“Now, since the family and human society at large spring from marriage, these men will on no account allow matrimony to be the subject of the jurisdiction of the Church. Nay, they endeavor to deprive it of all holiness, and so bring it within the contracted sphere of those rights which, having been instituted by man, are ruled and administered by the civil jurisprudence of the community. Wherefore it necessarily follows that they attribute all power over marriage to civil rulers, and allow none whatever to the Church; and, when the Church exercises any such power, they think that she acts either by favor of the civil authority or to its injury. Now is the time, they say, for the heads of the State to vindicate their rights unflinchingly, and to do their best to settle all that relates to marriage according as to them seems good.”
—Pope Leo XIII, 1880
He saw it coming 133 years ago. First civil marriage with no element of faith, then civil divorce and remarriage, then easy civil divorce and remarriage. Now ‘gay marriage.’ It makes you wonder what the state will consider marriage in another 130 years.
Freegards
I hear you. A few months ago, our LCMS pastor asked everyone in the congregation to stand up if we supported traditional marriage. There was not one person sitting in the pews.