We use cookies to distinguish you from other users and to provide you with a better experience on our websites. Close this message to accept cookies or find out how to manage your cookie settings.
We use cookies to distinguish you from other users and to provide you with a better experience on our websites. Close this message to accept cookies or find out how to manage your cookie settings.
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 04 August 2010
This rite is in use in the parish church of St Mary Magdalene, Bolney, a small village in Sussex, England. It takes place in the parish eucharist, at the Peace. It has also been adopted by the Anglican Diocese of Koforidua-Ho in the Eastern Region of Ghana. It is reproduced here by kind permission of the Vicar of Bolney, the Revd. Canon Reg Harcus. It is based in part on The Alternative Service Book 1980 of the Church of England. While the rite does not (and legally could not) contain several of the characteristics of betrothal described in this book (e.g., it is ‘before’ marriage, and there is reference to engagement ring(s)), it is a fine local response to pastoral need, expertly grounded in history and theology .
BETROTHAL BEFORE MARRIAGE
The Introduction
Dear friends, we are gathered together in the presence of God to witness the betrothal of N. and N., and to rejoice with them as they commit themselves to their forthcoming marriage.
N. and N., marriage is a gift of God and a means of his grace in which a man and a woman become one flesh. It is God's purpose that, as husband and wife give themselves to each other in love, they shall grow together and be united in that love as Christ is united to his Church.
To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure [email protected] is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.
Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.
Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.
To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.
To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.
