Baptist Weddings

[Rhamiel]

what does the Baptist Church teach about valid marriage?
what does that Baptist Church teach about the officiant?

 

[savedfromdistruction]

I am not sure that the Baptist church teaches anything as a practice about a valid marriage. It is usually taken for granite in this culture that a valid marriage is one that is preformed by someone who has been given the authority by the government to preform such.
In other cultures that could be different as there is nothing actually laid down in scripture in the way of a formula.

 

[SoulBap6]

what does the Baptist Church teach about valid marriage?
Man and women as God Created man and women
in Genesis 2

what does that Baptist Church teach about the officiant?
The person to preform the wedding is the Pastor or Bishop of the Church.

 

[Rhamiel]

thank you
have any of you heard of wedding with a baptist pastor and a catholic priest both acting as officiants for a wedding?

 

[a pilgrim]

thank you
have any of you heard of wedding with a baptist pastor and a catholic priest both acting as officiants for a wedding?

I'm curious as to what kind of ceremony would necessitate such a situation. Hopefully not a Catholic marrying a Baptist. Not to sound schismatic, but people should marry in their "specific" faith, i.e., denomination. I've seen the problems.

Traditionally, modern Baptists will accept any marriage that has been accepted by the State either by an ordained minister, or someone like a justice of the peace.

Some of the anabaptist forefathers did not recognize anything outside of two people who were joined while active believers in Christ.

 

[IisJustMe]

I can speak only to the teachings of the SBC, as I a member of an SBC church. Keep in mind, all Baptist churches, for the most part, are autonomous (except the American Baptists which are structured more like a Lutheran denomination) and may or may not follow exactly the convention's or the denomination's statement of faith.

About Us - Basic Beliefs

Family
God has ordained the family as the foundational institution of human society. It is composed of persons related to one another by marriage, blood or adoption.

Marriage is the uniting of one man and one woman in covenant commitment for a lifetime. ... The husband and wife are of equal worth before God, since both are created in God's image. A husband is to love his wife as Christ loved the church. He has the God-given responsibility to provide for, to protect, and to lead his family. A wife is to submit herself graciously to the servant leadership of her husband even as the church willingly submits to the headship of Christ. She, being in the image of God as is her husband and thus equal to him, has the God-given responsibility to respect her husband and to serve as his helper in managing the household and nurturing the next generation. Children, from the moment of conception, are a blessing and heritage from the Lord. Parents are to demonstrate to their children God's pattern for marriage.

I'm not sure why you would ask about the officiant, unless you are concerned that being married outside of your own congregation or denomination might somehow "invalidate" the marriage in view of your own church. Any officiant who is a pastor, ordained by a church or seminary that proclaims the deity of Christ and our salvation through His shed blood should be sufficient for anyone to accept him as able to perform the ceremony.

If you are looking for affirmation that children are a primary goal of any marriage in order for it to be valid, I would agree that it should have been settled long before the vows were said as to what the husband and the wife will see as a goal for children. I know the liturgical churches particularly Catholics, will invalidate a marriage upon the claim by either that the marriage was never consummated. One, I would find it difficult to believe that is possible if the marriage is more than a few days old, and two, if it is indeed true, the commitment by the one who refused to consummate was fraudulent from the beginning.

And finally, if you are looking for marriage to be described as a sacrament, I see no evidence anywhere in the Bible of anything being a sacrament. There are ordinances ("ordained by Jesus") in the Baptist church for believers' baptism and the Lord's Supper, but an act cannot be in and of itself "holy" as would be implied by the word "sacrament."

 

[Rhamiel]

I can speak only to the teachings of the SBC, as I a member of an SBC church. Keep in mind, all Baptist churches, for the most part, are autonomous (except the American Baptists which are structured more like a Lutheran denomination) and may or may not follow exactly the convention's or the denomination's statement of faith.

