Jerusalem Declaration
Statement on the Global Anglican
Future
In the name of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy
Spirit:
We, the participants in the Global Anglican Future
Conference, have met in the land of Jesus’ birth. We express our loyalty as
disciples to the King of kings, the Lord Jesus. We joyfully embrace his command
to proclaim the reality of his kingdom which he first announced in this land.
The gospel of the kingdom is the good news of salvation, liberation and
transformation for all. In light of the above, we agree to chart a way forward
together that promotes and protects the biblical gospel and mission to the world,
solemnly declaring the following tenets of orthodoxy which underpin our
Anglican identity.
8. We
acknowledge God’s creation of humankind as male and female and the unchangeable
standard of Christian marriage between one man and one woman as the proper
place for sexual intimacy and the basis of the family. We repent of our
failures to maintain this standard and call for a renewed commitment to
lifelong fidelity in marriage and abstinence for those who are not married.
The
Constitution and Canons of the Diocese
of Cascadia do not prescribe or suggest the use of any particular prayer
book or formulary for marriage.
THE CANONS OF
THE ANGLICAN CHURCH IN NORTH AMERICA
Title II
Worship and the Administration of Sacraments
Worship and the Administration of Sacraments
Canon 7 - Of Christian Marriage
Section 1 -
The Anglican Church in North America affirms our Lord’s teaching
that the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony is in its nature a union permanent and
lifelong of one man and one woman.
Section 2 -
It shall be within the discretion of any member of the Clergy to
decline to solemnize any marriage.
Section 3 -
Members
of the Clergy of this Church shall conform to the Canons of this Church
governing the solemnization of Holy Matrimony.
1. Both parties shall be baptized. Any
exception to this requires the permission of the Bishop;
2. There shall be thirty (30) days notice
of intention to marry unless waived for weighty reasons, in which case the
Bishop shall be notified immediately and in writing;
3. The Clergy shall provide counsel to
both parties on Holy Matrimony with respect to theological and social
implications and responsibilities;
4. The Clergy shall ascertain that the man
and woman, parties to the marriage, have a valid marriage license (from a prior
civil ceremony).
Section 4 -
As
marriage is a lifelong covenant between a man and a woman in which the two
become one flesh, it is both an ordinance of Creation, affirmed as such by our
Lord, and commended by Saint Paul as a sign of the mystical union between
Christ and His Church (Matthew 19:3-9; Ephesians 5:22-32). Therefore, the
failure of a marriage is always a tragedy. Scripture acknowledges our fallen
nature and does provide guidance to know when a marriage may be declared a
nullity or dissolved and allows the possibility of a subsequent marriage in
certain circumstances (Matthew 19 and 1 Corinthians 7).
1. Couples who request to be married by a
member of the Clergy of this Church must have approval from their Bishop if
either party has ever been divorced;
2. When a divorced person seeks permission
to remarry, the Clergy must ascertain the pertinent facts concerning a
declaration of nullity or termination of marriage; and in the absence of a
declaration of nullity, forward such information to the Bishop in writing for
his godly advice and consent;
3. The Diocese is responsible to create a
process by which this discernment may be made with reasonable promptness.
Section 5 -
1. No Clergy knowingly, after due inquiry,
shall solemnize any marriage if they have unresolved concerns regarding the
following impediments:
(a)
Consanguinity and affinity as defined in the 1662 Book of Common Prayer;
(b) Mistaken identity;
(c) Absence of the capacity for free and intelligent choice;
(d) Bigamy, evidence of sexual perversion or conviction of a sexually related crime;
(b) Mistaken identity;
(c) Absence of the capacity for free and intelligent choice;
(d) Bigamy, evidence of sexual perversion or conviction of a sexually related crime;
(e)
Fraud, coercion, abuse or duress.
2. Any declarations of nullity may only be
granted by a Bishop with jurisdiction and shall be based upon Scriptural principles
including the foregoing impediments to marriage.
Section 6 -
The Clergy shall require the parties to sign the following
declaration:
“We, A. B. and C. D., desiring to receive the blessing of Holy
Matrimony in the Church, do solemnly declare that we hold marriage to be a
lifelong union of husband and wife as it is set forth in the Book of Common
Prayer. We believe it is for the purpose of the procreation (if it may be) of
children, and their spiritual and physical nurture, for mutual fellowship,
encouragement, and understanding, and for the safeguarding and benefit of
society, and we do engage ourselves, so far as in us lies, to make our utmost
effort to establish this relationship and to seek God’s help thereto.
Section 7 -
In all cases marriages shall be solemnized according to the forms
contained in an authorized Book of Common Prayer, or other rite authorized by
the Bishop.
Section 8 -
The Clergy shall record in the Parish register the name, age, and
residence of each party. Such record shall be signed by the member of the
Clergy, the married parties, and at least two witnesses.
