Today, many Christian couples preparing to marry come from different churches. An interchurch marriage raises many questions: 

• What is my Christian identity? 

• What do our churches understand marriage, sexuality and family to be? 

• What is Christian discipleship and how can we live this out each day? 

• When we speak about Christian marriage, what are we saying about our relationship with God? 

• What is our theology of Christian marriage? 

This project aimed at furthering a Christian understanding of marriage in a secular and pluralist society. The principal project outcome was the book Together in Christ: The Hope and Promise of Christian Marriage. This book contains general reflections on Christian marriage, information from 14 Christian denominations, and Biblical reflection questions to help pastors and couples preparing for marriage, and those interested in ecumenical perspectives. 

This resource may be used: 

• With those are planning to get married who are in a Christian or interchurch relationship; 

• For post-marriage reflection; 

• With persons preparing for renewal of their vows or similar life events; 

• As a resource for ecumenical dialogue, particularly on the topics of marriage; 

• In study groups – for example, for studies on Christian life events or ecumenism; 

• By Christian communities seeking to promote mutual support between their members for continual growth into one’s marriage/shared identity in Christ; 

• By individuals or groups wishing to obtain a broader sense of marriage beyond their local or denominational context; 

• As ‘a refresher’ for those who are returning to life in Christian community after not belonging to a church or a worshipping community for a period of time; 

• As an introduction for those who are interested in Christianity or are getting married into a Christian faith but have had limited or no contact with the Christian faith. 

Please note that this resource was published in 2000. While it is an excellent resource for foundations on this topic, it does not necessarily reflect all the faith-filled conversations and developments that have happened around marriage in Christian communities and ecumenically over the past few decades. Some of the language used in this document may also be dated.