Marriage and Matrimony

Recent and ongoing activities within various traditional denominations within the United States and elsewhere, but particularly here in the US, have continued to seek ways to legitimatize the issue of homosexuality and attendant same sex unions that they are want to term as marriage.

However, as you can see from the rather abbreviated synopsis below, the subject is quite widely addressed within traditional Christian bodies that use the Holy Scriptures as the standard; the formula is still the joining of one man to one woman.

Now comes the part where you can read as much or as little of the following as you like.

At the end, I will provide my summary and what I view as a fairly simple way to deal with the issue.

Definitions found in the Online Dictionary.

Marriage–noun:
1. the social institution under which a man and woman establish their decision to live as husband and wife by legal commitments, religious ceremonies, etc.
2. the state, condition, or relationship of being married; wedlock: a happy marriage.
3. the legal or religious ceremony that formalizes the decision of a man and woman to live as husband and wife, including the accompanying social festivities: to officiate at a marriage.
4. a relationship in which two people have pledged themselves to each other in the manner of a husband and wife, without legal sanction: trial marriage; homosexual marriage.

Matrimony–noun:
1. the state of being married; marriage.
2. the rite, ceremony, or sacrament of marriage.

Christian views of marriage

Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Christian view of marriage, until recently, according to a nearly universal consensus, has regarded marriage as ordained by God for the lifelong union of one man and one woman. But, since the rise of the sexual revolution, such views have lost ground among those who fancy themselves Christians. Marriage between two persons of the same gender, or divorce through mutual consent are both new views thought to be normal and acceptable. These views, though now popular in the modern day, conflict with and are contradicting to orthodox beliefs.

1. View of Roman Catholic Christians
In Roman Catholicism, marriage is one of the seven sacraments. According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, Second Edition, Paragraph 1623, "the spouses as ministers of Christ's grace mutually confer upon each other the sacrament of Matrimony by expressing their consent before the Church." An argument for the institution of the sacrament of Matrimony by Christ himself, and its occasion, is advanced by Bernard Orchard in his article The Betrothal and Marriage of Mary to Joseph. In the Eastern Catholic Churches (i.e. non-Latin rite churches in full communion with Rome), "the priests (bishops or presbyters) are witnesses to the mutual consent given by the spouses, but for the validity of the sacrament their blessing is also necessary."

Marriage forms the foundation of the family, and the fundamental unit of the referring community (ordinarily the parish). The ideal references are found in the Holy Family (Mary, the mother of Jesus, and Saint Joseph, his father, protector). See related articles of Canon law: (Latin).

The primary purpose of marriage is to fulfill a vocation in the nature of man and woman, for the procreation and education of children, and to stand as a symbol of the mystical union between Christ and his Church. The secondary aim is mutual reciprocal help, and it is also a "remedy to concupiscence." Fecundity, the ability to reproduce, is good, a gift, and an end of marriage. By giving life, spouses participate in God's fatherhood. Carnal union is morally legitimate only when a definitive community of life between a man and woman has been established. Human love does not tolerate "trial marriages." It demands a total and definitive gift of persons to one another.
If the couple cohabit, the marriage is presumed consummatum, unless a proof of the contrary is produced.

2. View of Orthodox Christians
In Eastern Orthodoxy, marriage is also treated as a sacrament, and as an ordination, and (like all ordinations) like a martyrdom, as each spouse learns to die to himself or herself for the sake of the other. Like all ordinations, it is viewed as revealing and sealing the relationship that has formed between the couple. In addition, marriage is an icon or image of the relationship between Jesus and the Church. This is somewhat akin to the Old Testament prophets' use of marriage as an analogy to describe the relationship between God and Israel. Divorce is discouraged, but allowed, in some cases to acknowledge that the relationship no longer exists. A lay member may obtain permission to remarry under the counsel of a priest, but the ceremony and prayers would be different, less joyful and more sober and somber.

A married man may be ordained as a priest or deacon. However, a priest or deacon is not permitted to enter into matrimony after ordination, whether he has become divorced or widowed, or even if he had not been married at the time of ordination. Bishops are always celibate.

Overall, there is a far less legislative approach regarding married life than in Roman Catholicism.

