Obviously not, but the State is trying to do just that.
-Who could marry? (In George Washington's time, Virginia) -Any free white over the age of 21 could marry provided they had obtained the lawful license or published banns.
Where were the Banns published? In the church!
-It was illegal for anyone under the age of 21 to marry without consent from a parent or legal guardian.
Well, the Yankees must have changed that. The age of consent had dropped to 16 for the male and 14 for the female by the turn of the century, at least in part of Virginia.
-It was illegal for servants still serving an indenture or apprentices to marry without their master or mistresses permission.
Yep, but that was a contractural obligation outside the purview of the Church. -It was illegal for any white to marry an enslaved or free black.
Right up to and including 1/8 or 1/16th negro, if I recall correctly. But that was an unlikely social occurrence as well at that time.
I would caution that the church is far older than the United States, or even its Colonial existence.
Most churches placed prohibitions on marrying outside the faith, as well. Which, of course, prevented any one living within the good graces of the church from marrying one not so affiliated--which left the heathen out.
To this day, Judaic and Christian church policy remains less permissive than the secular equivalent, and it will likely remain so.
It is the State which will let the camel's nose under the tent, so to speak, both with the Islamic and other religions and the homosexuals as well. Some sects will follow, but they are outside traditional Christian doctrine. Why else would the homosexuals (and Islam, and others) take every opportunity to viciously attack the church and Christians?
I just cannot figure out what you are trying to say, do you want churches defining marriage or common accepted laws from the state?