timfost
Puritan Board Senior
Hi all,
What is necessary to make a marriage legitimate? Witnesses, ceremony, covenant, the state... a tent?
If two people have lived together for years, consider themselves married and are regarded as married by their family and community, yet have never actually had any ceremony, taken any vows before witnesses, etc., should they be considered married? What role does the state take in modern culture that it wouldn't have necessarily taken in history, if any? For example, I don't think Jacob got a marriage license from the state-- there was simply an agreement with Laban and then a trip to the tent.
Any thoughts and resources would be helpful.
Thanks!
What is necessary to make a marriage legitimate? Witnesses, ceremony, covenant, the state... a tent?
If two people have lived together for years, consider themselves married and are regarded as married by their family and community, yet have never actually had any ceremony, taken any vows before witnesses, etc., should they be considered married? What role does the state take in modern culture that it wouldn't have necessarily taken in history, if any? For example, I don't think Jacob got a marriage license from the state-- there was simply an agreement with Laban and then a trip to the tent.
Any thoughts and resources would be helpful.
Thanks!