ritual and celebration
I went to my cousin's wedding yesterday. She's 21, married a 24 year old, and the young couple are both evangelical Christians. There was a lot of talk about giving one's life to Jesus Christ in both the ceremony and reception, but provided you could cope with that it was quite a beautiful day. Her three older sisters were bridesmaids and matron of honour, and both families proved to be quite competent and entertaining public speakers, all references to our lord and saviour aside. They even served wine at the reception, which is quite a big deal on that side of the family where there is a history of tea-totalling.
What struck me during the day was not an overwhelming desire to convert and save the souls of our heathen branch of the family, but the decline in 'western' secular society of rituals to mark significant passages in our lives. Weddings and funerals are about the only two left for many people, and some people are choosing to go without the wedding anyway. I may be personally reluctant to embrace my family's fundamentalist Christianity, but it does give a certain depth and meaning to milestones.
What struck me during the day was not an overwhelming desire to convert and save the souls of our heathen branch of the family, but the decline in 'western' secular society of rituals to mark significant passages in our lives. Weddings and funerals are about the only two left for many people, and some people are choosing to go without the wedding anyway. I may be personally reluctant to embrace my family's fundamentalist Christianity, but it does give a certain depth and meaning to milestones.