NOTE: A parish or
mission could change their by-laws as to marriage but ground that change on
Genesis 1:24-27. That a statement in the minutes of a Vestry Meeting
would suffice.
Genesis 1:24-27 [24] And God said,
Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and
creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so.
[25] And God made the beast
of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth
upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good.
[26] And God said, Let us
make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the
fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over
all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
[27] So God created man in
his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he
them.
LETTER OF
COMMENDATION
FROM THE COLLEGE OF BISHOPS
OF THE ANGLICAN CHURCH IN NORTH AMERICA
FROM THE COLLEGE OF BISHOPS
OF THE ANGLICAN CHURCH IN NORTH AMERICA
- The King James Bible (1611)
– The
translation of the Bible into English, begun in the 16th century by William
Tyndale, achieved its classic form in the 1611 translation and remains the basis
for many modern versions, such as the Revised Standard Version and the English
Standard Version. In keeping with the principles of the English Reformation
that promote speaking in language that the people understand (Articles of
Religion, 24), the Bible has been translated into many languages. Anglican
Christianity has now spread to encompass people of many races and languages all
over the world.
- The Book of Common Prayer
(1549-1662) –
The Anglican Prayer Book is known worldwide as one of the finest expressions of
Christian prayer and worship. The 1662 Prayer Book is predominantly comprised
of scriptures formulated into prayer. It has been the standard for Anglican
doctrine, discipline and worship, and for subsequent revisions in many
languages.
45. How does recognizing God as Creator affect your
understanding of his creation?
I
acknowledge that God made for his own glory everything that exists. He created
human beings in his image, male and female, to serve him as creation’s
stewards, managers and caretakers. He entrusts his good creation to us as a
gift to enjoy and a responsibility to fulfill. (Genesis 1:27-28; 2:15;
Revelation 4:11)
128. What is marriage?
Marriage
is a lifelong covenant between a man and a woman, binding both to self-giving
love and exclusive fidelity. In the rite of Christian marriage, the couple
exchange vows to uphold this covenant. They do this before God and in the
presence of witnesses, who pray that God will bless their life together.
(Genesis 2:23-24; Matthew 19; Mark 10:2-9; Romans 7:2-3; 1 Corinthians 7:39)
129. What is signified in
marriage?
The
covenantal union of man and woman in marriage signifies the communion between
Christ, the heavenly bridegroom, and the Church, his holy bride. Not all are
called to marriage, but all Christians are wedded to Christ and blessed by the
grace God gives in marriage. (Ephesians 5:31-32)
130. What grace does God give
in marriage?
In
Christian marriage, God establishes and blesses the covenant between husband
and wife, and joins them to live together in a communion of love, faithfulness
and peace within the fellowship of Christ and his Church. God enables all
married people to grow in love, wisdom and godliness through a common life
patterned on the sacrificial love of Christ.
TO BE A CHRISTIAN
An Anglican Catechism
The Seventh Commandment
309. What is the Seventh Commandment?
The
Seventh Commandment is: “You shall not commit adultery.”
310. What does it mean not to commit
adultery?
Marriage
is holy. Married persons are to be faithful to their spouses as long as they
both shall live. So I must not engage in sexual activity with anyone other than
my spouse. (Deuteronomy 22-24:5; See Questions 128-130)
311. Why does God ordain marriage?
God
ordains marriage for three important purposes: for the procreation of children
to be brought up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord; for a remedy
against sin and to avoid fornication; and for mutual friendship, help, and
comfort, both in prosperity and adversity. (Genesis 1:28; Deuteronomy 6:7;
Proverbs 22:6; 31:10-12; 1 Corinthians 7:2-5; Book of Common Prayer)
312. What does marriage illustrate?
The
New Testament reveals that human marriage is meant to reflect the faithful love
that unites Christ to his Church. (Ephesians 5:21-33)
313. What does it mean to be faithful in
marriage?
To
be faithful in marriage is to be exclusively devoted in heart, mind, and body
to one’s spouse in the marriage covenant. (Ephesians 5:29-31)
314. Is divorce ever permitted?
Although
he permits divorce in some cases, God hates it. It severs what he has joined,
and causes immeasurable pain, suffering and brokenness. (Malachi 2:13-16;
Matthew 19:1-12; 1 Corinthians 7:12-16)
315. How else is the Seventh Commandment
broken?
Fornication,
same-gender sexual acts, rape, incest, pedophilia, bestiality, pornography,
lust, or any other form of self-centered sexual desire and behavior, all
violate this law. (Leviticus 18; Romans 1:18-28; Matthew 5:27-30)
316. What does it mean for you to be chaste?
It
means that I must refrain from sexual acts outside of marriage; and I must respect
myself and all others in body, mind, and spirit; practice sexual purity; and
view others as image bearers of God, not as objects of personal gratification.
