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1. SEPARATING THE CHURCH FROM STATE OBLIGATIONS

THERE IS NO set of Biblical rules about the Church and Marriage, establishing appropriate rites, or even specifying that the Church should be responsible for conducting weddings.

Those of us who are from a UK background are accustomed to the idea that the Church should conduct weddings, including handling the aspects required by the State. “Registry Office” weddings were looked down on, when this was the only alternative way of having a State-recognised wedding without Church involvement. Today there is also the option of a wedding conducted by a Civil Celebrant. This alternative is quite popular.

There are plenty of passages which talk about how Christians should understand their rights and obligations within marriage or what considerations they should bring to a proposed marriage, because those are things that no State can control.

Perhaps, as radical Christians, we should act to dissociate the Church from the legal aspects of marriage, and limit ourselves to a religious recognition of a marriage. This would be the same as the French system, where the State-recognised ceremony is held in the Town Hall, and a religious ceremony is conducted afterwards if the couple wish.

Such a change would enable the Church to approach its role in marriage relationships far more constructively and with a focus on spiritual aspects.

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