A reader asks, “Can a woman officiate a marriage ceremony?” I am sure that the person posing question really means, “May a woman or is she permitted by the Bible to officiate a marriage ceremony?” The word “can” relates to capacity or ability, whereas “may” sometimes pertains to permission to do something. Certainly, a woman “can” officiate a wedding if permitted to do so by applicable laws (e.g., judge, justice of the peace, marriage officer, religious minister). The question remains whether she “may” do that with God’s approval.
Many people presume that performing weddings is a religious activity since often religious ministers officiate marriage ceremonies. However, performing marriages is not described in the Bible as a religious activity, and no duties relative to officiating marriage ceremonies appear in the New Testament ascribed to Gospel preachers, evangelists or religious ministers. Rather, the common supposition that marriages are the special purview of “the church” derives from historical Catholicism and denominationalism – not the New Testament. In modern times, religious officiates of marriage ceremonies receive their authority not from religious groups but from governmental law.
Therefore, a woman who acts in accordance with applicable laws of the land as a judge, a justice of the peace or some other secular, public marriage officer “can” and “may” officiate marriage ceremonies. However, women ought not to perform weddings as Gospel preachers, evangelists or religious ministers since those roles are not biblically permitted for women respecting mixed audiences of men and women (1 Timothy 2:12; 1 Corinthians 14:34). Scripture forbids those roles for women, so even if the law of the land says that they can perform weddings, there should not be any women preachers, evangelists or ministers available to do so. The fact that denominational and apostate churches may ordain women into those functions neither changes New Testament teaching nor should it affect the Lord’s church.
Yet, it is conceivable that a Christian woman could be licensed by the government to perform weddings as a marriage officer representing the churches of Christ, but the confusion that would result would blur the distinction unnecessarily between the Lord’s church and manmade religions, besides the confusion that would occur within the churches of Christ. Usually and maybe universally, one of the requirements to be allowed to officiate marriages is that the one performing the wedding ceremonies be recognized by his (or her) religious group as a preacher, evangelist or minister; that alone would disqualify a Christian woman from being licensed to officiate a marriage ceremony.