(1 Thessalonians 4:3-7)
317. How do you benefit from chastity?
Chastity
enables me to give of myself in friendship, avoid difficulty in marriage, and
experience the true freedom of integrity before God. (1 Corinthians 7:32-35)
“From the Beginning”: God’s Design for
Marriage
A statement from the Anglican Church in
North America
The Archbishop and Bishops of the
Anglican Church in North America have received the recent ruling by the Supreme
Court of the United States of America and are deeply grieved by the stark
departure from God’s revealed order. We are concerned for the inevitable
results from this action to change the legal understanding of marriage and
family life.
While this decision grieves us, God’s
truth and the goodness of the order established in creation have not been
changed. The kingdom of God cannot be shaken. We pray with confidence that God
will reveal his glory, love, goodness, and hope to the world through his Church
as we seek to follow him in faith and obedience.
Jesus Christ teaches that God is the
author of marriage from the beginning of time (Matthew 19:4-6). God’s design
for marriage has always involved a man and a woman: “a man shall leave his
father and his mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one
flesh” (Genesis 2:24). These truths have ordered civilization for thousands of
years. Where God’s designs are followed in any society, including his designs
for marriage and families, the result is the greatest possible blessing and
abundance of life.
The Gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus
Christ is often summarized as, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his
only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life”
(John 3:16). Because of his love, we love and care for all those who
experience same-sex attraction. The Anglican Church in North America continues
to welcome everyone to experience the transforming love of Jesus Christ.
Marriage is established by God for the
procreation and raising of children and for the good of society. For this
reason, governments have an interest in marriage and have delegated authority
from God to protect and regulate it. But no court, no legislature and no local
magistrate has the authority to redefine marriage and to impose this definition
on their citizens.
The United States of America, so its
founders believed and taught, is a nation under God whose citizens’ fundamental
rights are derived from the Creator. There is no right to a relationship which
is contrary to the Creator’s express design. We cannot accept the Supreme
Court’s decision purporting to find a fundamental right to same-sex “marriage”
any more than we can accept its claim to have found a right to destroy human
life in the womb. We will work with others to overturn this decision, and we
pray that others will join with us in this effort.
Meeting this week in Vancouver, British
Columbia, we are reminded that our Canadian members have been living under a
similar legal standard for the last ten years. Their situation includes minimal
legal protections for those who in good conscience cannot recognize this
redefinition, and it is our prayer that stronger protections will be put into
place and honored in the United States.
In the meantime, we shall continue to
exercise our religious freedom to perform marriages for those who come for holy
matrimony as defined by our Church. The Anglican Church in North America only
authorizes and only performs marriages between one man and one woman. We
respect the consciences of those clergy who may decline to perform marriages as
agents of the state. We ask our churches to respect such decisions and help
make arrangements to minister to those seeking to be married. We are also well
aware that this ruling may create difficulties for our lay members and
Christian institutions as they seek to be faithful in upholding God’s design
for marriage, and we will make every effort to find ways to support and stand
with them.
The Church bears witness to the truth
of God’s Word and God’s design of marriage (see attached statement on “Bearing
Witness”). When government oversteps its rightful authority, “we must obey God
rather than men” (Acts 5:29).
Today there is no place for either
triumphalism or despair, so we prayerfully and sincerely urge a spirit of
charity by all. We speak out of a concern for the consequences that our people
and our neighbors will suffer from an unjust and unwise decision by five
justices of the Supreme Court. We call those justices to repentance, even as we
echo Jesus’ words, praying for God the Father to forgive them, for they know
not what they have done.
We call our people to a season of
prayer for marriage and offer the accompanying Litany and Prayer to guide us.
Unanimously adopted
by the College of Bishops of the Anglican Church in North America.
June 26,
2015
A Litany for Marriage
We thank you, heavenly Father, for
graciously creating us in your image, male and female, and for ordaining that a
man and woman shall be joined as one flesh in the covenant of marriage.
We thank you, O
Father.
We thank you for the gift and heritage
of children and for placing them in homes which may be havens of blessing and
peace.
We thank you, O
Father.
We thank you for the love between
fathers and mothers and sons and daughters that binds together the generations
and undergirds our country’s social fabric.
We thank you, O
Father.
Lord Jesus Christ, divine Bridegroom,
we repent for all the situations in which we have dishonored the covenant of
marriage through selfishness or unfaithfulness.
Lord, have mercy upon
us.
We repent as a Church where we have failed
to prepare our children for holy matrimony, or to care for those who are
widowed, divorced or single.
Lord, have mercy upon
us.
We repent where as citizens we have
become complacent and neglected the defense of marriage in the public square.
Lord, have mercy upon
us.
We pray you, Holy Spirit, to restore
marriage to its due honor in our country and to revive our marriages and
families as emblems of your love.
Deliver us by your
grace and power.
We pray you to strengthen our bishops
and other leaders as they join with faithful churches to make a strong
God-honoring defense of your design for marriage.
Deliver us by your
grace and power.
We pray you to have mercy on those who
have promoted false teaching about marriage and on those who have been led astray
and harmed by it.
