The Christian views of marriage historically have regarded marriage as ordained by God for the lifelong union of a man and a woman. This foundational principle was first articulated biblically in Genesis 2:24. Later, Jesus set forth his basic position on marriage by bringing together two important passages from Genesis (1:27; 2:7–25). He pointed to the completion of the creation — "male and female he created them." Then he described marriage as a relationship, a union, so intimate and real that "the two become one flesh." As persons, husband and wife are of equal value. In truth, they are one. Finally, Jesus added his emphasis on marriage being God-made and lifelong:

Haven't you read, he replied, that at the beginning the Creator "made them male and female," and said, "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh"? So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate (Matthew 19:4–6 Mark 10:6–9|).

The Apostle Paul quoted these passages from both Genesis and Jesus almost verbatim in two of his New Testament books (1 Corinthians 6:15–17 and in Ephesians 5:30–32|).

Jesus Christ dignified the institution of marriage by performing the first of the recorded miracles of Jesus at a wedding. See Marriage at Cana (John 2:1–11|).

Christian marriage is seen by the Apostle Paul of Tarsus (Ephesians chapter 5) as paralleling the relationship between Christ and the Church, a theological view which is a development of the Old Testament view that saw a parallel between marriage and the relationship between God and Israel (Ephesians 5:21–33

also Revelations 19:7

).

Marriage, especially marriage between believers, is often analogized to a picture of the Trinity.^[1] Though a woman and a man are separate individuals, in Christian marriage they become joined by God as one flesh in a manner analogous to Adam and Eve, who were distinct persons though literally created from the same flesh (Genesis 2:23-25, Matthew 19:4-6, Mark 10:7-9, 1 Corinthians 6:16, Ephesians 5:30-32) The relationships — (a) in the Trinity, (b) between husband and wife, and (c) between Christ and individual believers — are analogous to each other. Each of these relationships points to the unity of individual believers and the Church with Christ and with the Father. Christian marriage is portrayed as the epitome of mutuality. Neither spouse owns her or his own body; that body belongs to the other spouse, and to them both jointly^[1] (1 Corinthians 7:4).

All major Christian groups take marriage to be normal and proper, to be "held in honor among all" (Hebrews 13:4|). Biblically, weddings are described as times of joy. In 1 Timothy, chapter 4 , St. Paul talks of heretics who, among other things, "forbid marriage" and he describes their views as "doctrines of demons." Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy traditionally see an even greater value in celibacy when that celibacy is undertaken for the sake of a more single-minded devotion to God, but believe that not everyone has this calling from God and acknowledge marriage is preferred by most people. This belief comes from Paul's first letter to the church at Corinth in chapter 7, which he sums up in verses 8 and 9 as:

Now to the unmarried and the widows I say: It is good for them to stay unmarried, as I am. But if they cannot control themselves, they should marry, for it is better to marry than to burn with passion (1 Corinthians 7:8–9).

Most Christian wedding ceremonies take place in churches. Some couples are choosing quaint or nostalgic secular locations in which to be married by clergy.

Christian groups, some more harshly than others, frown on divorce.

The Christian church at large has not escaped liberal influences of the sexual revolution. An indication of such influences is greater tolerance within the church of couples living together without marriage (cohabitation, and if sexual, fornication), extramarital affairs (adultery) and no-fault divorce. This is happening in spite of the fact that these practices conflict with doctrinal beliefs present in Christianity since its founding.

View of Roman Catholic Church

Main article: Catholic marriage

In Roman Catholicism, marriage, as instituted by God, is a faithful, exclusive, lifelong union of a man and a woman joined in an intimate community of life and love. They commit themselves completely to each other and to the wondrous responsibility of bringing children into the world and caring for them. The call to marriage is woven deeply into the human spirit. Man and woman are equal. However, as created, they are different from but made for each other. This complementarity, including sexual difference, draws them together in a mutually loving union that should be always open to the procreation of children.^[2]

In God's plan for marriage, holy matrimony is considered an intimate union in which the spouses give themselves, as equal persons, completely and lovingly to one another. The Roman Catholic Church teaches that marriage is both a natural institution and a sacred union because it is rooted in the divine plan for creation. The valid marriage of baptized Christians is one of the seven Roman Catholic sacraments — a saving reality.

