A160 Revise Catechism in the Book of Common Prayer
Resolved, the House of Deputies concurring,
That the section “Other Sacramental Rites” in “An Outline of the Faith commonly called the Catechism” in The Book of Common Prayer (page 861) be amended to read as follows:
Q. What is Holy Matrimony?
A. Holy Matrimony is Christian marriage, in which two people the woman and the man enter into a life-long union, make their vows before God and the Church, and receive the grace and blessing of God to help them fulfill their vows.
Q. What is required of those to be married?
A. It is required of those to be married that at least one member of the couple be baptized and that they have been instructed that Christian marriage is an unconditional, mutual, exclusive, faithful and lifelong commitment intended for the couple’s mutual joy, for the help and comfort given to each other in prosperity and adversity, and, when it is God’s will, for the gift and heritage of children and their nurture in the knowledge and love of God.
Explanation
This proposal is included in the Blue Book report of the Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music (pp. 40-41), as part of its proposal to add a gender-neutral marriage liturgy to the Book of Common Prayer. The proposed marriage rites will be considered in a separate resolution.