Quote:
Originally Posted by dpseudonym
Here is a question for you: If a couple had a wedding ceremony in the Church, but did not get a marriage license, are they married in the sight of God?
|
Different churches will most likely have different positions on this. I believe that if their union meets the description of a biblical marriage, it is a marriage... even if the state doesn't recognize it as a "civil marriage".
Quakers have recognized these more private unions as valid marriages in the eyes of God since their founding. And some churches have statements on marriage that read something like this...
Elders serving in Christian ministry within The Graceway Fellowship are to disengage civil marriage from Christian marriage in the performance of pastoral duties. Elders are to refuse to serve as agents of the state in marriage. Elders are to decline from signing government provided marriage licenses and/or certificates. Elders are to ask that couples seek civil marriage separately from any church-related vows, promises, commitments, and/or blessings.
Many churches have committed to, The Marriage Pledge (
https://www.firstthings.com/marriage-pledge). It reads:
In many jurisdictions, including many of the United States, civil authorities have adopted a definition of marriage that explicitly rejects the age-old requirement of male-female pairing. In a few short years or even months, it is very likely that this new definition will become the law of the land, and in all jurisdictions the rights, privileges, and duties of marriage will be granted to men in partnership with men, and women with women.
As Christian ministers we must bear clear witness. This is a perilous time. Divorce and co-..habitation have weakened marriage. We have been too complacent in our responses to these trends. Now marriage is being fundamentally redefined, and we are ..being tested yet again. If we fail to take clear action, we risk falsifying God’s Word.
The new definition of marriage no longer coincides with the Christian understanding of marriage between a man and woman. Our biblical faith is committed to upholding, celebrating, and furthering this understanding, which is stated many times within the Scriptures and has been repeatedly restated in our wedding ceremonies, church laws, and doctrinal standards for centuries. To continue with church practices that intertwine government marriage with Christian marriage will implicate the Church in a false definition of marriage.
Therefore, in our roles as Christian ministers, we, the undersigned, commit ourselves to disengaging civil and Christian marriage in the performance of our pastoral duties. We will no longer serve as agents of the state in marriage. We will no longer sign government-provided marriage certificates. We will ask couples to seek civil marriage separately from their church-related vows and blessings. We will preside only at those weddings that seek to establish a Christian marriage in accord with the principles ..articulated and lived out from the beginning of the Church’s life.
Please join us in this pledge to separate civil marriage from Christian marriage by adding your name.
Drafted by:
The Reverend Ephraim Radner
The Reverend Christopher Seitz
Laymen are welcome to sign to express support for pastors making this pledge. –Ed.
For all media inquiries regarding the marriage pledge, please contact First Things at 212-627-1985 or via email at ft@firstthings.com.
Even the Baptist Standard has several articles on the subject:
Bad idea for ministers to sign marriage licenses, pastors insist
https://www.baptiststandard.com/news...pastors-insist
These Baptist churches went as far as to even design their very own marriage covenant certificates for couples who do not seek government licensing of their unions (as seen in the article above).
Ultimately, it depends on your own faith and conviction, in addition to the position of your church or fellowship.