The, eh, stuff that marriages are made of...

[Aquila]

I was just doing some reading regarding Common Law Marriages. These marriages are unions that are legally recognized though not solemnized by the state. In states where Common Law Marriages are recognized the law requires a legal divorce or dissolution of marriage for the union to be broken. Most states that recognize common law marriages have a certain criteria that must be met. These would be as follows,

* live together for a significant period of time (not defined in any state)
* hold themselves out as a married couple -- typically this means using the same last name, referring to the other as "my husband" or "my wife," and filing a joint tax return, and
* intend to be married.

Recognition of Common Law Marriages vary by state. Here is a listing of states wherein Common Law Marriages are recognized,

Alabama
Colorado
District of Columbia
Georgia (if created before 1/1/97)
Idaho (if created before 1/1/96)
Iowa
Kansas
Montana
New Hampshire (for inheritance purposes only)
Ohio (if created before 10/10/91)
Oklahoma
Pennsylvania (if created before 1/1/05)
Rhode Island
South Carolina
Texas
Utah

Seeing that I weary of Government's involvement in marriage, I find notion of two people simply choosing to be married in the eyes of God without state sanctioned solemnization interesting. My question is however, should churches where Common Law Marriages are legally binding recognize such unions?

Just an interesting subject. What are your thoughts?