Marriage is seen as a public sign in at least two ways:

• It is a public sign that a husband and a wife each gives oneself totally to each other.
• It is also a public statement about God: the loving union of husband and wife speaks of family values and also God's values.

According to the Church's Catechism, "the spouses as ministers of Christ's grace mutually confer upon each other the sacrament of Matrimony by expressing their consent before the Church."^[3]

In opposing making same-sex unions equal to marriage, the Catholic Church views marriage as originating from God, though it is regulated by civil laws and church laws. Therefore, its stance is that neither church nor state can alter the basic meaning and structure of marriage. Husband and wife give themselves totally to each other in their masculinity and femininity.^[4][5]

The Church also opposes marriage where one of the spouses belongs to a non-Christian religion. Such marriages are not considered sacraments, but are called the "impediment" disparity of cult).^[6] Still, a marriage between non-baptized spouses, or a baptized and an unbaptized person, is called legitimum when validly celebrated, but is not encouraged (see Pauline privilege).

View of the Eastern Orthodox Church

In Eastern Orthodoxy, marriage is also treated as a Sacred Mystery (sacrament), and as an ordination. And, like all ordinations, it is considered to be a martyrdom, as each spouse learns to die to him- or herself for the sake of the other. Like all ordinations, it is viewed as revealing and sealing the relationship that has formed between the couple. In addition, marriage is an icon (image) of the relationship between Jesus and the Church. This is somewhat akin to the Old Testament prophets' use of marriage as an analogy to describe the relationship between God and Israel.

Unlike western Christianity, Eastern Orthodox Churches do not consider the sacramental aspect of the marriage to be conferred by the couple themselves. Rather, the marriage conferred by the community and performed by the priest. Furthermore (again, unlike in the West), no one besides a priest/bishop — not even a deacon — may perform the Sacred Mystery.

The external sign of the marriage is not the exchange of rings (which takes place at the betrothal, not at the marriage); rather, it is the placing of wedding crowns upon the heads of the couple, and their sharing in a "Common Cup" of wine. For this reason, the Orthodox name for the Rite of Marriage is "Crowning." Among the Greeks, the crowns will often be garlands; among the Russians the crowns will usually be of gold, with an icon of Christ on the groom's crown and the Theotokos on the bride's crown. The sharing of the Common Cup is reminiscent of Christ's first miracle at the Wedding at Cana of Galilee (John 2:1–11|), though liturgically it survives as a remenent of when the marriage service was conducted within the Divine Liturgy. Now the wedding is usually performed after the Divine Liturgy, at which the couple will normally have received Holy Communion.

Divorce is discouraged, but permitted out of economia (mercy). A lay member may obtain permission to remarry, but the ceremony and prayers would be different, less joyful and more sober and somber.

Early church texts forbid marriage between an Orthodox Christian and a heretic or schismatic (which would include all non-Orthodox Christians). Traditional Orthodox Christians forbid mixed marriages with other denominations.

A married man may be ordained as a priest or deacon. However, a priest or deacon is not permitted to enter into matrimony after ordination, whether he has become divorced or widowed, or even if he had been single at the time of ordination. Bishops must always be monks (and thus celibate).

Overall, there is a far less legislative approach regarding married life than in Roman Catholicism.

Views of Protestant Christians

Almost all Protestant denominations hold marriage to be ordained by God for the union between a man and a woman. They see the primary purpose of this union to be to glorify God by demonstrating his love to the world. Other purposes of marriage include intimate companionship, rearing children and mutual support for both husband and wife to fulfill their life callings. Protestants generally approve of birth control and consider marital sexual pleasure to be a gift of God.

Conservative Protestants take a strict view of the nature of marriage. They consider marriage a solemn covenant between wife, husband and God. Most view sexual relations as appropriate only within in a marriage. Divorce is permissible, if at all, only in very specific circumstances such as infidelity or physical abuse.

