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Statement affirms God’s teaching that marriage is a gift meant for one man, one woman
ST. LOUIS, June 6, 2013—Seeking to provide clarity and express mutual agreement on what Scripture teaches about marriage and sexuality, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod released “An Affirmation of Marriage” May 24 that also is signed by leaders of the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA), Lutheran Church—Canada (LCC) and the North American Lutheran Church (NALC).
The statement, which describes marriage as a “precious gift of God” and as “the life-long union of one man and one woman,” is being released in advance of a U.S. Supreme Court ruling expected this month on same-sex marriage. The ruling could strike down a federal law – known as the Defense of Marriage Act – which upholds the traditional definition of marriage.
“An Affirmation of Marriage” reads, in part: “The Sacred Scriptures teach that in the beginning the blessed Trinity instituted marriage to be the life-long union of one man and one woman (Gen. 2:24; Matt. 19:4-6), to be held in honor by all and kept pure (Heb. 13:4; 1 Thess. 4:2-5). God’s Word assures us that each time one man and one woman join themselves together in the union of the marriage commitment and relationship, God himself has joined them as one.”
The statement affirms that marriage lived out according to God’s purpose is the optimal setting for raising children, who are a gift from God, and verifies God’s intention that individuals who are distinctly different (husbands and wives) live in community and love each other sacrificially.
Also, the statement says that while God gave marriage to humanity for its good, marriage “can be and is marred by sin.”
To read the full statement, visit https://reporter.lcms.org/2013/an-affirmation-of-marriage.
To access free educational resources for discussing the topic of marriage, visit https://reporter.lcms.org/2013/marriage-toolkit.
The statement is the result of ongoing study and discussion between the LCMS, ACNA, LCC and the NALC. It was released after an ecumenical summit on “Biblical Teaching on Marriage and Sexuality,” May 3-5 in Dallas, which included leaders from each of the church bodies.
About The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) is a biblical, confessional, witness-oriented Christian denomination with 2.3 million members in 6,200 congregations. Through acts of witness and mercy, the church strives to make known the love of Jesus Christ around the world. Learn more at www.lcms.org.
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