25 November 2014 A.D. “The Marriage Pledge”—Anglican & Episcopal Ministers, Ephraim Radner and Christopher Seitz

25 November 2014 A.D.  “The Marriage Pledge”—Anglican & Episcopal Ministers,  Ephraim Radner and Christopher Seitz

Radner, Ephraim and Christopher Seitz.  “The Marriage Pledge.”  Pantheos.  N.d. http://www.firstthings.com/marriage-pledge.  Accessed 20 Nov 2014.

 

In many jurisdictions, including many of the United States, civil authorities have adopted a definition of marriage that explicitly rejects the age-old requirement of male-female pairing. In a few short years or even months, it is very likely that this new definition will become the law of the land, and in all jurisdictions the rights, privileges, and duties of marriage will be granted to men in partnership with men, and women with women.

 

As Christian ministers we must bear clear witness. This is a perilous time. Divorce and co-­habitation have weakened marriage. We have been too complacent in our responses to these trends. Now marriage is being fundamentally redefined, and we are ­being tested yet again. If we fail to take clear action, we risk falsifying God’s Word.

The new definition of marriage no longer coincides with the Christian understanding of marriage between a man and woman. Our biblical faith is committed to upholding, celebrating, and furthering this understanding, which is stated many times within the Scriptures and has been repeatedly restated in our wedding ceremonies, church laws, and doctrinal standards for centuries. To continue with church practices that intertwine government marriage with Christian marriage will implicate the Church in a false definition of marriage.

Therefore, in our roles as Christian ministers, we, the undersigned, commit ourselves to disengaging civil and Christian marriage in the performance of our pastoral duties. We will no longer serve as agents of the state in marriage. We will no longer sign government-provided marriage certificates. We will ask couples to seek civil marriage separately from their church-related vows and blessings. We will preside only at those weddings that seek to establish a Christian marriage in accord with the principles ­articulated and lived out from the beginning of the Church’s life.

Please join us in this pledge to separate civil marriage from Christian marriage by adding your name. 

Drafted by: 

The Reverend Ephraim Radner 

The Reverend Christopher Seitz

Laymen are welcome to sign to express support for pastors making this pledge.  –Ed.