Since the 1970s, many in Protestant denominations and some other Christians have been debating whether equality of husband and wife or male headship is the biblically-ordained view. They have divided into basically two groups: complementarians (who call for male headship and other distinct gender roles) and the Christian Egalitarians (who call for full partnership equality and for couples to discover and negotiate roles and responsibilities in marriage).^[7]

The Complementarian view

The Complementarian (also known as Traditionalist or Hierarchical) view of marriage maintains that gender-based roles and a husband-headship/wife-submission structure is biblically required in marriage. The term, complementarian, emphasizes equality at Creation, yet different compulsory roles in marriage. The husband and wife are of equal "worth" before God, since both are created in God's image, but not equal in "function" or responsibility. The husband has the God-given responsibility to provide for, to protect, and to lead his family. Wives are expected to respect their husbands' authority and submit to it.^[8] However, some Complementarian authors caution that a wife's submission should never cause her to "follow her husband into sin."^[9]

The Complementarian view, as stated by several prominent evangelical leaders in what is called The Danvers Statement, says the following about Christian marriage:

* Husbands should forsake harsh or selfish leadership and grow in love and care for their wives.

• "Wives should forsake resistance to their husbands' authority and grow in willing, joyful submission to their husbands' leadership

– The Danvers Statement.

Biblical authority cited by Danvers' authors is listed as Ephesians 5:21-33 , Colossians 3:18-19 , Titus 2:3-5 , and 1 Peter 3:1-7 .^[10]

A more detailed statement of the Complementarian view of marriage appears in Southern Baptist Convention's Baptist Faith and Message (2000):

The husband and wife are of equal worth before God, since both are created in God's image. The marriage relationship models the way God relates to his people. A husband is to love his wife as Christ loved the church. He has the God-given responsibility to provide for, to protect, and to lead his family. A wife is to submit herself graciously to the servant leadership of her husband even as the church willingly submits to the headship of Christ. She, being in the image of God as is her husband and thus equal to him, has the God-given responsibility to respect her husband and to serve as his helper in managing the household and nurturing the next generation.

– Article XVIII. The Family. Baptist Faith and Message 2000

Some Complementarians say their view of scripture leads them to take a stance against women working for pay and holding positions of authority in the secular, religious, and political world.<ref name="BFM2000" />

The Egalitarian View

See also:

The Christian Egalitarian [from French égalité equality] (a.k.a. Full Partnership) view of marriage maintains that the wife and husband are equals before God in every respect, not just in worth or value as the preceding doctrine states. There is no hierarchy, no veto power. Decision-making is mutual, as is responsibility. Therefore, the man and the woman are full partners with each other in Christian marriage — neither one over the other nor one under the other.

Those who believe that full partnership in marriage is the most biblical view, producing the most intimate, wholesome and mutually fulfilling marriages, hold that the Apostle Paul's statement recorded in Galatians 3:28 applies to all Christian relationships, including Christian marriage:

:

"There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus" [emphasis added] (Galatians 3:28|). Jesus, the Son of God, proclaimed, "So, they are no longer two, but one flesh." (Matthew 19:6

)

Both Complementarians and Christian Egalitarians agree that the Apostle Paul wrote that the "husband is head" and "wives, submit," and that he was divinely inspired to write what he wrote. Christians with an Egalitarian Full Partnership view of marriage are just as concerned about biblical authority as are Complementarian Christians. The difference is where they each end up by way of interpretation of pertinent Scriptures.

Complementarians understand "head" to mean "leader" and "authority figure," as the head of an organization like its president or chief executive officer. Christian Egalitarians consider this understanding to be contrary to the teachings and example of Jesus Christ. Therefore, they believe more attention needs to be given to discerning (1) what Paul actually meant when he penned those instructions, (2) to what extent his gender-based guidance was intended for an abusive first century culture in which women were considered disposable entities, chattel (property of husband) and permanently minors legally and to what extent he was prescribing a hierarchical relationship in which wives must be under husband authority for all people in all times.

