Importance Of Christian Marriage Essay

Christian marriage is the union of two people in a faithful relationship and companionship for life. Christianity, as a community, believes that marriage is a vocation, where one has been called to the experience of loving one another. This opens them up to the experience of God 's unconditional love for them who is immanently present at the ceremony. Catholicism, Orthodoxy, as well as various High Anglican Churches view marriage as a Sacrament. This requires a formal public religious ceremony composed of religious ritual and symbol in the presence of a community of believers. The Gospels of the New Testament are witness to the historical importance of marriage in expressing the close relationship between Jesus and the church. Christian …show more content…
This includes gathering, homily, the sacramental action and commissioning. It is solemnised by the presiding priest within Catholicism and Orthodoxy, or a minister within the Anglican Church. The ceremony incorporates the word of God found within the scriptures of the Bible. It is designed to reflect an expression of the meaning of marriage, ultimately God’s love for humanity as expressed through marriage.
The Catholic and Orthodox rite applies the Sacramentary, which contains solemn blessings, Eucharistic prayers and prefaces for all of the Masses, including special occasions such as the rite of Marriage. The Anglican church utilise The Book of Common Prayer, or the Prayer Book for Australia (Episcopal), however, this may be used in those dioceses only where approval for the use of such rites has been granted. When two Catholics, Orthodox and some High Anglicans exchange wedding vows, they do so in the context of the Eucharist. This is referred to as a Nuptial Mass (i.e: Catholic & Orthodox) or Divine Liturgy (Anglican). Through consubstantiation, the Eucharist becomes the central aspect of the rite, as the marriage is now iconic. Hence, the marriage is now in Christ 's presence in a more all-embracing