About Us - Basic Beliefs

Family
God has ordained the family as the foundational institution of human society. It is composed of persons related to one another by marriage, blood or adoption.

Marriage is the uniting of one man and one woman in covenant commitment for a lifetime. ... The husband and wife are of equal worth before God, since both are created in God's image. A husband is to love his wife as Christ loved the church. He has the God-given responsibility to provide for, to protect, and to lead his family. A wife is to submit herself graciously to the servant leadership of her husband even as the church willingly submits to the headship of Christ. She, being in the image of God as is her husband and thus equal to him, has the God-given responsibility to respect her husband and to serve as his helper in managing the household and nurturing the next generation. Children, from the moment of conception, are a blessing and heritage from the Lord. Parents are to demonstrate to their children God's pattern for marriage.

I'm not sure why you would ask about the officiant, unless you are concerned that being married outside of your own congregation or denomination might somehow "invalidate" the marriage in view of your own church. Any officiant who is a pastor, ordained by a church or seminary that proclaims the deity of Christ and our salvation through His shed blood should be sufficient for anyone to accept him as able to perform the ceremony.

If you are looking for affirmation that children are a primary goal of any marriage in order for it to be valid, I would agree that it should have been settled long before the vows were said as to what the husband and the wife will see as a goal for children. I know the liturgical churches particularly Catholics, will invalidate a marriage upon the claim by either that the marriage was never consummated. One, I would find it difficult to believe that is possible if the marriage is more than a few days old, and two, if it is indeed true, the commitment by the one who refused to consummate was fraudulent from the beginning.

And finally, if you are looking for marriage to be described as a sacrament, I see no evidence anywhere in the Bible of anything being a sacrament. There are ordinances ("ordained by Jesus") in the Baptist church for believers' baptism and the Lord's Supper, but an act cannot be in and of itself "holy" as would be implied by the word "sacrament."

I did not start this up to debate about if marriage is a sacrament, I am just trying to learn more about what the Baptist church teaches about marriage
I am in love with a lovely young lady who is a member of the Baptist denomination, we have been together for four months and we both feel that it is starting to get serious, we are not planning on getting married right away or anything, I am just trying to learn more about what Baptists think about marriage

 

[Rhamiel]

I'm curious as to what kind of ceremony would necessitate such a situation. Hopefully not a Catholic marrying a Baptist. Not to sound schismatic, but people should marry in their "specific" faith, i.e., denomination. I've seen the problems.

I normally agree with you
if you would have asked me this 5 months ago I would have agreed with you totally
lol my girlfriend said the same thing, she NEVER thought she would fall in love with a Catholic

 

[Cjwinnit]

Have married a Baptist myself so I'm definately following this thread...

 

[IisJustMe]

I am in love with a lovely young lady who is a member of the Baptist denomination ...

Which one? There are over 200 organizations that call themselves "baptist" but the theology and doctrines seen among these churches is as wide and varied as it is across the spectrum of all denominations. Best you look into the specific Baptist denomination with which her church is affiliated and find out what they teach.

 

[SearchingStudent]

The baptist minister and the priest can perform a ceremony called a "convalidation". However, in both the Catholic and Baptist faiths, it is strongly suggested to not marry outside your own belief system. You are Catholic, she is Baptist. If I remember correctly, if the couple marries in the Catholic Church and one party is not Catholic, they have to promise to raise the children in the Catholic Church. Can she do that with a clear conscience? Have you settled the theological differences between you?

Lots to think about....

 

[Rhamiel]

The baptist minister and the priest can perform a ceremony called a "convalidation". However, in both the Catholic and Baptist faiths, it is strongly suggested to not marry outside your own belief system. You are Catholic, she is Baptist. If I remember correctly, if the couple marries in the Catholic Church and one party is not Catholic, they have to promise to raise the children in the Catholic Church. Can she do that with a clear conscience? Have you settled the theological differences between you?

