How did the State begin to marry couples?

Hey guys. I wanna know how churches lost their exclusive right to marry couples as well as what it took for the State to begin marrying couples. Specifically, I'm looking for influences on American civics and culture, but any precursors to American efforts to separate church and state with the ceremony and legality of marriage is fine.





My argument deals with how gay and lesbian couples shouldn't be allowed to get married because I don't believe the State should be allowed to marry couples.





Thx guys!How did the State begin to marry couples?
Although they both use the term marriage, there's a significant difference between the two. The church recognizes the holy joining of two individuals in the sight of God. The state marriage is about the joining of property and the recognition of the marital partners as a single legal entity. This is important for certain contracts, financial responsibility, taxes, custody issues.How did the State begin to marry couples?
i won't get into the whole gay/lesbian marriage debate..


but i don't believe the ';church'; ever had some exclusive right to marry couples.


i believe marriage was always a ';government'; run institution.


their were weddings, celebrations of marriage in the jewish religion in biblical times..


i think more true is the point in history when roman catholicism took over government and bishops and priests were appointed to control people's lives in the district (diocese) that they ran. that's probably when laws governing marriages began..


but i'm no historian