Deliver us by your
grace and power.
Grant us courage, O Triune God, to hold
fast to the truth of your Word, and give grace to those who are counted worthy
to suffer for the Name of Christ.
“Now to him who is able to keep you
from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory
with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be
glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever.
Amen” (Jude 24-25).
A Prayer for Marriage
Almighty God our heavenly Father, you
have created us male and female in your image and have ordained that a man
shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife. Look down in
mercy, we pray, on our families, our church and our nation. Knit together in
constant affection those who, in Holy Matrimony, have been made one flesh. Turn
the hearts of the parents to the children, the hearts of the children to the
parents, and the hearts of all to those who are single or alone. Finally, grant
that your Church may steadfastly defend the unchangeable bond of marriage which
embodies the mystery of Christ’s love for us; through the same Jesus Christ our
Lord, to whom with you and the Holy Spirit, be all honor and glory, now and
forever.
Suggested Hymns: “O God of Earth and Altar”; “God of Grace and God of Glory”
Bearing Witness to Holy Matrimony
The following
statement is intended to make clear the position of the Anglican Church in
North America with regard to the nature of marriage.
THE SCRIPTURE BEARS
WITNESS
The Anglican Church in North America
grounds its doctrine and discipline on the authority of the Bible as God’s word
written (Constitution, Art. 1.1). The Bible from beginning to end is clear and
consistent in its teaching about marriage. The following passages testify to
the essential character of marriage as a faithful lifelong union of a man and a
woman.
Human Nature in the
Image of God
Genesis 1:27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he
created him; male and female he created them.
God’s Design of
Marriage and Family
Genesis 1:28 And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful
and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish
of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that
moves on the earth.”
Genesis 2:24 Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and
hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.
Jesus’ Affirmation of
Lifelong Monogamous Marriage
Mark 10:7-9 [Jesus said,] “‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and
mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.’ So they
are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore
God has joined together, let not man
separate.”
The Mutual Love of Husbands
and Wives Based in Christ’s Love for the Church
Ephesians 5:24-27 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should
submit in everything to their husbands. Husbands, love your wives, as Christ
loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her,
having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might
present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such
thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.
The Sanctity of Marriage
Hebrews 13:4 Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the
marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and
adulterous.
THE ANGLICAN CHURCH
IN NORTH AMERICA BEARS WITNESS
The Anglican Church in North America
bears witness to the biblical and traditional teaching concerning marriage in
its Constitution and Canons (2012) and in its Catechism (2014). This teaching
is in agreement with the historic Anglican tradition of the Book of Common
Prayer (1662), the Lambeth Conferences of Anglican Bishops, and the
CONSTITUTION AND
CANONS (2009, 2012)
Article I:
Fundamental Declarations of the Province
As the Anglican Church in North America
(the Province), being a part of the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church
of Christ, we believe and confess Jesus Christ to be the Way, the Truth, and
the Life: no one comes to the Father but by Him. Therefore, we identify the
following seven elements as characteristic of the Anglican Way, and essential
for membership:
1. We confess the canonical books of
the Old and New Testaments to be the inspired Word of God, containing all
things necessary for salvation, and to be the final authority and unchangeable
standard for Christian faith and life…
6. We receive The Book of Common Prayer
as set forth by the Church of England in 1662, together with the Ordinal
attached to the same, as a standard for Anglican doctrine and discipline, and,
with the Books which preceded it, as the standard for the Anglican tradition of
worship.
In all these things, the Anglican
Church in North America is determined by the help of God to hold and maintain,
as the Anglican Way has received them, the doctrine, discipline and worship of
Christ and to transmit the same, unimpaired, to our posterity.
We seek to be and remain in full
communion with all Anglican Churches, Dioceses and Provinces that hold and
maintain the Historic Faith, Doctrine, Sacraments and Discipline of the One,
Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church.
Canon II. 7: Of
Christian Marriage
The Anglican Church in North America
affirms our Lord’s teaching that the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony is in its
nature a union permanent and lifelong of one man and one woman. (Section 1)
Members of the Clergy of this Church shall
conform to the Canons of this Church governing the solemnization of Holy
Matrimony. (Section 3)
As marriage is a lifelong covenant
between a man and a woman in which the two become one flesh, it is both an
ordinance of Creation, affirmed as such by our Lord, and commended by Saint
Paul as a sign of the mystical union between Christ and His Church (Matthew
19:3-9; Ephesians 5:22-32). (Section 4)
The Clergy shall require the parties to
sign the following declaration:
“We, A. B. and C. D.,
desiring to receive the blessing of Holy Matrimony in the Church, do solemnly
declare that we hold marriage to be a lifelong union of husband and wife as it
is set forth in the Book of Common Prayer. We believe it is for the purpose of
the procreation (if it may be) of children, and their spiritual and physical
nurture, for mutual fellowship, encouragement, and understanding, and for the
safeguarding and benefit of society, and we do engage ourselves, so far as in
us lies, to make our utmost effort to establish this relationship and to seek
God’s help thereto.
