The bride or groom will then say: ‘I … take you … to be my husband/wife; to have and to hold; from this day forward; for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, til death do us part, according to God’s holy law; and this is my solemn vow.’ After this, rings are exchanged, they are in a circle to symbolise no end to the marriage or their love for one another.
Many people have their own take to the wedding; some people spend thousands of pounds on this occasion because this will be the only marriage they get whereas other will spend very little, as they believe that they should spend the money on other things. There is no exact dress code for a wedding, but most brides wear a white dress to symbolise purity.
When god created humans, man and woman were always supposed to love each other ‘God always intended man and woman to be partners for each other.’ One example of this is Adam and Eve. But the quote talks about man and woman to be together not same sex, this is why in many churches you cannot have same sex civil partnerships.
Sometimes, marriages do not work out. The couple doesn’t feel that they are as happy as they should be with their relationship. At this point, they can get a divorce. ‘‘I hate divorce’ says the Lord’ but on this subject the Bible contradicts itself because it condemns divorce ‘When a man hath taken a wife, and married her, and it come to pass that she find no favour in his eyes, because he hath found some uncleanness in her: then let him write her a bill of divorcement, and give it in her hand, and send her out of his house. And when she is departed out of his house, she may go and be another man's wife.’ So in one quote the bible says that divorce is wrong and in another it says it agrees with it, but the truth is, the church does allow divorce but it doesn’t encourage it, well that’s obvious really, nobody likes to think they will divorce their husband or wife on the day of their marriage, because in the vows it talks about being forever, its not anyone fault that the marriage fails.
Priests, monks and nuns have to dedicate their life to the Lord and are not aloud to marry; they must agree to live their life celibant. Mother Teresa is a well known example of this. She helped to improve the circumstances of the sick, poor and orphaned children.
‘It is better not to marry if possible, but if you burn with passion, then marry.’ Agape love is essential for a working marriage, it is unconditional love, and it does cost in terms of commitment, you have to love without expecting anything back, and it is the acceptance for who someone is. Martin Luther King is an example of someone who had agape love for their wife he once said ‘I love you, but I do not like you’ this shows that he still loves his wife but he doesn’t like her, because love and like and two different meanings, like is fickle and can be changed at the click of a finger, whereas agape love cannot be changed, a mother and father will have agape love for their child even if he or she had committed a serious crime.
In conclusion, the Christian church encourages marriage between men and woman. God always wanted this. ‘A man will leave his father and mother and be united with his wife. The two will become on flesh. Therefore, what God has joined let no man separate’ But the church will also allow divorce ‘If a man finds something displeasing about his wife, he can write her a certificate and divorce her.’ but it contradicts it again. Christians find marriage very important and they will encourage a man and a woman to marry if they truly love each other.
Religious Education / GCSE / Lewis Jolly / A11