Celebrancy

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The wedding is the flagship ceremony of every culture Wedding veil.jpg
The wedding is the flagship ceremony of every culture

Celebrancy is a profession founded in Australia in 1973 by the then Australian attorney-general Lionel Murphy. [1] The aim of the celebrancy program was to authorise persons to officiate at secular ceremonies of substance, meaning and dignity mainly for non-church people. Up until this point legal marriages were reserved only to clergy or officers of the Births, Deaths & Marriages registry office. These appointed persons, referred to in the Marriage Act of Australia as "authorised celebrants", create & conduct weddings, funerals, namings, house dedications, coming of age [2] and other life ceremonies for those who do not wish to be married or have other ceremonies in a church or registry office. [1]

Contents

Early history

Lionel Murphy founded the civil celebrant movement in Australia, which has now spread to other countries Lionel Murphy 1970.jpg
Lionel Murphy founded the civil celebrant movement in Australia, which has now spread to other countries

A senator, attorney-general and High Court Justice of Australia, Lionel Murphy was the founder of modern celebrancy. He had a very clear ideal that secular people were entitled to ceremonies of equal meaning, dignity and substance as those enjoyed by religious people. [1] :41ff Murphy's vision, more carefully articulated as the program progressed, included training standards and a limit on the number of celebrants to be registered. Celebrants were to be mentored (later trained) to the highest standard. They were only to be appointed when there was an actual demand. The deeper meaning of the Murphy ideal was to improve the individual psychologically, and the community socially and culturally through ceremonies. [1]

Celebrancy, celebrants and their ceremonies were clearly distinguished from past practice by Murphy's reforms:

Training of celebrants

Ideally, a celebrant needs to have a range of knowledge, attitudes and skills. A grounding in the arts appears to be essential. Ceremonies are composed of the performing and visual arts. Poetry, prose quotations and music are necessary components of most ceremonies. As the celebrant is a resource person and advisor to his/her clients, a transforming education in the arts and humanities would appear to be a prerequisite. Civil celebrant skill is to creatively combine appropriate poetry, prose, music, choreography and movement, storytelling, myth and symbolism into a ceremony of substance and power. [4] Story-telling is basic to most ceremonies. The personal story of the development of a couple's relationship in a marriage, [5] :p9 or a eulogy or panegyric at a funeral ceremony, or the expression of a parent's hopes or dreams in a Naming ceremony not only require research and verification but a considerable skill in creative writing in sync with the theme and purpose of the ceremony. [6]

There are a number of prosaic skills and resources for which the celebrant is responsible. Australian law requires that every guest must be able to hear the words and music of a celebrant ceremony. [7] Ceremonic celebrations occur in all sorts of places. Portable PA (public address) and music systems are often necessary equipment. This also requires skill in their use.

Jane Day discusses challenges with fellow celebrant trainer, Dr Chris Watson. ChrisWatsonJaneDay.png
Jane Day discusses challenges with fellow celebrant trainer, Dr Chris Watson.

The experienced celebrant-educator and voice and speech coach Jane Day spent a great deal of her life emphasising to her students that all the other knowledge and skills of celebrancy means next to nothing unless the celebrant acquires the learned skill of delivery of the "spoken word, body language, and the written word". [8] She was a strong advocate of developing appropriate theatrical skills stating that all civil celebrants are "performers". They need to have a voice delivery which creates "respect and trust, inspires, encourages, sympathises and feeds the human hunger for emotional as well as intellectual satisfaction". [9]

Celebrancy program setbacks in Australia

Unfortunately, the many good years of celebrancy all changed dramatically when the market was opened up for any number of training colleges to train as many celebrants as they could (1 September 2003). So much that now (post 2003-2022) there is a disproportionate over-supply of celebrants in Australia. What was once a prestigious full time role for many, can now only ever be a part-time hobby. In Australia this oversupply of celebrants also led to fierce and unbecoming competition among celebrants and a predictable decline in standards. Australia's leadership role and prestige throughout the Western world declined. [10]

United States

In the United States, however, clergy (and in some jurisdictions, the couple itself, in a self-uniting marriage,) perform legally binding weddings. However, weddings in the United states are also performed by an officer of the court, such as a judge or a justice of the peace. [11]

The official launch of civil celebrants in the USA took place at the Montclair Library in Montclair New Jersey on Thursday 12 June 2002. Philanthropists Gaile and Raghu Sarma had sponsored the visit of Dally Messenger III, an experienced celebrant from Australia, to train the first group of celebrants according to the Murphy principles - especially the commitment to bring dignity and beauty into ceremonies for non-religious and non-church people. [12]

Messenger gave the keynote address on "The importance of Ceremony and of Rites of Passage in your life". Messenger, "honestly and emotionally", called for deeper and more personalised ceremonies for secular people. [12]

Secular spirituality

Messenger maintained that even though celebrant ceremonies were non-religious it was important that they express a person or couple's "spiritual" beliefs and qualities.