(Section 6)
Canon II.8: Of
Standards of Sexual Morality and Ethics
In view of the teaching of Holy
Scripture, the Lambeth Conference of 1998 and the Jerusalem Declaration, this
Church upholds faithfulness in marriage between a man and a woman in lifelong
union, and believes that abstinence is right for those who are not called to
marriage, and cannot legitimize or bless same sex unions or ordain persons who
engage in homosexual behavior. Sexual intercourse should take place only
between a man and a woman who are married to each other. (Section 2)
THE ANGLICAN BOOK OF
COMMON PRAYER BEARS WITNESS
As noted in the Constitution (I.6), the
Anglican Church in North America recognizes the 1662 Book of Common Prayer as
its standard for worship. This Prayer Book defines Holy Matrimony as follows:
DEARLY beloved, we are gathered
together here in the sight of God, and in the face of this congregation, to
join together this Man and this Woman in holy Matrimony; which is an honourable
estate, instituted of God in the time of man’s innocency, signifying unto us
the mystical union that is betwixt Christ and his Church; which holy estate
Christ adorned and beautified with his presence, and first miracle that he
wrought, in Cana of Galilee; and is commended of Saint Paul to be honourable
among all men…”
It goes on to state three purposes of
holy matrimony:
First, It was ordained for the
procreation of children, to be brought up in the fear and nurture of the Lord,
and to the praise of his holy Name.
Secondly, It was ordained for a remedy
against sin, and to avoid fornication; that such persons as have not the gift
of continency might marry, and keep themselves undefiled members of Christ’s
body.
Thirdly, It was ordained for the mutual
society, help, and comfort, that the one ought to have of the other, both in
prosperity and adversity.
This definition is in full accord with
the biblical witness and is consistent with the canons and catechism of the
Anglican Church in North America.
THE LAMBETH
CONFERENCE OF ANGLICAN BISHOPS BEARS WITNESS
The Lambeth Conference of Bishops has
borne witness consistently on the subject of marriage at its decennial meetings
over the past 150 years. Several examples of this teaching are as follows:
1920
Recognising that to live a pure and
chaste life before and after marriage is, for both sexes, the unchangeable
Christian standard, attainable and attained through the help of the Holy Spirit
by men and women in every age, the Conference desires to proclaim the universal
obligation of this standard, and its vital importance as an essential condition
of human happiness. (Resolution 66)
The Conference affirms as our Lord’s
principle and standard of marriage a life-long and indissoluble union, for
better or worse, of one man with one woman, to the exclusion of all others on
either side, and calls on all Christian people to maintain and bear witness to
this standard. (Resolution 67)
1948
Faced with the great increase in the
number of broken marriages and the tragedy of children deprived of true home
life, this Conference desires again to affirm that marriage always entails a
life-long union and obligation; it is convinced that upon the faithful
observance of this divine law depend the stability of home life, the welfare
and happiness of children, and the real health of society. It calls upon
members of the Church and others to do their utmost by word and example to
uphold the sanctity of the marriage bond and to counteract those influences
which tend to destroy it. It is convinced that maintenance of the Church’s
standard of discipline can alone meet the deepest needs of men; and it
earnestly implores those whose marriage, perhaps through no fault of their own,
is unhappy to remain steadfastly faithful to their marriage vows. (Resolution
92)
1998
This Conference:
• in view of the teaching of Scripture,
upholds faithfulness in marriage between a man and a woman in lifelong union,
and believes that abstinence is right for those who are not called to marriage.
• recognises that there are among us
persons who experience themselves as having a homosexual orientation. Many of
these are members of the Church and are seeking the pastoral care, moral
direction of the Church, and God’s transforming power for the living of their
lives and the ordering of relationships. We commit ourselves to listen to the
experience of homosexual persons and we wish to assure them that they are loved
by God and that all baptised, believing and faithful persons, regardless of
sexual orientation, are full members of the Body of Christ;
• while rejecting homosexual practice
as incompatible with Scripture, calls on all our people to minister pastorally
and sensitively to all irrespective of sexual orientation and to condemn
irrational fear of homosexuals, violence within marriage and any trivialisation
and commercialisation of sex;
• cannot advise the legitimising or
blessing of same sex unions nor ordaining those involved in same gender unions.
(Resolution I.10)
THE GLOBAL FELLOWSHIP
OF CONFESSING ANGLICANS BEARS WITNESS
In June 2008, 280 Anglican bishops held
a special “Global Anglican Future Conference” in Jerusalem. This Conference
adopted the Jerusalem Declaration, which reaffirms the biblical and historic
standards of Anglicanism and states:
We acknowledge God’s creation of humankind
as male and female and the unchangeable standard of Christian marriage between
one man and one woman as the proper place for sexual intimacy and the basis of
the family. We repent of our failures to maintain this standard and call for a
renewed commitment to lifelong fidelity in marriage and abstinence for those
who are not married. (Clause 8)
The Conference led to the formation of
the Global Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans, to which the Anglican Church in
North America was admitted in 2009 as a full member.
