Marriage as one man and one woman

The doctrine that marriage is the lifelong covenant union of one man and one woman, as established in Genesis 2:24 and reaffirmed by Christ in Matthew 19. This is the position held continuously across Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and historic Protestant traditions. Some bodies (UCC, TEC, ELCA, PCUSA, post-split UMC) have departed since the 2000s and now recognize same-sex marriages. Look for phrases like "open and affirming", "reconciling congregation", explicit wedding policies, or "all couples welcome" as signals of departure from the historic position.

This doctrine distinguishes traditions but is not a boundary of orthodoxy.