A Liturgy For A Marriage Service

This section presents a very simple marriage service accompanied by a commentary to highlight its theological meanings. "Let us worship God. " Commentary: It is made clear from the outset that this wedding is not merely a civil ceremony but, more importantly, also a religious one, in which the role of the God who is grace is as central as the roles of the spouses. God is confessed throughout the ceremony as the one who guarantees the fidelity of the spouses. "Friends, marriage is established by God. In marriage, a man and a woman willingly bind themselves in love, and become one even as Christ is one with the church, his body. " Commentary: This declaration embodies three theological ideas: (1) Marriage is part of God's creation and is therefore good (cf. Gen. 1:27-28); (2) Valid marriage requires that there be free consent, that the spouses "freely bind themselves"; (3) Christian marriage is modeled on the covenantal union of Christ and church-the spouses are to be one "as Chri…