Removing civics from the Sacrament of Marriage

[RoncalliM]

I suppose this could also go under apologetics, but the author is a law prof at a jewish university who addresses Christian, broadly defined, as well as Jewish marriage traditions so I decided to post it here.

The thrust of the argument is one which I often unsuccessfully make to my catholic community; that Marriage is a Sacrament and should be divorced (no pun intended) from the state institution of marriage. If a couple married by a priest wishes to be married under the auspices of the state as well, they can additionally profess their love in front of a judge.

cardozolawreview.com/PastIssues/CRANE.WEBSITE.pdf

 

[Friar_David_O.Carm]

That is how it is done in Mexico as the government will not allow the Church to do the governmental function.

So in Mexico the couple gets civilly married then goes and has a Church wedding for the Sacrament. The Church will not proceed with the wedding without the civil marriage certificate, so I guess your argument would be against this practice.

 

[Tom_8_0_0]

I completely agree; such a serious thing as marriage ought not be left up to the State.

 

[Domnall]

I agree with you–separating civil and religious marriage is what should be done. I’m sorry, but in 21st century America, they’re two different things.

The puritans used to do this in colonial times as well. It was actually illegal to have a minister preside over your wedding, it was supposed to be a civil affair.

 

[runningdude]

The thing is that marriage is the “bedrock” of civilization. Going back to Adam and Eve, the whole entirety of human civilization at the time was their marriage. This marriage produced their children, who themselves married spreading humanity. Christ, upon his death, did not abolish this ancient form of marriage. He added sacramental grace to enhance this previously existing institution.

“Secular” marriage is fundamentally the original natural marriage. Two non-baptized persons married by the state are just as married as Adam and Eve. Two baptized non-Catholics married by the state are just as sacramentally married as a Catholic. Marriage is not just a legal arrangement, it is a fundamental truth of our shared humanity, and us Catholics would be derelict if we allowed the secular state to totally dismantle marriage.

The problem with this article is that it tries to make its argument from multiple religious perspectives. Only one really matters ;-), but I do believe civil marriage should be able to accommodate religious beliefs. But I also believe Catholics should set the example, participating in the civil marriage process to the extent that it does not interfere with our own marriage convictions.