3. View of Protestant Christians
Protestant denominations tend to have their own individually applicable doctrines, which represent only the churches in communion with one another. However, some beliefs are typical of almost all Protestants. And, there are intra-denominational and cross-denominational movements, within which the beliefs and practices of adherents are more narrowly defined.

Protestants typically acknowledge a difference between the sacraments of Baptism and Communion, and all other ordinances of God by which the favor of God is shown to men. Almost all Protestant denominations hold marriage to be ordained by God for the union between a man and a woman. Most of them also hold that the primary purpose of this union is to glorify God by demonstrating his love to the world; other purposes of marriage include the raising of children and bringing help to enable both husband and wife to fulfill their life callings. Most Protestants are less likely to hold a negative view of birth control and many see sexual pleasure within marriage as a gift of God.

4. Evangelical Protestant view
In addition to the limitations on who may marry (discussed above), evangelicals take a strict view of the nature of marriage. For evangelicals, marriage is the only appropriate channel for sexual expression and divorce is permissible, if at all, only in very specific circumstances such as infidelity. Marriage is seen as a solemn covenant between the couple and God. The man is seen as the head of the household and his wife is expected to submit to him.

5. Liberal Christian view
Liberal Christians, almost by definition, give a great deal of consideration to cultural norms. In the Western world, pre-marital sex, same-sex marriage (and to some extent homosexuality in general) and divorce are increasingly common and so liberal Christians have become increasingly tolerant of these practices. While liberals view divorce as regrettable, they generally do not label divorcees as "sinners." Likewise, pre-marital sex may be considered to be unwise, but since it is sufficiently widespread, it is sometimes considered to be tolerable. Ever since the rise of feminism, liberals also generally reject claims of males as the head of the family and tend to see the husband and wife as a partnership of equals.

Summary:
By simple definition, Marriage is the joining of a man and a woman together as partners under the law, to share their lives, to acquire mutually held property, and to parent children. Matrimony is the added additional feature of marriage that is provided by the Church which has the feature of a sacramental grace whereby Almighty God binds together this man and woman as one person who are to abandon all others in favor of their own relationship under God who then raise up their children in the way of faith in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.

The liberal groups would want to do some word games here so that they could bypass the meaning of words by letting homosexual couples be legally married and then submit themselves to the Church for a Sacramental Blessing. I am blowing their cover. God cannot bless sinful behavior no matter how glib human beings think themselves to be.

Now I have done it. I have labeled homosexuality as a sin. Okay! The part that you have not heard is that just like any other sin, God can forgive and set people free from any kind of sin. Some sins are more difficult to heal than others; never the less, homosexuality and sexual sin of all kinds can be and has been healed by the loving power of God the Holy Spirit. Want to know more, check out the newly published book by Father Francis MacNutt entitled Can Homosexuality be Healed? Available by phone at (904) 765-3332 Ext. 219 or Online at http://www.christianhealingmin.org/

The Celtic Episcopal Church is clear about Marriage, but in a thumb nail—one man to one woman. See our web site: http://www.celticepiscopalchurch.com/

Regarding the subject of same sex unions and homosexuality, we see all people as loved equally by God who did what He did by His Incarnation, Passion, Resurrection, and Ascension for all who would respond to his love. Is there any sin beyond God’s desire for forgiveness? Only that sin for which there is no repentance. Is there anyone who was free of sin and the guilt of sin prior to conversion to Jesus Christ. No! Is there any sinner who is beyond God's plan for the salvation of humankind? Only that person who refuses to release themselves into a transforming and renewing relationship with Jesus Christ. If we are sincere about our desire to change, God will forgive and continually work with us to heal the reason for our sin and make us whole regardless of what it may be. If we become stubborn and seek to justify our sinful behavior, well so much for forgiveness; however, if we are honest with God, He will do all in His power to set us free, but we must want to be set free. The ball is in our court. The free gift of salvation is offered. Our job is to respond to it. We cannot keep on trying to justify our sinful behavior and think that we are going to convince God to modify His standards for human sexual behavior. Want to be free of the sin of Homosexuality? Get in touch with Father MacNutt's ministry. He will know what to do to help you. Read his book. Be encouraged! It is a tough battle, and it not an easy overnight resolution for something that seems to have been a part of one's life for as long as one can remember. But, Almighty God is greater than any of our circumstances. God cares about all of us.

