without pressure. To let romantic relationships unfold at a natural pace. To know that if I lose a romantic connection, the future I’ve planned will still exist. I’m less likely to expect my romantic partner to fulfill all my needs – a mistake I think many of us have made that puts an unhealthy amount of strain on one relationship.

April Lee, in Platonic Relationship

The Bible treasures friendships, encouraging them to be intimate. In fact, there are hundreds of verses that talk about the importance of friendship, and how deeply we should love them.

A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

Proverbs 18:24

My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.

John 15:12-13

What are your thoughts on entering into a committed platonic relationship? Do you think its beneficial to enter into a committed platonic relationship with someone who is only a friend?