News

Should Pastors Stop Signing Civil Marriage Certificates?

First Things says yes. Survey finds 1 in 4 pastors agree.

Shutterstock

In response to same-sex marriage, hundreds signed a pledge endorsed by First Things to separate civil and Christian marriage. LifeWay Research found that 1 in 4 pastors (and 1 in 3 Americans) support such a move.

Here’s how theologians and other experts answered the question. Answers are arranged on a spectrum from “yes” answers at the top to “no” answers at the bottom.

"For a long time, Christianity has sewn its teachings into the fabric of Western culture. That was a good thing. But the season of sewing is ending. Now is a time for rending, not for the sake of disengaging from culture or retreating from the public square, but so that our salt does not lose its savor." ~R. R. Reno, editor, First Things

"The pledge is a small gesture, but gestures provoke and can galvanize. It’s a bit of political theater, but theater can shatter complacency. Political theatrics must be preceded and followed by principled and strategic discussion, but effective political theater raises the stakes and intensifies debate." ~Peter Leithart, senior fellow, New St. Andrews College

"Not yet. We cannot so easily divorce Christian and civil marriage, because everyone has a compelling interest in legal, natural matrimony. It is a common grace. Every important measure of social thriving is driven by the prevalence of natural marriage in a community." ~Glenn T. Stanton, director of family formation studies, Focus on the Family

"Not yet. For now, by registering gospel-qualified unions as civil marriages and not officiating at unions that are not gospel-qualified, we call the government to its responsibility even as we call attention to its limits." ~Russell Moore, president, Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission

"The people who would be punished are the ones who conform to the pastor’s vision of marriage, who now have to have a second ceremony with a civil figure. Every First Amendment scholar agrees that religious figures won’t be asked to sanction marriages they don’t believe in." ~Robin Fretwell Wilson, law professor, University of Illinois

Also in this issue

The CT archives are a rich treasure of biblical wisdom and insight from our past. Some things we would say differently today, and some stances we've changed. But overall, we're amazed at how relevant so much of this content is. We trust that you'll find it a helpful resource.

Cover Story

Why Your Millennial Outreach Needs a Bit of Bonhoeffer

Cover Story

Why Black Churches Are Keeping Millennials

Make New Friends, Keep Texting the Old

Editorial

Amnesty Is Not a Dirty Word

Three Views: After Domestic Violence, Why Should a Christian Wife Call the Police, Not a Pastor, First?

What Scripture and Jazz Have in Common

Prayers at the Museum of Modern Art

Meet the Mom Who Stopped Joseph Kony

Why Knowing About Jesus Is Not Enough

It's Time for the Church to Grow Up

Review

Tim Keller Found His Prayer Bearings, and So Can You

Review

Life after a Medical Death Sentence

My Top 5 Books for Mothers

News

Tending the 'Stolen' Sheep in Latin America's Booming Bible Belt

News

The Season of Adventists: Can Ben Carson's Church Stay Separatist amid Booming Growth?

Is Buying Your Way Onto the Bestseller List Wrong?

Testimony

How I Almost Lost the Bible

News

Signs of Belief: How a Small Dispute over Church Marketing Became Supremely Important

Answered Prayers

Reply All

News

Gleanings: January/February 2015

Why We Need a Beautiful Orthodoxy

New & Noteworthy Books

Joyful Vision

Excerpt

Can We Ever Trust Our Own Hearts?

Christianity Today's 2015 Book Awards

View issue

Our Latest

News

Ghana May Elect Its First Muslim President. Its Christian Majority Is Torn.

Church leaders weigh competency and faith background as the West African nation heads to the polls.

Shamanism in Indonesia

Can Christians practice ‘white knowledge’ to heal the sick and exorcize demons?

Shamanism in Japan

Christians in the country view pastors’ benedictions as powerful spiritual mantras.

Shamanism in Taiwan

In a land teeming with ghosts, is there room for the Holy Spirit to work?

Shamanism in Vietnam

Folk religion has shaped believers’ perceptions of God as a genie in a lamp.

Shamanism in the Philippines

Filipinos’ desire to connect with the supernatural shouldn’t be eradicated, but transformed and redirected toward Christ.

Shamanism in South Korea

Why Christians in the country hold onto trees while praying outdoors.

Shamanism in Thailand

When guardian spirits disrupt river baptisms, how can believers respond?

Apple PodcastsDown ArrowDown ArrowDown Arrowarrow_left_altLeft ArrowLeft ArrowRight ArrowRight ArrowRight Arrowarrow_up_altUp ArrowUp ArrowAvailable at Amazoncaret-downCloseCloseEmailEmailExpandExpandExternalExternalFacebookfacebook-squareGiftGiftGooglegoogleGoogle KeephamburgerInstagraminstagram-squareLinkLinklinkedin-squareListenListenListenChristianity TodayCT Creative Studio Logologo_orgMegaphoneMenuMenupausePinterestPlayPlayPocketPodcastRSSRSSSaveSaveSaveSearchSearchsearchSpotifyStitcherTelegramTable of ContentsTable of Contentstwitter-squareWhatsAppXYouTubeYouTube