ECUMENICAL STATEMENTS
BEAR WITNESS
The Anglican Church in North America is
party to a wider fellowship of Christian churches that share its biblical
understanding of Holy Matrimony. The Archbishop of the Anglican Church in North
America has borne witness by signing several recent ecumenical statements on
the nature of marriage:
“The Two Shall Become One Flesh:
Reclaiming Christian Marriage” by Evangelicals and Catholics Together (March
2015) endorsed by the Archbishop of the Anglican Church in North America along
with more than thirty Roman Catholic and Protestant leaders.
Available at www.firstthings.com/article/2015/03/the-two-shall-become-one-flesh-reclaiming-marriage-2.
“An Affirmation of Marriage” by
Anglican Church in North America, Lutheran Church-Canada, North American
Lutheran Church and The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (May 2013).
“The Defense of Marriage and the Right
of Religious Freedom: Reaffirming a Shared Witness: An Open Letter from
Religious Leaders to All in Positions of Public Service” (April 2015), signed
by the current and former Archbishops of the Anglican Church in North America,
along with ecumenical leaders from the Roman Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant
churches, as well as representatives of the Mormon, Jewish, and Muslim
communities. Available at http://www.usccb.org/issues-and-action/marriage-and-family/marriage/promotion-and-defense-of-marriage/upload/Open-Letter-on-Marriage-and-Religious-Freedom-April-2015.pdf
1928 BCP, The Form of
Solemnization of Matrimony
¶ At the day
and time appointed for Solemnization of Matrimony, the
Persons to be
married shall come into the body of the Church, or shall
be ready in
some proper house, with their friends and neighbours; and
there standing
together, the Man on the right hand, and the Woman
on the left,
the Minister shall say,
DEARLY beloved, we are gathered together here in
the sight of God, and
in the face of this company,
to join together this
Man and this Woman in holy
Matrimony; which is
an honourable estate, insti-
tuted of God,
signifying unto us the mystical union that is
betwixt Christ and
his Church: which holy estate Christ
adorned and
beautified with his presence and first miracle
that he wrought in
Cana of Galilee, and is commended of
Saint Paul to be honourable
among all men: and therefore
is not by any to be
entered into unadvisedly or lightly; but
reverently,
discreetly, advisedly, soberly, and in the fear of
God. Into this holy
estate these two persons present come
now to be joined. If
any man can show just cause, why
they may not lawfully
be joined together, let him now
speak, or else
hereafter for ever hold his peace.
¶ And also
speaking unto the Persons who are to be married, he shall say,
I REQUIRE and charge you both, as ye will answer at the
dreadful day of
judgment when the secrets of all hearts
shall be disclosed,
that if either of you know any impedi-
ment, why ye may not
be lawfully joined together in Mat-
rimony, ye do now
confess it. For be ye well assured, that
if any persons are
joined together otherwise than as God’s
Word doth allow,
their marriage is not lawful.
if he shall
have reason to doubt of the lawfulness of the
proposed
Marriage, may demand sufficient surety for his indemnifica-
tion: but if
no impediment shall be alleged, or suspected, the Minister
shall say to
the Man:
Brandon, WILT thou have this Woman to thy wedded wife,
to live together
after God’s ordinance in the holy
estate of Matrimony?
Wilt thou love her, comfort her, honour,
and keep her in
sickness and in health; and, forsaking all
others, keep thee
only unto her, so long as ye both shall live?
¶ The Man
shall answer,
I will.
¶ Then shall
the Minister say unto the Woman,
Brin, WILT thou have this Man to thy wedded husband,
to live together
after God’s ordinance in the holy
estate of Matrimony?
Wilt thou love him, comfort him,
honour, and keep him
in sickness and in health; and, for-
saking all others, keep
thee only unto him, so long as ye
both shall live?
¶ The Woman
shall answer,
I will.
¶ Then shall
the Minister say:
Who giveth this Woman
to be married to this Man?
¶ The father
shall answer,
I Do.
Then shall
they give their troth to each other in this manner. The
Minister,
receiving the Woman at her father’s or friend’s hands, shall
cause the Man
with his right hand to take the Woman by her right hand.
The Lessons/Readings
Then one or more of the following
passages from Holy Scripture is read. If
there is to be a Communion, a
passage from the Gospel always concludes
the Readings.
