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SEALING


See Also: Sealing (Mormonism)



Celestial marriage is an instance of the LDS doctrine of Sealing . Following celestial marriage, not only are the couple sealed as husband and wife, but children born into the marriage are also sealed to that family. In cases where the husband and wife have been previously married civilly and there are already children from their union, the children accompany their parents to the temple and are sealed to their parents following the marriage ceremony.


RELATIONSHIP TO PLURAL MARRIAGE


Whether Celestial Marriage is Plural or Monogamous is not clearly agreed upon. However, historically, speaking Celestial Marriage and Plural marriage are synonomous. Mormon fundamentalists cleave to the traditional interpretation that connects the two (i.e. plural and celestial marriage) while the LDS Church makes a distinction. In their view, plural marriages in the early church, when properly authorized and conducted, were, in fact, celestial marriages; but celestial marriages need not be plural marriages. In addition, since celestial marriages must be performed by someone with proper priesthood authority, and since plural marriage is no longer authorized by the LDS Church, no authorized celestial, plural marriages can be performed today. Mormon fundamentalists argue, in return, that they hold the priesthood authority to perform these marriages. However, while plural marriage is eschewed by the LDS Church today,it coninued to be practiced, even after The Manifesto (the 1890 Official Declaration by then LDS President Wilford Woodruff, by which he counseled the Saints to discontinue plural marriage. The practice continued to be officially sanctioned until 1904 and the issuance of the Second Manifesto under Joseph F. Smith. Culturally, many Mormons believe that Celestial Marriage ''as plural marriage'', will be reinstated or recommence after the Second Coming . This belief has not been taught by church leaders, and "when any Elder of the Church has used language which appeared to convey any such teaching, he has been promptly reproved."


EXTERNAL LINKS


  • Celestial Marriage - Search results from Mormon scripture done on the Official LDS website.




  • Celestial Plural Marriage References - an American Mormon fundamentalist site with a long collection of references to Celestial Marriage and its connection or non-connection with Plural Marriage.


  • Celestial Marriage -Two articles by Bill McKeever from an Christian evangelistic site. McKeever writes to "help" Mormons become "true" Christians, but provides pertinent information amidst his missionizing.