I pray this article has given hope, understanding, and light in an otherwise confusing area being used by the enemy of our souls to destroy the Holy Church of Jesus Christ. May Almighty God bless you and give you His peace.

Meaning of the word "Celtic"

During a conversation with my son, Troy, who is stationed in Japan with the U.S. Marine Corps, when he casually asked the question, "What does the word Celtic mean?" I knew in my heart what I understood it to mean, but I really never gave it a thought as to what others might understand it to mean, so I came up with the following.

The online Dictionary.com defines the word as a noun in terms as: "a branch of the Indo-European family of languages, including esp. Irish, Scots Gaelic, Welsh, and Breton, which survive now in Ireland, the Scottish Highlands, Wales, and Brittany," or as an adjective in terms as "or relating to the Celtic people and languages."

Okay! Thus, it is safe to say that culturally, a person who speaks some form of the Celtic language regardless of where that person may reside or when that person may reside could be technically regarded as a Celt.

Since we are dealing specifically with The Celtic Episcopal Church, and we are dealing with the Church as it was during the First Millennium in the British Isles, it could be safe to say that when the first Christian Missionaries arrived on the islands, we would subscribe to the idea that Joseph of Arimathea was the first of these who was the Apostle to Glastonbury, they encountered people called Druids and Bards. We would also subscribe to the notion that some of these Druids and Bards were generally like Hebrew Priests and others like secular pagan priests not unlike wiccan followers of today.

I will only speak to the Hebrew like group as I know little if anything of the other group. The Druids and Bards who were like Hebrews were very well educated, were educators of religion, medicine, astronomy, agriculture, seasons, husbandry, and were also practicioners of religion, science, and the practical application of agriculture and animal husbandry. They were the leaders of the culture of the land. They knew of the man Jesus or Yeshua in the Hebrew, as it is told that the boy Jesus traveled with his Uncle Joseph of Arimathea to the British Isles, principally the region of what we now know as England, to trade in tin. When Joseph, now Missionary, told of Jesus as the Messiah, the Druids who were like the Hebrews embraced Him as Messiah easily, thus was the birth of Christianity in the Celtic world during the First Millennium. The Gospel of John, The 10 Commandments and the Psalms were treasured most of all.

The whole structure of the Celtic community was family, life to its fullest, music, worship, food, alcoholic and other kinds of drink, dancing, frolic, nature, animals, crops, ocean, air, sky, heavens, death, birth, laughter, conversation, honesty, sharing, care of the weak, friendship, honor, and the beauty, gusto, and earthiness of marital sex.

The flavor of Christianity offered in this time period was Orthodoxy that came from monastic influence that came from the Egyption desert fathers. Alot of "came froms," but you get the idea.

The record from this early period is not extant as it was predominately of the Oral Tradition because the Druids and Bards mistrusted anything written. It was only much later that these stories and what was to be labeled legend and myth were penned as poetry and prose. Never the less, survive they did.

That sort of gives us something of a historical backbone to overlay the Church that we enjoy today, so let us see what it might look like to be called a Celtic Christian in the USA in the 21st Century.

1. To Love the Lord and Each other.
2. To Love the Creation of God and care for it.
3. To be Orthodox in Theology.
4. To worship in a Western Orthodox liturgical manner.
5. To understand the Holy Scriptures in a pure 1st Millennial way using the early Eccumenical Councils as a guide.
6. Look to the Pre-Nicean Fathers as proper commentators of scripture.
7. Love family, love children, love life, have fun, enjoy that which God has given.
8. Avoid sin in all of its forms. If you should happen to sin, keep short accounts, repent, confess, receive forgiveness, and keep on living life.
9. Focus on victory, healing, wholeness, deliverance, freedom, peace, tranquility, and the eternal reward of paradise.

One does not have to speak gaelic to be Celtic. One does not have to be born in or be decendent from the British Isles to be Celtic. To be Celtic is to be a person who desires to embrace the outline above as the real stuff of their life. Be real, transparent, and honest. Allow God to be God. Relax and let God do what He likes to do in us. Be Celtic! Be Christian! Be governed by Bishops! You will then be perfect for the Celtic Episcopal Church.

