Covenant Marriage
Lee YanceyLast year, Americans witnessed a national movement to legalize gay marriage, civil unions, and the overall homosexual agenda. Recently, Connecticut Governor M. Jodi Rell, a Republican, signed into law a bill that recognized same-sex civil unions. Civil unions are basically marriage without the name. According to a Baptist Press article, Connecticut joins Vermont as the only states to legalize civil unions. Massachusetts is still the only state with same-sex marriage, but the laws in Massachusetts and Vermont were court-ordered while the Connecticut bill was passed voluntarily. In response to the push for homosexual marriage, last November, 86% of Mississippi voters approved the Mississippi Marriage Amendment. Mississippi was one of eleven states from coast to coast who banned gay marriage.
Studies have shown that the divorce rate among Christians is the same as that of non-Christians. With traditional marriage failing, we must take steps to strengthen it. Marriage has become much ado about a wedding and learn-as-you-go after that. In fact, most couples spend much more time planning the wedding event than they do thinking about how to live as husband and wife ‘til death do they part. We all know that marriage takes work. Newlyweds are practically blindsided by financial issues, sexual expectations, and power struggles. Just this week, Jennifer Wilbanks, the runaway bride from Georgia, reminded us of the pressures leading up to the wedding event. With 600 invited guests, 14 bridesmaids and 14 groomsmen, the city of Duluth was anticipating a big social event. Instead, more than 100 officers and several hundred volunteers searched for the missing bride. Thankfully, she was not abducted as first alleged, but had run away to have time to think. She finally called 911 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. At least she ran away before the marriage.
Many families suffer because husbands and wives do not stay together. Children in broken homes bear inner scars that they will carry for the rest of their lives. Covenant marriage could help couples to have a better understanding of lifelong partnership. Covenants are non-negotiable. The value of a covenant marriage relationship as opposed to a contractual marriage agreement lies in a person’s understanding and acceptance of God’s intent for marriage. A covenant is intended to be a lifelong commitment that has eternal significance.
Louisiana became the first state to offer a Covenant Marriage Law on August 15, 1997. Since that time, only 2% of couples chose to have a covenant marriage. Arkansas voted to allow covenant marriage in 2001 and only 600 out of more than 40,000 chose to have a covenant marriage since then. In Arizona, only 1% opted for covenant marriage. According to supporters, the problem is that none of the three states has done a good job of publicizing the covenant marriage option. On Valentine’s Day, Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee, a former Baptist preacher, and his wife, joined more than 1,000 couples in converting their traditional marriage into a covenant marriage. Under the strict terms of covenant marriage, couples must undergo premarital counseling, sign an affidavit and promise to seek more counseling if troubles arise in the marriage. Divorce is allowed only in cases of “cruel or barbarous treatment,” ac-cording to the Arkansas law, including adultery, physical or sexual abuse, a felony conviction, or abandonment.
In the Bible Belt South, the divorce rate is almost 50% higher than the national average. According to Governor Huckabee, “Covenant marriage is not a cure-all, and it does not solve all of the problems. It does, however, provide a safeguard for people and is an attempt to work problems out rather than run from them.” Mississippi could certainly benefit from an optional covenant marriage law. For several years, the bill has been introduced in our legislature and failed to pass out of committee. Contact your representative and senator and ask them to support the Covenant Marriage Bill in 2006.