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markpkessinger

(8,924 posts)

31. Clergy do NOT "perform" marriages . . .

Thu Jan 30, 2014, 04:25 PM

Jan 2014

. . . that is a common misunderstanding of Christian sacramental theology. The celebrants -- i.e., the ones who "perform" the sacrament -- of a marriage rite are the couple themselves (in the sacrament of Communion, it is the clergyperson who is the celebrant). The clergy person is an officiant who stands as an official witness on behalf of the church community (and who, as a matter of convenience, is permitted to be the state's official witness as well). The pronouncement that a couple is "husband and wife" at the end of a Christian wedding ceremony is simply a declaration, on behalf of the church, that the marriage sacrament has been has been duly performed by the couple, and on behalf of the state that the contract has been executed.

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Reminder MY GD Friends: No church as EVER performed a marriage. NOT EVER. [View all] Fearless Jan 2014 OP

Thank you, Fearless theHandpuppet Jan 2014 #1

Marriage is a civil contract between two parties. You are right. Manifestor_of_Light Jan 2014 #2

Yep, I hate hearing that, too. It's bullshit kcr Jan 2014 #3

K & R !!! WillyT Jan 2014 #4

K&R. JDPriestly Jan 2014 #5

While the idea is great, I can't agree with this joeglow3 Jan 2014 #6

Seems pretty in line with thousands of years of pre-christian civil marriages as well. Fearless Jan 2014 #7

You really jumped the shark with that post joeglow3 Jan 2014 #15

The Anglican and Episcopalian Book of Common Prayer calls it "Solemnization of Matrimony" Glorfindel Jan 2014 #29

It HAS no roots in religion Fearless Jan 2014 #38

Again, that was not what I stated joeglow3 Jan 2014 #39

That is exactly what you JUST state Fearless Jan 2014 #40

The original post said churchs do not recognize "marriages" joeglow3 Jan 2014 #41

It says churches do not PERFORM marriages. Fearless Feb 2014 #42

We have a marriage certificate on file at our church joeglow3 Feb 2014 #46

You can have a marriage cert on file anywhere. I've one in my bedroom but my bedroom did not perform uppityperson Feb 2014 #49

You are creating a false premise joeglow3 Feb 2014 #52

A church wedding does not give legal protections a marriage does. And as far as "not very ... uppityperson Feb 2014 #53

+1 Fearless Feb 2014 #54

Wow. I think those goal posts moving broke the sound barrier joeglow3 Feb 2014 #56

I do not think that word means what you think it means. And yes, that was what the topic was about uppityperson Feb 2014 #59

No, I think it means what the dictionary said it means. joeglow3 Feb 2014 #60

I am using the goal posts from the OP. Take up the argument with them. uppityperson Feb 2014 #61

Actually, for the first approximately 1,000 years of its existence . . . markpkessinger Jan 2014 #30

Marriages and weddings predate the clerk's office. eom. Festivito Jan 2014 #8

They also predate the Christian church. theHandpuppet Jan 2014 #12

Quite correct . . . markpkessinger Jan 2014 #32

You might want to add an "in America" qualification, because as it stands I think it's not true. Donald Ian Rankin Jan 2014 #9

I don't think Fearless was addressing global guidelines for marriage theHandpuppet Jan 2014 #13

By the way... totally unrelated to the OP theHandpuppet Jan 2014 #16

I'm afraid I hadn't heard of him. Donald Ian Rankin Jan 2014 #19

But in most cases, you aren't actually married until an authorized person does the wedding part. MadrasT Jan 2014 #10

No, not all people can get married in a church theHandpuppet Jan 2014 #11

Various officials and celebrants perform weddings, marriage is a civil construct Bluenorthwest Jan 2014 #14

Here's a couple of short pieces on Rankin theHandpuppet Jan 2014 #21

Sorry.... posted out of order theHandpuppet Jan 2014 #22

States vary Uben Jan 2014 #26

Clergy do NOT "perform" marriages . . . markpkessinger Jan 2014 #31

"Authorized" is the part that many get hung up on. We had a friend authorized to sign the papers uppityperson Feb 2014 #50

I was married in a court-house, so I know this very well! WinkyDink Jan 2014 #17

And I used to officiate Madam Mossfern Jan 2014 #25

My marriage within the Catholic Church is one thing, my civil marriage is another. hunter Jan 2014 #18

Marriage is not a permit. Glassunion Jan 2014 #20

A marriage licence is the state giving you permission to get married. former9thward Jan 2014 #23

Which is stupid. Glassunion Jan 2014 #24

Maybe some states, but none I know of..... Uben Jan 2014 #28

Permission is required to obtain the legal status of being married. former9thward Jan 2014 #34

"You can't just declare you are married and have that status" Uben Jan 2014 #36

Your own post former9thward Jan 2014 #37

A common law does not exist because a license was issued. Ms. Toad Feb 2014 #57

This message was self-deleted by its author Xyzse Jan 2014 #27

Kicking for mstinamotorcity2 Jan 2014 #33

Kick & recommended. William769 Jan 2014 #35

Churches have not performed weddings either, Jenoch Feb 2014 #43

Your statement is a non sequitur. Marriages are not "performed". WillowTree Feb 2014 #44

"Marriages are not 'performed'" is a non-sequitur. Fearless Feb 2014 #45

I know that no one said anything about the certificate. What it did say, though...... WillowTree Feb 2014 #48

"Ceremony" Fearless Feb 2014 #55

the idea this OP is trying to express is a noble and correct one arely staircase Feb 2014 #47

Actually, it isn't correct. Ms. Toad Feb 2014 #58

Agree!!!!!! n/t RKP5637 Feb 2014 #51