"Moral Marriage"
to Marriage changes in the wind?
Very interesting concept. It is very interesting that the church is able to do a legal work, (according to the state), especially with the so called "Separation of Church and State" ideas that are out there. I believe that the moral concept of the bonding of covenants at the altar should be more binding than the legal aspect anyway. With the sanction of gay and lesbian unions by our government, it will not be far away that for a minister to perform a legal marriage he will also be required to perform these unholy acts as well. If that is the case, what will be left but to do the "Moral Marriage". --Sam Stone
I'm actually sympathetic to part of the argument for separating the legal and moral/spiritual aspects of marriage. I am out of the business of marrying non-believers in the church as part of a worship service. I will perform a wedding for non-believers, but only a legal one, with no trappings of the church's involvement--I act only as an "agent of the state," hence there is no warranty, express or implied, that God will bless this union. Only believers in (so far as it is possible to discern) full fellowship with God get to be joined in a worship service in the church building. Now, as to whether I would marry a couple "morally, but not legally"--I'm not far enough gone with this world to ompletely severe the bond between the church and the state. I would only do if the state tried to use my licensing to control my ability to proclaim the gospel and act in what I believe to be a proper moral and ethical manner. --Jon White
For some time now I have thought that either the state or the church should get out of the marriage business. I appreciated Drury's historic perspective on it. "Sanctimonius shack-ups" might be a moral step up from what is going on now, in which what we do is confused with what the state does because we are forced by law to work hand in hand with a morally confused secular government. The church can be morally confused enough without joining in the state's moral confusion.
--Everett Wilson
I say "AMEN" to a "moral marriage." Taking vows before God has a much greater w