Ever since he was ordained in '94 it's struck Travis as "odd and strange" that a person like himself, with no legal training in rights (as opposed to rites) and no certification by the state, had the power to sign a legal document declaring people legally wed.This sounds like a good idea to me.
When he moved here from New Hampshire he didn't even have to call Olympia and say, "Hi, I'm a new pastor in town, and I'll be deciding whether or not to marry people now," the same way your cousin Fred can do if he gets "ordained" online. To Travis it's all part of the same mockery. "Ministers and religious leaders don't sign divorce papers or death certificates," he said. "And we've taken no class on the civil rights of marriage."
Determined to no longer "participate in the prejudice" of signing the papers of some couples but not others, the minister got together first with four other pastors from United Church of Christ, then got in touch with other ministers and rabbis. And they decided: no more signing of secular documents.
He now tells couples that he'll happily perform their ceremonies whether they get legally married or not. He'll even provide a beautiful hand-lettered certificate stating that, on such and such a day, so and so were united at All Pilgrims Church and give them a symbol of the sacrament of the day. But it will bear zero legal significance.
Sunday, August 20, 2006
Separating Church and State in Marriage
Common Dreams has posted a story about a "New Pulpit View of the Marriage Issue." Here's a quote:
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And they decided: no more signing of secular documents.
And why not? Since the separation of church and state is so extremely vital, perhaps pastors should no longer vote? After all, it provides a religious influence on a secular institution.
Or perhaps we see through a glass darkly...
Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports. In vain would that man claim the tribute of patriotism, who should labor to subvert these great pillars of human happiness, these firmest props of the duties of men and citizens. The mere politician, equally with the pious man, ought to respect and to cherish them. A volume could not trace all their connections with private and public felicity. Let it simply be asked: Where is the security for property, for reputation, for life, if the sense of religious obligation desert the oaths which are the instruments of investigation in courts of justice ? And let us with caution indulge the supposition that morality can be maintained without religion. Whatever may be conceded to the influence of refined education on minds of peculiar structure, reason and experience both forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle. -George Washington, Farewell Address (full text: http://www.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/washing.htm)
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