The US has a wide variety of religions and inter-faith bodies and independent inter-faith ministers. Civil celebrants have taken their place between the dogmatic and non-dogmatic religions and the avowedly atheistic Humanist society stance on ceremonies. In the loose American system, which includes the Unitarian Universalist Association there is a wide variety of officiants from which to choose. [13] One example of how the secular celebrant movement has spread to the United States, was in 2005 Richard Pryor who was buried at Forest Lawn Cemetery in a non-religious service led by a secular funeral celebrant. [14]

Each US state authorises persons from various religions and bodies to officiate at legal marriages. The concept of the "civil celebrant" is gaining recognition. For example, New Jersey has a clear category for "civil celebrants". Persons may apply for registration once they have completed an audited six month training course of at least two face-to-face sessions per week in celebrant philosophy and history, ceremony structure and ceremonial presentation. [15] [16]

Europe

In some European countries a celebrant who is not registered to conduct legal marriages but who is active in the business profession of conducting non-legal wedding ceremonies is known as a "lay celebrant". Lay celebrants have been a way of life in many European countries for many years. Churches have never given any authority to conduct legal marriages. In these European countries where marriages can only be conducted at a government registry office, it is acceptable for couples to have a second personalised non-legal wedding ceremony with family and friends conducted by a lay celebrant. [1]

New Zealand

New Zealand followed Australia in 1976 with civil celebrants authorised by government. Government administration is praised by celebrants and citizens alike as encouraging high quality ceremonies and striking the right ratio of celebrants to the population. [17]

United Kingdom, Ireland, Scotland and Canada

In the United Kingdom, Ireland, Scotland and Canada there are, as of 2021, private training colleges which are educating civil celebrants following the Australian model. These colleges and their professional associations have emerged to provide accreditation and to set and uphold standards. Some lobby their governments for registration of their graduates to conduct legal marriages. [1] Alongside these private training colleges and associations, there is a strong tradition for UK-based artist-led celebrancy practices, particularly the work of Sue Gill, Gilly Adams and Dead Good Guides who lead on such trainings. [18] [19]

See also

Related Research Articles

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ceremony</span> Event of ritual significance, performed on a special occasion

A ceremony is a unified ritualistic event with a purpose, usually consisting of a number of artistic components, performed on a special occasion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lionel Murphy</span> Australian politician

Lionel Keith Murphy QC was an Australian politician, barrister, and judge. He was a Senator for New South Wales from 1962 to 1975, serving as Attorney-General in the Whitlam government, and then sat on the High Court from 1975 until his death.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Quaker wedding</span> Marriage ceremony of the Religious Society of Friends

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marriage Act 1961 (Australia)</span>

The Marriage Act 1961(Cth) is an act of the Parliament of Australia which regulates marriage in Australia. Since its passage in 1961, it has been amended on numerous occasions and applies uniformly throughout Australia (including its external territories); and any law made by a state or territory inconsistent with the Act is invalid. The Act was made under the power granted to the federal parliament under section 51(xxi) of the Australian Constitution. Before the passage of the Act, each state and territory had its own marriage laws. The Act only recognises monogamous marriages that comply with the requirements of the Act; other forms of union, including traditional Aboriginal marriages, are not recognised. However, the Family Law Act 1975 treats de facto relationships and polygamous marriages as marriages for the purpose of recognising the rights of parties at a breakup. Since 2009, the Family Law Act 2009 has also recognised the property rights of each partner of de facto relationships on separation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Humanist Society Scotland</span> Registered charity

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An officiant or celebrant is someone who officiates at a religious or secular service or ceremony, such as marriage, burial, namegiving or baptism.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Icelandic Ethical Humanist Association</span>

The Icelandic Ethical Humanist Association is a humanist lifestance organization in Iceland, that promotes secularism, offers celebrancy services and contributes to the spreading of humanism in Iceland and abroad. It is a member of the European Humanist Federation and Humanists International.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Celebrant (Australia)</span> People who conduct formal ceremonies

