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 | "God's authentic plan [for the family was founded on] the stable and faithful union of a man and a woman." Pope John Paul II, in a speech on 2003-JUN to an audience in Croatia. |
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"If marriage means everything, it means absolutely nothing." Dr. James C. Dobson, of Focus on the Family. |
| "I regard the blessing of gay or lesbian couples by the church to be inevitable, right, and a positive good." 1 Retired Episcopal Bishop John Spong. |
Marriage -- now:
There are a relatively few types of families in Christian countries today. Essentially all are one of the four following types:
| Living together arrangements of heterosexual and homosexual couples: These are common-law, informal co-habiting arrangements, which can sometimes be registered with the government. Most North American heterosexual couples who eventually marry, have spent an interval of time living together before marriage. Some choose to never marry. |
| Heterosexual marriages of one man and one woman. These are formal marriages registered with the government. Many are performed in a church, synagogue, mosque, temple, etc. Others are civil ceremonies. |
| Polygynous marriages, which involve one man and a number of women. In North America this was practiced extensively among Mormons, but was largely phased out during the 19th century. Today, it appears to be confined to small Fundamentalist Mormon groups which have been excommunicated by the main Mormon church: the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The Attorney General of British Columbia, Canada, has decided to not prosecute Mormon splinter groups in that province for polygyny. He predicted that he would lose any case that he initiated. The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms' guarantees of religious freedom would probably nullify the Province's marriage act in these cases. This gives such marriages a degree of legality, at least in one province of Canada. Tens of thousands of polygynous couples live in Utah, Arizona and other states where their illegal marraiges are largely ignored by police. |
| Same-sex marriages and unions of two men or two women. As of the end of 2006, same-sex couples can marry in Massachusetts, Belgium, Canada, the Netherlands, South Africa, and Spain. They receive all of the advantages of marriages that in the past have been restricted to opposite-sex couples. Residents of Israel can get married elsewhere, return to Israel and have their marriages registered. The Knesset is attempting to close this loophole. Numerous countries in Europe and some states in the U.S. (including California, Connecticut, and Vermont) allow same-sex couples to enter into civil unions, domestic partnerships, etc. and obtain most or all of the state marriage benefits. More information. |
Marriage -- now and in the past:
Topics covered in this section:
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Home > Christianity > Bible themes & topics > here |
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Home > "Hot" topics > Homosexuality > Religious impact > here |
Copyright © 2001 to 2006 by Ontario Consultants on Religious
Tolerance
Originally written: 2001-JUL-3
Latest update: 2006-DEC-14
Author: B.A. Robinson
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