An ecumenical marriage strategy

Christian Century, Nov 22, 2000

A high divorce rate, more couples "living together," more births out of wedlock, and fewer marriages by those in their early 20s--all are U.S. social trends that tour Christian leaders say churches should address collectively in local communities.

"A Christian Declaration on Marriage" was released November 14 in Washington, D.C., by an ecumenical task force convened by Kevin W. Mannoia, president of the National Association of Evangelicals. Concurring with the declaration were Robert Edgar, general secretary of the National Council of Churches; Richard Land, president of the Southern Baptists' Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission; and Bishop Anthony O'Connell, chairman of the U.S. Catholic bishops' committee on marriage and family life.

Estimating that three-quarters of all weddings are still performed by clergy, the four signers contended that "churches are uniquely positioned not only to call America to a stronger commitment to this holy union but to provide practical ministries and influence for reversing the course of our culture."

The 650-word declaration appears to endorse so-called "community marriage policies" established in dozens of cities during the 1990s to set standards for marriage preparation, weddings and follow-up programs. For years earlier, U.S. Catholic dioceses imposed lengthy waiting periods for church weddings and required engaged couples to attend marriage preparation sessions.

Without citing figures, the declaration said that in cities where churches "join in common commitment to restore a priority on marriage, divorces are reduced and communities are positively influenced." The declaration's final plea specifically urged local congregations "to join in developing policies and programs with concrete goals to reduce the divorce rate and increase the marriage rate."

Besides committing churches to spiritual support for strong marriages and providing more help for couples in marital difficulty, churches were urged to encourage and educate people about the institution of marriage. "Couples, churches and the whole of society have a stake in the well-being of marriages," the statement said.

Edgar, who was in Atlanta for NCC meetings when the statement was released, has talked frequently about cooperating with the NAE and the Catholic bishops on issues of common interest such as an antipoverty campaign. In this ease, however, it was Mannoia, a bishop in the Free Methodist Church of North America, who took the initiative. Assuming leadership of the evangelical-Pentecostal umbrella organization in July 1999, Mannoia moved its headquarters to Azusa, California, partly in an effort to relate to growing numbers of Latino Protestant churches.

Stating a belief that marriage "is a holy union of one man and one woman"--with no references to controversial same-gender unions or rites--the declaration asserted that a healthy Christian community and a healthy marriage are exemplified in "loving one another (John 13:34), forgiving one another (Eph. 4:32), confessing to one another (James 5:16) and submitting to one another (Eph. 5:21)."

A future "summit of church leaders" is planned to "mobilize local church participation," according to the NAE Web site.