Old Testament
Genesis 1:26-28 (Male and female he
created them)
Genesis 2:4-9, 15-24 (A man cleaves to
his wife and they become one flesh)
Song of Solomon 2:10-13; 8:6-7 (Many
waters cannot quench love)
Tobit 8:5b-8 (New English Bible)
(That she and I may grow old together)
Epistile
1 Corinthians 13:1-13 (Love is patient
and kind)
Ephesians 3:14-19 (The Father from whom
ever family is named)
Ephesians 5:1-2, 21-33 (Walk in love,
as Christ loved us)
Colossians 3:12-17 (Love which binds
everything together in harmony)
1 John 4:7-16 (Let us love one another
for love is of God)
Between the Readings, a Psalm, hymn, or
anthem may be sing or said.
Appropriate Psalms are 67, 127, and 128.
When a passage from the Gospel is to be
read, all stand, and the Deacon
or Minister appointed says:
The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus
Christ according to __________.
People Glory to you,
Lord Christ.
Gospel
Matthew 5:1-10 (The Beatitudes)
Matthew 5:13-16 (You are the
light...Let your light so shine)
Matthew 7:21,24-29 (Like a wise man who
built his house upon the rock)
Mark 10:6-9,13-16 (They are no longer
two but one)
John 15:9-12 (Love one another as I
have loved you)
After the Gospel, the Reader says
:
The Gospel of the Lord.
People
Praise to you, Lord Christ.
A homily or other response to the
Readings may follow.
The Vows
I Brandon. take thee Brin to my wedded Wife, to have
and to
hold from this day
forward, for better for worse, for
richer for poorer, in
sickness and in health, to love and to
cherish, till death
us do part, according to God’s holy or-
dinance; and thereto
I plight thee my troth.
¶ Then shall
they loose their hands; and the Woman with her right hand
taking the Man
by his right hand, shall likewise say after the Minister:
I Brin, take thee Brandon to my wedded Husband, to
have and
to hold from this day
forward, for better for worse, for
richer for poorer, in
sickness and in health, to love and to
cherish, till death
us do part, according to God’s holy or-
dinance; and thereto
I give thee my troth.
¶ Then shall
they again loose their hands; and the Man shall give unto
the Woman a
Ring on this wise: the Minister taking the Ring shall
deliver it
unto the Man, to put it upon the fourth finger of the
Woman’s left
hand. And the Man holding the Ring there, and taught
by the
Minister, shall say,
WITH this Ring I thee wed: In the Name of the
Father, and of the
Son, and of the Holy Ghost.
Amen.
¶ And, before
delivering the Ring to the Man, the Minister may say as
followeth.
BLESS, O Lord, this Ring, that he who gives it and
she
who wears it may
abide in thy peace, and continue in
thy favour, unto
their life’s end; through Jesus Christ our
Lord. Amen.
¶ Then, the
Man leaving the Ring upon the fourth finger of the Wo-
man’s left
hand, the Minister shall say,
Let us pray.
¶ Then shall
the Minister and the People, still standing, say the Lord’s
Prayer:
OUR Father, who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name.
Thy kingdom come. Thy
will be done, On earth as it
is in heaven. Give us
this day our daily bread. And forgive
us our trespasses, As
we forgive, those who trespass against
us. And lead us not
into temptation, But deliver us from
evil. For thine is
the kingdom, and the power, and the
glory, for ever and ever.
Amen.
¶ Then shall
the Minister add,
O ETERNAL God, Creator and Preserver of all man-
kind, Giver of all
spiritual grace, the Author of ever-
lasting life; Send
thy blessing upon these thy servants, this
man and this woman,
whom we bless in thy Name; that
they, living
faithfully together, may surely perform and
keep the vow and
covenant betwixt them made, (whereof
this Ring given and
received is a token and pledge,) and
may ever remain in
perfect love and peace together, and
live accord-ing to
thy laws; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
¶ The Minister
may add the following prayer.
O GOD, who hast so consecrated the state of Matri-
mony that in it is
represented the spiritual marriage
and unity betwixt
Christ and his Church; Look mercifully
upon these thy
servants, that they may love, honour, and
cherish each other,
and so live together in faithfulness and
patience, in wisdom
and true godliness, that their home
may be a haven of
blessing and of peace; through the same
Jesus Christ our Lord,
who liveth and reigneth with thee
and the Holy Spirit
ever, one God, world without end.
Amen.
¶ Then shall
the Minister join their right hands together, and say,
Those whom God hath
joined together let no man put
asunder.
¶ Then shall
the Minister speak unto the company.
FORASMUCH as Brandon and Brin have consented together
in holy wedlock, and
have witnessed the same before
God and this company,
and thereto have given and pledged
their troth, each to
the other, and have declared the same
by giving and
receiving a Ring, and by joining hands; I
pronounce that they
are Man and Wife, In the Name of
the Father, and of
the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.
**It is here
that the Holy Eucharist continues, with the newly married couple presenting the
gifts of bread and wine. (notes
are from the 1979 BCP, EC,USA, which is not approved or prescribed by the Anglican Church in North America)
¶ The Man and
Wife kneeling, the Minister shall add this Blessing.
