I appreciated very much Thomas Wilson's article … which suggested that it is high time that clergy in the United States cease and desist from having any role in civil marriage contracts. As a Presbyterian pastor for 34 years, I have always felt a bit uncomfortable signing the marriage license as an agent of the civil authority when my role as a pastor is clearly to witness to the exchange of covenant vows and convey God's blessing and the blessing of the church.
Mr. Wilson cites that in all other countries in the world (except for the United States and Great Britain), a couple must go first to the civil authority for a marriage license to be lawfully married, and then if they wish to exchange covenant vows in a religious ceremony, this is presided over by a member of the clergy. Therefore, members of the clergy have no part in the civil contract of marriage.
This removes the "conflict of interest" where many of us who are clergy feel used by the civil authority in a way that has nothing to do with our calling as ministers. Therefore I strongly affirm Mr. Wilson's admonition for the civil authority to "get out of the church wedding business" (using clergy as their agents), and properly manage civil marriage contracts without any involvement of ministers or other religious officials representing the church.
At the same time, this would free clergy to carry out their proper role with couples who wish to exchange covenant vows in a religious ceremony (that) celebrates the blessing of marriage under God's blessing.
This change is long overdue in the United States, and is not (and should not be) a point of contention in the PC(USA). (Note: This has nothing to do with the debate over traditional and non-traditional marriage as Stephen Brown suggests in the June 2009 edition of "The Layman.")
Dick Lindsey, pastor Southminster Church Richmond, Va.