Much has been written concerning the meaning of "head" in the New Testament. The word used for "head," transliterated from Greek, is kephalē — which means the anatomical head of a body. Today's English word "cephalic" (sə-făl'ĭk) means "Of or relating to the head; or located on, in, or near the head." In the New Testament, a thorough concordance search shows that the second most frequent use of "head" (kephalē), after "the structure that connects to our neck and sits atop our bodies," is the metaphorical sense of "source."

In Hebrew thought, perhaps greatly because of the law of primogeniture, which gave the first-born considerable rights and privileges over later born siblings, it was very important to determine who came first in birth order. Therefore, Paul and other rabbis pointed to the Genesis 2:22 record, "the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man," making it clear that the male was the first-created (first "born") and therefore perpetually entitled to special rights and privileges under primogeniture. While it is benevolent to consider the husband's headship as meaning he is the source who works to ensure his wife's growth and development as a person, it still requires gender bias, implying that somehow he is uniquely (and better) qualified to provide growth and development to her, more than she would be to mutually provide those benefits to him. The wife's submission is seen in the context of Paul's injunction (in Ephesians 5:21|) for all Christians to submit to one another.

A straightforward reading of Matthew 20:25–26a , Mark 10:42 , and Luke 22:25 may lead one to conclude that Jesus even forbids any hierarchy of relationships in Christian relationships: "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you!" While "lord it over" implies abusive leadership, his words "exercise authority" have no connotation of abuse of authority.

View of other Christians

In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints ("LDS Church"; see also Mormon), "Celestial Marriage" is a sacred covenant between a man, a woman and God performed by a priesthood authority in the temples of the Church. Eternal Marriage is legally recognized, but unlike other civil marriages, Eternal Marriage is intended to continue into the afterlife after the resurrection if the man and woman do not break their covenants. Eternally married couples are often referred to as being "sealed" to each other. Sealed couples who keep their covenants are also promised to have their posterity sealed to them in the after life. Thus, the slogan of the LDS Church: "families are forever." The LDS Church encourages its members to be in good standing with it so that they may marry in the temple. "Cancellation of a sealing," sometimes incorrectly called a "temple divorce," is uncommon and is granted only by the highest authority in the Church. Civil divorce and marriage outside the temple is somewhat of a stigma in the Latter-day Saint culture although currently the Church itself directs its local leaders not to advise members about divorce one way or another.^[11]

In the New Church (or Swedenborgianism), marriage is considered a sacred covenant between one man, one woman and the Lord. The doctrine of the New Church teaches that married love (sometime translated conjugial love) is "the precious jewel of human life and the repository of the Christian religion" because the love shared between a husband and a wife is the source of all peace and joy.^[12] Marriage is also meant to be eternal and divorce is only allowable when the spiritual union is broken by adultery. When a husband and wife work together to become angels in heaven, their marriage continues uninterrupted even after the death of their bodies, living together in heaven to eternity. Emanuel Swedenborg spoke to angels who had been married for thousands of years. Those who are never married on earth will find a spouse in heaven.

See also

• Christian Egalitarianism
• Complementarianism
• Religious aspects of marriage (for all religions).

Footnotes

External links

• Analysis of historic, current and Biblical Christian views on Marriage, Divorce and Remarriage
• Annulment Tribunal, Diocese of San Jose
• Annulments, Information on Roman Catholic
• Bernard Orchard, Summary of The Betrothal and Marriage of Mary to Joseph and chronological chart
• Bernard Orchard, The Betrothal and Marriage of Mary to Joseph, Part 1
• Bernard Orchard, The Betrothal and Marriage of Mary to Joseph, Part 2
• Biblical view of marriage — The Blood Covenant of Marriage
• Catholic divorce
• Catholic Familyland
• Christian Marriage Resources
• Christian view of the meaning and permanence of marriage
• Christians for Biblical Equality
• Divorce; Canonical Impediments
• Divorce
• First Century Marriage Research by Dr. Intone Brewer, Tyndale Biblical Library
• Future of Marriage from a Christian Viewpoint
• Marriage Catechism
• Photo: Orthodox Crowning (Marriage) Russian Orthodox
• Wedding Crowns (Photo) Russian Orthodox
• Saint Josemaría on marriage