Hope this helps.

Meaning in a Name

I had a very sincere and thoughtful contact from a pleasant lady who surmised that The Celtic Episcopal Church was part of the Anglican Communion. That has prompted me to clear up this item.


The word "Episcopal" in our name indicates that we are Governed by Bishops in Apostolic Succession.


We are not a member church within the Episcopal Church in America nor are we a member church within the greater Anglican Communion.


We are a Western Orthodox jurisdiction which is liturgically and sacramentially catholic and theologically Orthodox.

Introduction

The Celtic Episcopal Church is rooted in the faith and practice of the Celtic Churches of the first thousand years of the Church History. We look to the early Ecumenical Councils of the Church for guidance and direction on matters of faith and church discipline. We also try to incorporate into our lives the unique aspects of the Celtic expression of the Christian faith that developed over the centuries.

The Saints of the Celtic Church had at the center of their lives simplicity, authenticity, and holiness. The Fact that the Celtic Church never had much to do with powerful institutions, was one of its strengths, it formed its witness and life among the insignificant and poor. This simple lifestyle meant that the Celtic Church had no difficulty in communicating with the poor. The Celtic approach to evangelizing was more gentle and humble, and altogether more sensitive to the people they were trying to reach with the Gospel. In Magnus Magnusson's book, "Lindisfarne, the Cradle Island" he describes the cultural differences between the Celtic and Roman Church this way "Celtic monks lived in conspicuous poverty; Roman monks lived well. Celtic monks were unworldly, Roman monks were worldly. Celtic bishops practiced humility; Roman bishops paraded pomp. Celtic bishops were ministers of their flocks; Roman bishops were monarchs of their dioceses. Celtic clergymen said, "Do as I do," and hoped to be followed; Roman clergyman said, "Do as I say," and expected to be obeyed." (Oriel Press, 1984,p. 58).
The Celtic commitment to a life of holiness expressed in poverty and simplicity profoundly challenges the consumerism mentality of our day. It also challenges the church's use of power and wealth at every level. In the early witness of the Celtic Church in Britain, there were two expressions of Christian faith: one that was uncritically linked with the values of a collapsing empire, and the other that took Jesus' teaching in the Sermon on the Mount at face value and dared to live it.

The Celtic Church loved the Bible. In his book "The Celtic Church in Britian" Leslie Hardinge writes, "By far the most influential book in the development of the Celtic Church was the Bible. It molded their theology and guided the worship of the early Christians. It suggested rules of conduct and transformed the ancient laws of Irish and Welsh pagans into Christian statutes. It lay at the foundation of the education of children and youth, and sparked the genius of poets and song writers. It provided inspiration for the scribes of history and hagiography (study of the lives of the saints and the manner of their worship) and affected the language of the common people, becoming the dynamic for the production of the most beautiful hand-written books ever made." (SPCK, 1972,p.29) Quotations from the Bible are to be found everywhere in Celtic Christian writing. Those who consider Celtic Christianity to be New Age need to take another look at this strong commitment to Holy Scripture. The Celtic Church put its roots deep into the word of God, and was very wary of espousing pagan customs that conflicted with biblical values and truth.

While the Celtic Churches were more theologically orthodox and accepted as such by the universal church a number of differences are immediately apparent when one looks at the history of these churches. The differences can be seen in the Celt's view of humanity, their spirituality, the works of art they made, and how they related to creation. Celtic Christian communities were modeled after the society that preceded the Christian faith. The Pre-Christian society was tribal; family oriented, and consisted of small communities. The natural result of these societal patterns was a Monastic centered expression of their faith.
The Celtic Episcopal Church tries to be a true expression of ancient Celtic Christianity in the modern era. If you are interested in this part of the church, avail yourself of the information within our site. This life affirming and life altering Celtic way is a path we can tread upon even in our modern age. Please let us know if we can assist you in any way.

NOTE:(1) We are not part of the Family of "Continuing Anglican Churches". Thus, we do not make use of the 39 Articles of Religion.(2)We do not use the Book of Common Prayer.(3)The term "Episcopal" in our name means governed by Bishops in Apostolic Succession.