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Most Christian authorities and bodies view marriage (also called Holy Matrimony) as a state instituted and ordained by God for the lifelong relationship between one man as husband and one woman as wife. They consider it the most intimate of human relationships, a gift from God, and a sacred institution.〔(A Biblical Perspective on Marriage ) Accessed 16 Mar 2013〕 Protestants consider it to be sacred, holy, and even central to the community of faith,〔Henderson, Charles P. "Is Marriage a Sacrament?" God's Web. ()〕 while Catholics〔"Sacrament of Marriage". ''Catholic Encyclopedia''. ()〕 and Eastern Orthodox Christians〔(Fitzgerald, Thomas. "The Sacraments" )〕 consider it a Sacrament. Biblically, it is to be "held in honour among all…." Jesus Christ maintained the importance and sacredness of lifelong marriage in his own teachings. He quoted from both Genesis 1 and 2, stating in that God had created humanity as male and female, and that in marriage the two will become one flesh'. So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, let no one separate". Civil laws recognize marriage as having social and political statuses. Christian theology affirms the secular status of marriage, but additionally views it from a moral and religious perspective that transcends all social interests. While marriage is honored and affirmed among Christians and throughout the Bible, there is no suggestion that it is necessary for everyone. Single people who either have chosen to remain unmarried or who have lost their spouse for some reason are neither incomplete in Christ nor personal failures. The New Testament teaches that sex is reserved for marriage.〔 It calls sex with the wife of another, or sex with someone else other than the husband, the sin of adultery. (See also fornication.) ==Background== Christians seek to uphold the seriousness of wedding vows. Yet, they respond with compassion to deep hurts by recognizing that divorce, though less than the ideal, is sometimes necessary to relieve one partner of intolerable hardship, unfaithfulness or desertion.〔 While the voice of God had said, "I hate divorce", some authorities believe the divorce rate in the church is nearly comparable to that of the culture at large.〔Amy Desai, J.D. "(How Should a Christian View Marriage and Divorce? )" Accessed 16 Mar 2013〕 There is considerable disagreement among Christians as to the biblical way to define the ''roles'' of each marriage partner, and how each should interact in the family to create healthy family relationships and to please God. Roles in Christian marriages between opposite-sex couples challenge deep-rooted beliefs, teachings, and traditions—most dating from biblical days. Opinions and teachings vary among three principal groups—one group that believes in a full and co-equal partnership of the husband and wife, and two others which advocate a male-dominant hierarchical structure in marriage: *Christian egalitarianism proposes a completely ''equal partnership'' between men and women in both the family and in the church. Its proponents teach "the fundamental biblical principle of the equality of all human beings before God". According to this principle, there can be no moral or theological justification for permanently granting or denying status, privilege, or prerogative solely on the basis of a person's race, class, or gender.〔Groothuis, Rebecca M. "Sexuality, Spirituality and Feminist Religion". () Accessed 8 Mar 2013〕 *Complementarianism prescribes a husband-headship male-dominant hierarchy. This view's core beliefs call for a "husband’s loving, humble headship" and "the wife’s intelligent, willing submission" to his headship. Without necessarily using the term "obey", they believe women have "different but complementary roles and responsibilities in marriage..."〔Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood (CBMW). Core Beliefs. () Accessed 5 March 2013〕 *Biblical patriarchy prescribes a strict male-dominant hierarchy. Their organization's first tenet is that "God reveals Himself as masculine, not feminine. God is the eternal Father and the eternal Son, the Holy Spirit is also addressed as 'He,' and Jesus Christ is a male." They consider the husband-father to be "sovereign" over "his" household—the family leader, provider, and protector. They call for a wife to be ''obedient'' to her "head" (husband).〔("The Tenets of Biblical Patriarchy". Visual Forum Ministries )〕 Some Christian authorities used to permit polygamy (specifically polygyny) in the past, but this practice, besides being illegal in Western cultures, is now considered to be out of the Christian mainstream and continues to be practised only by fringe fundamentalist sects. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Christian views on marriage」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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