GOD the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Ghost,
bless, preserve, and
keep you; the Lord mercifully
with his favour look
upon you, and fill you with all spirit-
ual benediction and
grace; that ye may so live together in
this life, that in
the world to come ye may have life ever-
lasting. Amen.
& The laws respecting Matrimony, whether by publishing the Banns in
Churches, or
by Licence, being different in the several States, every
Minister is
left to the direction of those laws, in every thing that
regards the
civil contract between the parties.
& And when the Banns are published, it shall be in the following
form:
I publish the
Banns of Marriage between N. of — , and N. of — . If any
of you know
cause, or just impediment, why these two persons should
not be joined
together in holy Matrimony, ye are to declare it. This
is the first [second or third] time of asking.
**The
Deacon or other person appointed reads the following prayers, to which the
People respond, saying, Amen.
If
there is not to be a Communion, one or more of the prayers may be omitted.
Let us pray.
Eternal God, creator and
preserver of all life, author of salvation, and giver of all grace: Look with
favor upon the world you have made, and for which your Son gave his life, and
especially upon this man and this woman whom you make one flesh in Holy
Matrimony. Amen.
Give them wisdom and
devotion in the ordering of their common life, that each may be to the other a
strength in need, a counselor in perplexity, a comfort in sorrow, and a
companion in joy. Amen.
Grant that their wills
may be so knit together in your will, and their spirits in your Spirit, that
they may grow in love and peace with you and one another all the days of their
life. Amen.
Give them grace, when
they hurt each other, to recognize and acknowledge their fault, and to seek
each other’s forgiveness and yours. Amen.
Make their life together
a sign of Christ’s love to this sinful and broken world, that unity may
overcome estrangement, forgiveness heal guilt, and joy conquer despair. Amen.
Bestow on them, if it is
your will, the gift and heritage of children, and the grace to bring them up to
know you, to love you, and to serve you. Amen.
Give them such
fulfillment of their mutual affection that they may reach out in love and
concern for others. Amen.
Grant that all married
persons who have witnessed these vows may find their lives strengthened and
their loyalties
confirmed. Amen.
confirmed. Amen.
Grant that the bonds of
our common humanity, by which all your children are united one to another, and
the living to the dead, may be so transformed by your grace, that your will may
be done on earth as it is in heaven; where, O Father, with your Son and the
Holy Spirit, you live and reign in perfect unity, now and for ever. Amen.
The
Blessing of the Marriage
The
people remain standing. The husband and wife kneel, and the Priest says one of
the following prayers
Most gracious God, we
give you thanks for your tender love in sending Jesus Christ to come among us,
to be born of a human mother, and to make the way of the cross to be the way of
life. We thank you, also, for consecrating the union of man and woman in his
Name. By the power of your Holy Spirit, pour out the abundance of your blessing
upon this man and this woman. Defend them from every enemy. Lead them into all
peace. Let their love for each other be a seal upon their hearts, a mantle
about their shoulders, and a crown upon their foreheads. Bless them in their
work and in their companionship; in their sleeping and in their waking; in
their joys and in their sorrows; in their life and in their death. Finally, in
your mercy, bring them to that table where your saints feast for ever in your
heavenly home; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit
lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
or
this
O God, you have so
consecrated the covenant of marriage that in it is represented the spiritual
unity between Christ and his Church: Send therefore your blessing upon these
your servants, that they may so love, honor, and cherish each other in
faithfulness and patience, in wisdom and true godliness, that their home may be
a haven of blessing and peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and
reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
The
husband and wife still kneeling, the Priest adds this blessing
God the Father, God the
Son, God the Holy Spirit, bless, preserve, and keep you; the Lord mercifully
with his favor look upon you, and fill you with all spiritual benediction and
grace; that you may faithfully live together in this life, and
in the age to come have
life everlasting. Amen.
The Peace
The
Celebrant may say to the people
The peace of the Lord be
always with you.
People
And
also with you.
The
newly married couple then greet each other, after which greetings may be
exchanged throughout the congregation.
When
Communion is not to follow, the wedding party leaves the church. A hymn, psalm,
or anthem may be sung, or instrumental music may be played.
At the Eucharist
The
liturgy continues with the Offertory, at which the newly married couple may
present the offerings of bread and wine.
Preface of Marriage
At
the Communion, it is appropriate that the newly married couple receive
Communion first, after the ministers.
In
place of the usual postcommunion prayer, the following is said
O God, the giver of all
that is true and lovely and gracious: We give you thanks for binding us
together in these holy mysteries of the Body and Blood of your Son Jesus
Christ. Grant that by your Holy Spirit, Brandon and Brin., now
joined in Holy Matrimony, may become one in heart and soul, live in fidelity
and peace, and obtain those eternal joys prepared for all who love you; for the
sake of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
As
the wedding party leaves the church, a hymn, psalm, or anthem may be sung; or
instrumental music may be played.
In Christ's love, Fr. Robert Pax