Pledges

Name	Religious Title	Church
Peter Leithart		Presbyterian Church in America
Stephen Lorson		Gloria Dei Lutheran
Stanley M. Norcom	Elder	Community of Christ
Gene Keechi	Elder	Community of Christ
Thomas c seitz, Sr	Priest	Diocese of Central Florida
Eula miller		Church of the incarnation
Rafael Vargas Vargas	baptized	Catholic
Maurice Hagar		Anglican
David G Graves	Rev. Dr.	Trinity Orthodox Presbyterian Church
Kerry Buttram	Priest	Anglican Diocese of the Carolinas (ACNA)
Richard Jespersen	Pastor	Grace Lutheran Church (LCMC), Big Sandy, MT
Barbara VanPortfleet	Baptized, Confirmed	Roman Catholic
Robert Brooke	Local Pastor	United Methodist Church
Patrick William Malone	The Venerable	Holy Cross Anglican ! CANA
Wes Wright	Senior Pastor	Santa Clara Church
Mr Dee Singh	Cleaner	Church of England, Oxfordshire
Ben Forrester	Navy Chaplain	First Baptist Church of San Diego
rebecca boucher		Sacred Heart Cathedral
Josiah Roelfsema		St. Peter the Apostle (Catholic)
The Rev. Dr. Ashley M. Classen	Assisting Priest	St. Mary's Anglican (Episcopal) Church
Michael L. McInnis	Reverend	360 Life Church
Gil Costello	lay person	Blessed Sacrament Church (Catholic)
James B Sellers	Layman	St Denis Catholic Church Hanover NH
Mark Horne	The Reverend	Missouri Presbytery
Rev. Dougas Hayes	Pastor	Reformation Covenant Church
Keith Weatherly	Reverand, pastor	Clark Street Baptist Church
Christopher Wiley	Reverend	Presbyterian Church of Manchester, Manchester, CT
Rev Alfred J. Poirier	Pastor	Rocky Mountain Community Church, P.C.A.
John M. Heidengren	The Reverend	Prince of Peace Church (Anglican) - Aliquippa, PA
Bernard J. Kearney, Jr.	Roman Catholic	Saint Dominic
Sharon Frigon		LifePoint Church
Arnold Burghardt	Elder	Carmel Presbyterian Church
The Rev'd Terence L. Johnston	Priest	Episcopal Church
Robert T Simons	Ministerial Student	TWC
Francis Thomas Lynch	Lay Person	Sacred Heart of Jesus Roman Catholic Church
Melvin Tai	Father (priest in charge)	Christ the Redeemer
Andrew L. Powell	Priest	St. Andrew's Anglican Church, Grand Prairie TX
The Rev'd Charles A. Collins, Jr., SBR, U.E.	Vicar	The Church of the Atonement
Darlene Morrow	baptized	Lutheran
Andrew Nussey	Reverend
Hugh E. GalvinIII	Lay person	St. John Baptist RC in North Bennington, Vermont
George Grant	Pastor	Parish Presbyterian Church (PCA)
donald gene hill, sr	Ordaned Elder	United Methodist Church
David Wayne Layman	Layperson	Mennonite
The Reverend James C. Paul	Rector	St. Peter's Anglican Church
Rev Gary Lubenow	Pastor, Ret.	Baptist Churches, WY, AZ, IL, WA
Robert J. Mayer	Rev. Dr.	Gordon-Conwell Seminary
Marcel Allen Lamb	pastor	Imlay City United Methodist Church
Daniel P. Landin	Pastor	Panama United Methodist Church
Dick Muncher	Lay Witness	Rainbow Creek Episcopal
Daniel Woodard		Saint Francis of Assisi Catholic Church (Staunton, VA)
Michael Brown	Chaplain	Chapel Creek Church
Donald Armstrong	The Ven Cn	St George's Anglican Church
Flora Lee	Lay person	Christ The Redeemer
Haywood Jablomee	Priest	Holy Episcopal Church Memphis, TN
Robert Farrow	no title	Lutheran
Manuel Aguilar	Christian	Life point baptist, Ozark mo
Nathan M. Roskam	Associate Pastor of Young Adults	Nampa First Church of the Nazarene
Ralph W. Davis	Aspirant to holy orders	St. Patrick's Anglican Mission, Charlotte, NC
James Gilmore	Christian	Southwest Church of Christ
Wayne M. McNamara	Priest	Christ the King Anglcan Church, Dayton Ohio
Mr. David J. Harvey	Christian	Discovery Christian Church
Robert Pierce	lay person	Catholic
The Very Rev. Canon Lawrence H. Hill	Dean	Holy Trinity Cathedral, ACNA
Penny Tration	Baptized	Dutch Holy Dyke Lutherans
C. Clark Hubbard	The Reverend Doctor	St. Elizabeth's Episcopal Church
Stanley A/ Burdock	Rector	Anglican Church of the Good Shepherd, Anglican Diocese of the Southwest, San Angelo, Texas
Steven A Breedlove	Bishop	Anglican Church in North America, PEARUSA
Michael Hill	Pastor	North Avenue Presbyterian
David A. Handy	Anglican priest	Anglican Church in North America
Paul Adams	Lay	Discovery Church
Dr. Ed Fleming	Pastor	Oakwood Baptist Church
Nicole John-Thomas	Baptised	Catholic
Frank Goodman	Minister	Non Denominational
Timothy P. McCollum		St. Brendan the Navigator
Gordon Hansem	Rev.	Shield Of Faith Ministries