Lots to think about....

she would not have to promise to raise the kids Catholic, she would just have to promise not to get in the way of me teaching the children
it is still a big thing to think about but it is a passive rather then active role

 

[IisJustMe]

she would not have to promise to raise the kids Catholic, she would just have to promise not to get in the way of me teaching the children

Which is the same thing as having to promise to raise the kids as Catholics.

Unless she's going to agree not to have a role in raising the kids at all? Unlikely.

 

[Rhamiel]

Which is the same thing as having to promise to raise the kids as Catholics.

Unless she's going to agree not to have a role in raising the kids at all? Unlikely.

no, it means I would be responsible for their religious education and she would promise not to undermine what I say

we have also talked about other options

 

[IisJustMe]

no, it means I would be responsible for their religious education and she would promise not to undermine what I say

... and since you would raise them Catholic and she would agree not to interfere, it is the same thing as agreeing to raise them Catholic. How is that not clear to you?

 

[MrJim]

no, it means I would be responsible for their religious education and she would promise not to undermine what I say

we have also talked about other options

Hey Brother, nice to hear about the relationship

IisJustMe is making a good point~~it's a pretty huge deal this education/raising kids & faith business, you'd surely want that nailed down tight before any sort of nuptials.

Now is she open to crossing the Tiber? Have talked at all in that direction? Having been in three different baptist denominations in the past 15 years (Reformed, American, SBC) I can say you are not going to find much acceptance within their walls unless you convert...and she's probably going to be ostracized if she marries a Catholic.

Catholic/Baptist union is a bigger deal among most than interracial...there are a lot of hurdles ahead.

Godspeed in your decisions

 

[Rhamiel]

Hey Brother, nice to hear about the relationship

IisJustMe is making a good point~~it's a pretty huge deal this education/raising kids & faith business, you'd surely want that nailed down tight before any sort of nuptials.

Now is she open to crossing the Tiber? Have talked at all in that direction? Having been in three different baptist denominations in the past 15 years (Reformed, American, SBC) I can say you are not going to find much acceptance within their walls unless you convert...and she's probably going to be ostracized if she marries a Catholic.

Catholic/Baptist union is a bigger deal among most than interracial...there are a lot of hurdles ahead.

Godspeed in your decisions

Jim, my dear brother in Christ, it is so nice to hear from you!
you are always so kind and so Christlike, thank you for all your advise and prayers
Yes we have talked about the idea of her converting, she was the one who brought it up to be honest, I was suposed to teach her about the Catholic faith but I really did not know how to get started on that, me being raised a Catholic makes it kind of hard to start people out who know nothing about the Catholic Church. Now she seems less enthuisastic about that idea so I started this thread

IisJustMe, ok I can see what you mean now, it is kinda the same thing

 

[MrJim]

Jim, my dear brother in Christ, it is so nice to hear from you!
you are always so kind and so Christlike, thank you for all your advise and prayers
Yes we have talked about the idea of her converting, she was the one who brought it up to be honest, I was suposed to teach her about the Catholic faith but I really did not know how to get started on that, me being raised a Catholic makes it kind of hard to start people out who know nothing about the Catholic Church. Now she seems less enthuisastic about that idea so I started this thread

IisJustMe, ok I can see what you mean now, it is kinda the same thing

It's a big step for her~Catholic Answers would be a good place to start IMO~~I pray for resolution on this; I've seen this kind of thing try to work with each having the mentality of "changing the other" and generally leads to pain and unrest...and marriage has plenty of things to deal with w/o having this on top of it.

 

[Rhamiel]

never really checked out Catholic Answers before, thanks for the idea

 

[dies-l]

Have married a Baptist myself so I'm definately following this thread...

I am just curious how this works. Do you and your wife go to different churches? Are you both actively involved in your respective faith communities? Do you have children? If so, are they involved in both faith communities, yours, hers, or neither?

I really am curious about these things, and I also hope that your comments might provide guidance to the OP.