[peyton randolph]

However, the civil divorce court refused to allow a third party arbitrator, the ecclesiastic authority of the Catholic Church, to determine separation procedures, financial settlements and custody of the children, despite legal precedents set in cases of Jewish or Islamic marriages.

Marriage as an institution went to hell in a handbasket when government licenses became a replacement for ceremonial marriages.

[durasell]

Marriage as an institution went to hell in a handbasket when government licenses became a replacement for ceremonial marriages.




When did that happen?

[oldbrowser]

Marriage as an institution went to hell in a handbasket when government licenses became a replacement for ceremonial marriages.

It seems that the government licenses were just a tax and record keeping function and that the contractual understanding was the religious vows.

The courts can settle contractual disputes, if they are within their purview.

I wonder, does the first amendment imply that marriage vows are outside the purview of government ?