Issues: Marriage

What is Marriage to Christians?

Christians believe marriage is the union of two people in a faithful relationship of love and companionship for life. They believe God brings about the union. The Christian marriage ceremony is both joyful and solemn.

Marriage is considered an exclusive covenant relationship. A covenant is a two-sided promise between two parties or people. In a Christian marriage a man and a woman both promise to love and honour the other person, to share everything with their partner. It is exclusive - this means it is only between the couple. The couple promise to be faithful to each other. Sexual relations should only occur between the married couple.

The love between a married couple is to somehow reflect the love Jesus Christ has for his Church.

Christians recognise that not everyone is called to be married.

Roman Catholic and Orthodox Christians believe that marriage is a sacrament. A sacrament is an outward sign of an inward grace - so the giving and receiving of rings in the ceremony is the outward sign of what God is doing inside the married couple. They believe that once the couple have received the sacrament of marriage God unites the couple - they become one - or a unit in a spiritual way. They believe that once God has done this it cannot be undone.