WHAT DOES THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND TEACH ABOUT MARRIAGE?
A wedding is one of life’s
great moments, a time of solemn commitment as well as good wishes, feasting
and joy. St John tells us how Jesus shared in such an occasion at Cana, and
gave there a sign of new beginnings as he turned water into wine
Marriage is intended by God to be a creative relationship, as his blessing enables
husband and wife to love and support each other in good times and in bad, and
to share in the care and upbringing of children. For Christians, marriage is
also an invitation to share life together in the spirit of Jesus Christ. It
is based upon a solemn, public and life-long covenant between a man and a woman,
declared and celebrated in the presence of God and before witnesses
On their wedding day the bridge and bridegroom face each other, make their promises and receive God’s blessing. Members of the congregation are witnesses of the marriage, and express their support by their presence and prayers. That support does not end on the wedding day: the couple will value continued encouragement in the days and years ahead of them
Love is patient;
love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not
insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice
in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all
things, hopes all things, endures all things
1 Corinthians 13.4-7 (Pastoral
Introduction to Marriage Service, Common Worship)
The Church of England affirms,
according to our Lord's teaching, that marriage is in its nature a union permanent
and lifelong, for better for worse, till death them do part, of one man with
one woman to the exclusion of all others on either side, for the procreation
and nurture of children, for the hallowing and right direction of the natural
instincts and affections, and for the mutual society, help and comfort which
the one ought to have of the other, both in prosperity and adversity.
It shall be the duty of the Minister... to explain to the two persons who desire
to be married, the Church's doctrine of marriage as herein set forth, and the
need of God's grace in order that they may discharge aright their obligations
as married persons
(Canon B30)
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