By the end of this lesson you will… Know what happens during a wedding Consider the question ‘What is the point of Marriage?’ Understand the symbols used and their importance

What is marriage? Marriage is a public declaration by two people that they intend to spend the rest of their lives together. It is a social occasion in that society is witness to what is happening. Marriage is a legally binding contract. Marriage is the beginning of a new family unit – the couple, any children they might have, their extended families, etc.

Christians and marriage Christians believe that marriage should be for life and is something that was planned by God from the beginning of the world. For a marriage to work it must be taken seriously, and Christians believe that couples should attend a course first to think through the promises they are going to make and the commitments they will take on. The Roman Catholic, Anglican and Orthodox Churches say that marriage is a sacrament. This means that it is an outward visible sign of an inner blessing from God. A stable monogamous (one man/one woman) relationship is seen as the best place for children to be born and brought up.

Christian marriage Different Christian traditions have different marriage ceremonies, but the meaning behind them is the same. Information about different ceremonies can be found at http://www.weddingguide.co.uk/articles/ceremonies/; http://www.catholic-pages.com/dir/marriage.asp.

The service Hymns Priest explains the meaning Declaration Vows Giving of rings Priest declares couple married Prayers Sermon More hymns and prayers Signing register

The marriage vows During the service the couple make certain promises. “I, (name), take you, (name) to be my husband/wife, to have and to hold from this day forward; for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, ‘till death us do part.” Task: Copy out the vows What is the idea behind exchanging these vows? Remember the key words of commitment and responsibility Are there any vows which you do not agree with? Explain why. “Taking vows is a waste of time, they are only words.” Do you agree? Show that you have considered more than one point of view in your answer.

Produce a booklet on a typical Christian Wedding, it must include: Christian Marriage Produce a booklet on a typical Christian Wedding, it must include: Front cover Explaining what need to be considered before marriage - i.e. Responsibility and Commitment Describe and explain what happens at a wedding, make sure you explain the importance of the events and what they symbolize - rings, vows etc. You can include illustrations. Use the information in your exercise books and you can use the text book pages