Can priests/priestesses conduct legal marriages?

[sailor]

Neat-o! I hadn't even thought of adding officiating funerals, births, or chaplaincy to the list of functions a person might perform in addition to conducting marriage ceremonies, Sunflower. Makes sense though.

Lets see.

Add visiting the sick. Teaching religious ed. Advocating for political change. Getting killed. Getting drunk. Acting as judge.

Lots of things that clergy do as clergy.

[Dezdura]

Do pagan priests/priestesses have the legal authority to marry people?

The question just popped into my head. I'm sure the answer depends on what tradition you're looking at...

People are Legally married when they go to a courthouse, and file for a marriage license. Churches and Religious marriage is whatever you want, or not at all. It is totally unnecessary to have a religious marriage. The people involved usually want a religious ceremony, because marriage is a major life-passage, but really, all the bells and whistles are not needed.

[stephyjh]

People are Legally married when they go to a courthouse, and file for a marriage license. Churches and Religious marriage is whatever you want, or not at all. It is totally unnecessary to have a religious marriage. The people involved usually want a religious ceremony, because marriage is a major life-passage, but really, all the bells and whistles are not needed.

Not in all areas. In my state, the signature of an officiant, whether religious or civil, is legally required.

[Rhyshadow]

Not in all areas. In my state, the signature of an officiant, whether religious or civil, is legally required.

Same in Minnesota - the minister has to sign the document in order for it to be complete - I know - I was told the requirement when I got my license and I've signed a few

[sailor]

People are Legally married when they go to a courthouse, and file for a marriage license. Churches and Religious marriage is whatever you want, or not at all. It is totally unnecessary to have a religious marriage. The people involved usually want a religious ceremony, because marriage is a major life-passage, but really, all the bells and whistles are not needed.

Can you provide a citation for this claim? I've looked at marriage laws for a lot of the states and none of them work that way.

If your assertion was the case, there would be no legally binding marriages performed by clergy.

[Dezdura]

Can you provide a citation for this claim? I've looked at marriage laws for a lot of the states and none of them work that way.

If your assertion was the case, there would be no legally binding marriages performed by clergy.

http://usmarriagelaws.com/

The overall rules are that you need vaccinations, a blood test, you cannot be close relatives, it needs to be consensual, you need to have a waiting period, you need to prove that any other marriages have been absolved, you need to be of a certain age, you need two witnesses, and there is a choice between seeing the county clerk or having a religious ceremony.

Clergy and ceremony are just a little fraction of getting "legally" married, and it is not necessary-- it is an option. In a few states, you just need to live "as husband and wife" for a certain period of years to be considered the common law spouse.

Thus, what I said about not needing a religious ceremony is factual.

[stephyjh]

http://usmarriagelaws.com/

The overall rules are that you need vaccinations, a blood test, you cannot be close relatives, it needs to be consensual, you need to have a waiting period, you need to prove that any other marriages have been absolved, you need to be of a certain age, you need two witnesses, and there is a choice between seeing the county clerk or having a religious ceremony.

Clergy and ceremony are just a little fraction of getting "legally" married, and it is not necessary-- it is an option. In a few states, you just need to live "as husband and wife" for a certain period of years to be considered the common law spouse.

Thus, what I said about not needing a religious ceremony is factual.

Kinda-sorta, if you turn it sideways and squint. What you said was that people are legally married when they go to the courthouse and file for a marriage license, which is blatantly incorrect. In states that do not allow common-law marriage, which by your own admission constitute the majority, the signature of the officiant, whether a magistrate/justice of the peace (county clerk is usually not sufficient, at least in the states where I have lived) or clergy, is required.

Edited for an omitted word

[stephyjh]

http://usmarriagelaws.com/

The overall rules are that you need vaccinations, a blood test, you cannot be close relatives, it needs to be consensual, you need to have a waiting period, you need to prove that any other marriages have been absolved, you need to be of a certain age, you need two witnesses, and there is a choice between seeing the county clerk or having a religious ceremony.

Clergy and ceremony are just a little fraction of getting "legally" married, and it is not necessary-- it is an option. In a few states, you just need to live "as husband and wife" for a certain period of years to be considered the common law spouse.

Thus, what I said about not needing a religious ceremony is factual.

Also, my state has no blood test or waiting period.

[Owl]

http://usmarriagelaws.com/

The overall rules are that you need vaccinations, a blood test, you cannot be close relatives, it needs to be consensual, you need to have a waiting period, you need to prove that any other marriages have been absolved, you need to be of a certain age, you need two witnesses, and there is a choice between seeing the county clerk or having a religious ceremony.

Clergy and ceremony are just a little fraction of getting "legally" married, and it is not necessary-- it is an option. In a few states, you just need to live "as husband and wife" for a certain period of years to be considered the common law spouse.

Thus, what I said about not needing a religious ceremony is factual.

The state of Washington does not require, proof that other marriages are dissolved (proper term for it having been through a divorce), or a blood test, or vaccinations, the waiting period is 3 days, they don't check on the close relatives (unless it is done over the 3 days and I doubt it - lack of funding), yes you need to be legal adults unless you have parental permission, and AN OFFICIANT HAS TO SIGN and file the certificate to make it legal.

So 2 adults walk in to the county clerk, pay the minimal charge, show ID, sign, and get the certificate, go to the officiant 3 days or more later, and the officiant signs and files the certificate. All done. This is as of last June. Just sayin'.

[yewberry]

The state of Washington does not require, proof that other marriages are dissolved (proper term for it having been through a divorce), or a blood test, or vaccinations, the waiting period is 3 days, they don't check on the close relatives (unless it is done over the 3 days and I doubt it - lack of funding), yes you need to be legal adults unless you have parental permission, and AN OFFICIANT HAS TO SIGN and file the certificate to make it legal.

I'm not sure blood tests are required anywhere in the U.S., though I could be wrong.

Brina