beckysoup61 said:
Well, I'll give you the Orthodox perspective because it'll be a little different to any of the western confessions
Does either family or the woman or man pay a dowry?
Not any more, no, though they once did in some cultures. This was never a religious teaching, though.
Is intermarriage between faiths allowed?
If by other faiths you mean non-Christian ones, no. If you mean heterodox Christians, yes, provided that they were baptised using the correct Trinitarian formula. It's quite common to require heterodox spouses to agree to raise any children Orthodox also.
I don't believe there's a religious teaching on this. Traditionally adulthood was seen as being at age 12 (this is when godparents are no longer responsible for bringing up the children if they are orpahned) but obviously this was an ancient culturally determined view. As in most cultures, child marriages did occur in the past but do not any longer.
Now here is a major difference. What is seen as a wedding band in the west is actually an engagement ring for us. The wedding is done with a crowning ceremony and not an exchange of rings. The latter is done at a betrothal ceremony which is, in effect, an engagement within the Church. Nowadays, of course, under western influence many do get informally engaged first. Originally the betrothal was performed long in advance of the wedding, often a year or more. Nowadays it is usually done immediately prior to the crowning as a concession to human weakness. This is because after the betrothal you are considered almost married - with all of the responsibilities (fidelity etc.) - but you are not allowed to sleep together. It's obviously easier to live by this if the wdding follows immediately, though I do know a few couples in Romania who chose to be betrothed months before despite the difficulty.
Is Pre-Martial Sex Allowed?
Obviously, given my comments above, not.
How is Marriage defined (man and man, woman and woman, man and woman)?
Between a man and a woman only.
Not if you want to be celibate (and we do have many monastics) but if you wish to have sex, yes.
No, but it may be accepted, again as a concession to human weakness. Divorce is allowed by the Church for certain things, such as infidelity, but it is reasonably rare. Re-marriage is allowed after such a divorce (and after being widowed) but it is considered better to remain single. For this reason second and third marriages (more than three is impossible) have a much more penitential flavour to the ceremony than joful first marriages do. I, personally, am certain that I would never re-marry under any circumstances but, God willing, I hope to never be put in such a position.
James
