Recent reforms to English and Scots marriage law faced the United Reformed Church (URC) with two challenges. Its hybrid structure of church government, entwining Congregational and Presbyterian strands, complicated application of the statutory criterion ‘persons recognised by [the membership] as competent for the purpose of giving consent’. Precedent from earlier decisions on human sexuality explains the ultimate identification of the local church meeting as the competent council of the URC in England, and why the ‘enabling resolution’ passed regarding civil partnership formation was not repeated. The very different focus of Scots marriage law posed different questions, less focused on buildings or the churches using them and allowing willing celebrants to be nominated by the synod, as for opposite-sex marriage.Advisers differed on whether the denomination possessed any binding doctrine of marriage which would obstruct implementation of the amended law. The General Assembly decision on polity and how it was reached suggest an implicit ruling in the negative. This article defends that outcome, considering the doctrinal foundation of the URC in the light of concessions made at the formative union. Marriage appears as a topic on which no denominational doctrine exists, letting all councils reach theological conclusions necessary to practical decisions within their remit.

中文翻译：

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婚姻改革与联合归正教会章程

最近对英国和苏格兰婚姻法的改革使联合改革教会（URC）面临两个挑战。其教会政府的混合结构，将公理会和长老会交织在一起，复杂地应用了“被[成员]认可为有能力给予同意的人”这一法定标准。早期关于人类性行为的决定的先例解释了当地教会会议最终被认定为英国 URC 的主管委员会，以及为什么没有重复通过关于建立公民伙伴关系的“授权决议”。苏格兰婚姻法的不同重点提出了不同的问题，较少关注建筑物或使用它们的教堂，并允许自愿的监礼人由主教会议提名，如异性婚姻。对于该教派是否拥有任何会阻碍执行修订法律的具有约束力的婚姻学说，顾问意见不一。大会关于政体的决定以及它是如何达成的，暗示了一个否定的隐含裁决。本文为这一结果辩护，考虑到 URC 的理论基础是在形成性联盟中做出的让步。婚姻似乎是一个不存在教派教义的话题，让所有理事会在其职权范围内得出实际决定所必需的神学结论。鉴于在形成性工会中做出的让步，考虑 URC 的理论基础。婚姻似乎是一个不存在教派教义的话题，让所有理事会在其职权范围内得出实际决定所必需的神学结论。鉴于在形成性工会中做出的让步，考虑 URC 的理论基础。婚姻似乎是一个不存在教派教义的话题，让所有理事会在其职权范围内得出实际决定所必需的神学结论。