Just Peace Apologetics: CHRISTIAN MARRIAGE: Notes

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

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;

(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

- 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)

The Clergy shall require the parties to sign the following declaration:

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).

Available at http://thenalc.org/the-nalc-releases-ecumenical-affirmation-on-marriage/

“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.

Matrimony & The Minister,

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.

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

14 May 2016

CHRISTIAN MARRIAGE: Notes