Question about marriage in the church (vanity)

none | 03/03/04 | self

[walden]

Is it possible for a man and a woman to get married in the Episcopal church as purely a religious sacrament, and not get legally married by the laws of the state? This is a serious question, not a joke, and the reasons aren't frivolous.

[PAR35]

I'll leave it to others to address the question of canon law (and you might try looking here http://canonlaw.anglican.org/ } but the question of the civil effect of such a ceremony would likely vary from state to state. (One issue - does the state in question recognize common law marriage?)

You probably need to consult both a priest and a lawyer.

[GovernmentShrinker]

I don't know the answer for this particular church, but I'm glad people are starting to ask these questions. If the Episcopal Church won't do it, think about switching to a church which will.