Marriage - People, Church and State

Marriage is an institution between natural people (humans) hopefully without coercion and with mutual consent. People marry each other. A person who performs a marriage ceremony hopefully also does so without coercion and with the intent of solemnifying the event. The relation between the person performing the ceremony and his "Church" is another matter.

Among other things, law is instituted to provide remedy when promises are broken. To do that, law must have an understanding of how promises are made. That is aided by a "civil contract" between people which the government has some limited interest in regulating.

We have understood the first to be a matter of religion and the second, a matter of state. We have further understood that collusion between church and state is contrary to human welfare but beloved by many. Christians especially should understand the danger. Like Jesus at Nazareth, it is time for Mr. Stupak Chuck Colson to close the book, shut up and sit down.