arthra

Baha'is recognize and extol the institution of marriage.. however there are some exceptional aspects to Baha'i marriage that are not well known.

To have a Baha'i marriage you need the approval of all living parents of the prospective spouses. Even if you're sixty years old and your parent is eighty they still need to approve of the marriage. This practise eliminates the grounds for complaints from the proverbial "mother-in-law" and actually makles sense I think because new families today often need the support of their inlaws anyway. So there is no eloping among Baha'is.

Once everyone approves of the marriage the couple goes to their nearest Local Spiritual Assembly and applies to have the Baha'i marriage. TWo witnesses approved by the Assembly need to be present to witness the vows of the couple.

The vow consists of the words "We will all verily abide by the Will of God" in front of the approved witnesses. Once that's done and all the civil laws requirements for marriage have been met the marriage is recognized.

A Baha'i marriage can occur just about anywhere and all you need are the people being married and the designated witnesses. We also allow for interfaith marriages where say one of the people marrying is non-Baha'i.. If say a Baha'i were to marry a Christian and the Christian wants a church ceremonmy the Baha'i "ceremony" is held on the same day in another location but not mixed in with the Christian ceremony say in the church.

Also, the Baha'i marriage can be simple and free.. there are no charges for it and if the couple wishes they could rent an expensive hall but it's up to them. So this way an expensive marriage ceremony can be avoided which helps the new family.

Here are some important selections from the Baha'i Writings that apply to marriage:

Marriage, among the mass of the people, is a physical bond, and this union can only be temporary, since it is foredoomed to a physical separation at the close.

Among the people of Baha, however, marriage must be a union of the body and of the spirit as well, for here both husband and wife are aglow with the same wine, both are enamoured of the same matchless Face, both live and move through the same spirit, both are illumined by the same glory. This connection between them is a spiritual one, hence it is a bond that will abide forever. Likewise do they enjoy strong and lasting ties in the physical world as well, for if the marriage is based both on the spirit and the body, that union is a true one, hence it will endure. If, however, the bond is physical and nothing more, it is sure to be only temporary, and must inexorably end in separation.

When, therefore, the people of Baha undertake to marry, the union must be a true relationship, a spiritual coming together as well as a physical one, so that throughout every phase of life, and in all the worlds of God, their union will endure; for this real oneness is a gleaming out of the love of God.(Compilations, The Compilation of Compilations vol II, p. 441)

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grnhoods

Nice information about Baha'i marriage !!!

I was really searching this type of information in last few days.

This information will give me lot of help in near future.

Thanks a lot !!

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Athanasius

Thanks for your Information, arthra! But let me ask a question: As the Bahá'í Faith does not share the Christian concept of sacraments (?) are civil marriages equivalent to Bahá'í marriages. What if a married person converts to Bahá'í faith? Does he or she have to make up for it after his or her conversion?

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Pollwr

For those people who have become Bahá'ís after marriage, in all the communities I have lived in, those marriages are not treated any differently to "Bahá'í" marriages.

I supose, exactly what a marriage is or becomes is down to the two parties involved. There is potential for an everlasting spiritual bond and spiritual union or just a physical union that ends with death or before in any relationship.

I don't think that marriage is just something done on the wedding day. It is a process that needs constant work and commitment. It can be the greatest of bonds among people. It could be that a couple becoming Bahá'ís learn more about the potential for growth and this enriches and changes their marriage or maybe they won't. They may even have been very spiritually aware people who have been able to forge such a bond already - we don't have a monopoly on this as Bahá'is.

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arthra

People who become Baha'is after their marriage do not have to make up for anything.. They are married. They could have had a Christain marrriage or a civil marriage.. doesn't matter.

For Baha'is though they must have the Baha'i marriage and meet the requirements of Baha'i marriage and also fulfill any civil requirements for marriage ... so civil marriage alone would not be considered a Baha'i marriage because there is more to it..

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Survivor

Hi All,

I need some help!...i need to know if a bahai marries a non-bahai (orthodox religion) can their children be baptized if the Bahai partner remains Bahai and does not get baptized?...if so, are there any restrictions?....please help me answer this question.

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arthra

The Baha'i partner in a marriage with a non-Baha'i does not give up the right of the children to be raised in the Faith.. We would allow them to be exposed to different religions of course and at the age of accountability they would choose for themselves..

I found this in Compilations:

The future christening of the ... child should present no problem, for the Bahá'í parent should have no objection to the baptism of his child if the Catholic mother wishes it. Similarly, the use of champagne upon that *254* occasion is a matter which she is free to undertake, but of course the Bahá'ís would not partake of alcoholic beverages.

(7 December 1977 to a National Spiritual Assembly)

(Compilations, The Compilation of Compilations vol II, p. 253)

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Pollwr

As a Bahá'í married to a Catholic, my children were Christened. I see no problem with this. People gathered and said prayers for them which is a good thing.

A small difference of opinion arose, however, when they were of an age to be confirmed, as my spouse saw it. I insisted they had to wait until they were 15 when they would be free to make such a commitment and it would be entirely their choice.

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