Michael T. Shaw	Priest	Trinity Anglican Church Metro Orlando
Orlagh Turtle		Westminster Chapel.........Reformed reconstruction
The Reverend T. Justin Read-Smith	Father	Community of Saint Columba (ACNA)
Eric W. Zolner	Priest	St. George's Anglican Church, Colorado Springs, CO
Fr. Ronald Moore	Vicar	Living Harvest Catholic Church
Samuel Murrell	The Reverend	Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches
Rob Dauber	Reverand	Wakarusa Missionary Church
Carrie Yu		Cornerstone Community Church Singapore
Mark Kinnen	Church Member	Shephers of the Hills Church, Porter Ranch, CA
Jeffrey R Janisch	Lay Person - Parishionar	Our Lady of Mt Carmel
Daniel Strand		Holy Trinity Church - Chicago, IL
Timothy W. Doubblestein	The Rev'd	Anglican Church in North America
Kris Ferrario	Aspirant	Church of the Advent, Boston
Dr. Philip Olsson	Lay Person	Providence Church (CPC) - Illinois
Sue A. Fugate	Lay person - CCD Instructor	Sacred Heart Church
Gary Freeburg	Pastor	Christian National Church
Karen Mills	Missionary	Calvary Bible Church, Kalamazoo, MI
Harold Wayne Gregory	Pastor	Peace Church in Christ
Ernie Ellis		Church Of God
Kyle Henderson	Pastor	First Baptist Church Athens Tx
Michael R. Williams	The Ven. Cn.	Jurisdiction of the Armed Forces and Chaplaincy; St. George's Anglican Church, Colorado Springs, CO
Rev. Cybil Wright	Reverend	Christ The Reclaimer
Steve Perisho	Layman	St. Mary Magdalene, Everett, WA
Jennifer jordan	Baptized Member	Disciple of Christ
Steven W. Smith	leadership staff	Crossroads
Patrick Kimball	Reverend	Universal Life Church
Jome Loto	Sangha, Monk	Laó Nu
Michael Moorehead	Father	Anglican Church North America - Missionary Diocese of All Saints
R.Menchen	Chaplain	Open Door to Christ
Robert Lyons	Father	The Primitive Catholic Community
Robert Sorge	SFO	St. Anne Catholic Church, Grants Pass, Oregon
Ken Rosentrater	Discipleship and Worship Pastor	Chapel By the Sea
Eric Boye	Layman, Member	City Church of Wilmington, Delaware
Don Peter	Church Leader	Midway Community Covenant Church
Carolyn Peet	Christian	Crossroads (Non-denominational)
Stephen M. Hall	Reverend	Assemblies of God, City Reach Church Network
Jennifer Burnette	follower of Jesus	Covenant Life Church, Tampa
Robert A. Pineda	Pastor	Grace Church of Flagler
Kalia German		Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod
Ben Dover	Lay Person	Catholic
Mark Andrew Hamilton	Lay Member	Beth Aliya Messianic Synagogue
Barry Vaughn	Ordained Baptist Pastor	Peach Valley Baptist Church
Elizabeth coco	Born again believer	Glouster County Comm. Church
James B. Jordan		Association of Reformation Churches
Hank Wall	Layman	Apostles, PEAR USA Columbia SC
Kurt Schanaman	Founder	Beit Ha'Natzarim, Scottsbluff, Ne.
Holden McGroin	Priest	The Prince of Light Church (Anglican)
Guy Bellerby	presbyter	ANiC
Stephen Douglas Peele Sr.	Reverend	Church of God
Lorraine Gloede	none	Lutheran
Roger Anghis	Pastor	Prevailing Word Ministries
Clifton Snow	Parishoner	St Georges Anglican Church (CANA) - Colorado Springs, CO
Gerald E Kaiser	Layman	Assemblies of God
Larry N Clark	Pastor	Restoration Farm - Stover, MO
Gary W. Coates	Laity	St. Rose of Lima
Gerry J. Dail, P.E.	Layman	Church of the Blessed Sacrament
Vitaliy Kravchenko	Member of church	Light of the Gospel
Fred Caulder	Christian	Church of Christ
Ryan Streett	Priest	Anglican Church in North America, PEARUSA
Dave Nichols		St. George's Anglican
Laura Miller		Riverside United Methodist
The Rev. John Spicer	Rector	Christ Church Anglican, ACNA, Crawfordville, FL
Denise Landon	Baptized	International Communion of the Charismatic Episcopal Church
Jon D White	Baptized lay person	Baptist
Vickie K White	Baptized lay person	Baptist
Derek LS Jones	Bishop of the Armed Forces and Chaplaincy	Jurisdiction of the Armed Forces and Chaplaincy, Anglican Church in North America and CANA, Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion)
Brian Kreuziger	Layman	Divinity-Divine Charity,(WELS) Whitefish Bay, WI
Keith Stampher, M.D.	layman	St. George's Anglican Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado
William Price	Elder	Covenant Presbyterian Church (PCA)
Garrett Lear	Patriot Pastor	The Well of Living Water Christian Fellowship & Ministries
Thomas Benson	Minister	Christian National Church