Was I married or not?

[LindseyH]

As a brand new Christian I am still finding my way down this path. My past divorce has me a little confused and hopeful at the same time My past marriage was in a court house with no mention of religion at all. We were not religious in any faith. I have just read that the Catholic Church would actually not considered me to have ever been married by that relationship due to lack of form. Of course I still need to understand that more but is it only the Catholic Church that has these views?
My current and final marriage was done by a Navy Chaplin on the beach in FL. Beautiful and we had Christian Vows. I wonder about a renewal of our vows at sometime in the future? I wonder if that would be a problem with any of the more fundamental churches like Baptist or more modern Mennonite churches? We have not found a church to join yet but my beliefs are heading in those two directions.

 

[Susie~Q]

As a brand new Christian I am still finding my way down this path. My past divorce has me a little confused and hopeful at the same time My past marriage was in a court house with no mention of religion at all. We were not religious in any faith. I have just read that the Catholic Church would actually not considered me to have ever been married by that relationship due to lack of form. Of course I still need to understand that more but is it only the Catholic Church that has these views?
My current and final marriage was done by a Navy Chaplin on the beach in FL. Beautiful and we had Christian Vows. I wonder about a renewal of our vows at sometime in the future? I wonder if that would be a problem with any of the more fundamental churches like Baptist or more modern Mennonite churches? We have not found a church to join yet but my beliefs are heading in those two directions.

Hi, I believe that the Catholic church is the strongest in this view. As to the validity of the marriage, it was valid, some ministers say that it does not matter where you get married, once it is consummated, you are married as far as our Lord is concerned. Of course, a Christian ceremony is the best, but if neither of you were "Religious in any faith" I guess at that time, it was no big deal for either one of you.

As to your present marriage, I do not think it would be a problem to "renew" your vows, I am guessing that you are now "Saved" and since that happened after your divorce, your present marriage is/ was blessed by the Lord as you are quite free to remarry as a new believer in Christ. I see no religion giving you any hassle over doing this.

Good luck in finding the right church, make sure you pray about it and let the Lord guide you.

Hope this helps.

 

[dayhiker]

When any church has said a marriage wasn't a marriage to try and make some theology be consistent I conclude that their theology is wrong in some way.

So I say you were married to your 1st husband. You got a divorce, that ended your 1st marriage and you married your 2nd husband. Clearly things re going we and I love that you want to exchange vows again. I see no reason that any church should have a problem with that. I don't even see a need for you to exchange the same vows as you took the 1st time.

Christianity isn't mean to be a legalistic set of rules that we should all be watching each other to point out if we are doing everything right. There are two rules, to love God and to love people. The only way the Bible say we can fulfill the law is if we love God and people. So as long as you are loving, don't let anyone else say your not doing Christianity right. That's my advice.

 

[Mary7]

Marriage licenses were not even done in this country until after the civil war.