In Australia, celebrants or civil celebrants are people who conduct formal ceremonies in the community, particularly weddings – which represent the main ceremony of legal import conducted by celebrants –, and for this reason are often referred to as marriage celebrants. They may also conduct extra-legal ceremonies such as naming of babies, renewal of wedding vows, funerals, divorces, becoming a teenager, changing name, significant birthdays, retirements, and other life milestones. Officiating at a marriage requires that the celebrant be an authorised marriage celebrant under Australian law, or the law where the marriage takes place, but officiating at non-legal ceremonies does not.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marriage officiant</span> Someone who can conduct a wedding

A marriage officiant or marriage celebrant is a person who officiates at a wedding ceremony.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Humanist celebrant</span> Performer of humanist celebrancy services

A humanist celebrant or humanist officiant is a person who performs humanist celebrancy services, such as non-religious weddings, funerals, child namings, coming of age ceremonies and other rituals. Some humanist celebrants are accredited by humanist organisations, such as Humanists UK, Humanist Society Scotland (HSS), The Humanist Society (US), and the Humanist Association of Canada (HAC).

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Organized secularism</span> Belgian irreligious union

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marriage in Australia</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dally Messenger III</span>

Dally Messenger III, is an Australian developer and media spokesperson of the fledgling civil celebrant program founded by Australian Attorney-General, Lionel Murphy. He has also been credited with contributions as an author. After leaving the Roman Catholic priesthood in 1968, Messenger became a public critic of the Catholic Church. Messenger has written for The Australian and Nation Review. Messenger was founder and editor of the magazine Dance Australia. His books cover topics including rugby league, children of separated parents, early Melbourne radio, how to design celebrant ceremonies, and the history of celebrancy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Civil funeral celebrant</span> Non-religious officiant at a funeral

A civil funeral celebrant is a person who officiates at funerals which are not closely connected with religious beliefs and practises. They are analogous to civil celebrants for marriage ceremonies. Civil celebrant funerals began in Australia in 1975. As secular (civil) wedding ceremonies became accepted, first in Australia and then in other Western countries, a similar process for funerals has since been established in New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Canada and the United States. Civil funeral celebrants are often also civil marriage ceremony celebrants.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Civil ceremony</span> Non-religious legal marriage ceremony

A civil, or registrar, ceremony is a non-religious legal marriage ceremony performed by a government official or functionary. In the United Kingdom, this person is typically called a registrar. In the United States, civil ceremonies may be performed by town, city, or county clerks, judges or justices of the peace, or others possessing the legal authority to support the marriage as the wedding officiant.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">American Marriage Ministries</span>

American Marriage Ministries is a non-denominational Internet church based in Seattle. The church was founded by Glen Yoshioka in 2009 and ordains and trains people to officiate at weddings. The church is a secular non-denominational organization that does not promote any specific religious ideologies, instead allowing its ministers to define their own practice and faith. This allows ceremonies to be tailored to the beliefs of the couple. The church ordained Canadian singer Carly Rae Jepsen in 2017. The church had operated entirely online until June 2019, when its ministers began performing in-person ordinations in response to Tennessee passing a law disallowing ministers ordained online from solemnizing weddings in the state. According to Executive Director Lewis King, by June 2017 the church has ordained more than 715,000 people in the United States, including over 13,400 active ministers in Tennessee. The church performed mass ordinations in a number of cities in Tennessee, with the majority of attendees being those who had already been ordained online but need to update their status to comply with the new law.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Remi Barclay Messenger</span> American actress

Remi Barclay Messenger was a founding member of three prominent professional theatre companies in the New York City area – the Performance Group (1967–1970), with Richard Schechner, Whole Theatre (1971–1990) and Voices of Earth (1988–2000), the latter two with Olympia Dukakis as a co-director. Her theatre work included years of acting, directing and teaching as well as creating workshops for a wide spectrum of institutions, schools and universities. In 2002, she graduated as a civil celebrant and celebrant trainer in New Jersey, and from 2004 in Australia. She retired in 2016.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Messenger, Dally, Murphy's Law and the Pursuit of Happiness: a History of the Civil Celebrant Movement, Spectrum Publications, Melbourne (Australia), 2012 ISBN   978-0-86786-169-3
  2. Grimes, Ronald L. (2000). Deeply into the bone : re-inventing rites of passage. Berkeley: University of California Press. p. 87ff. ISBN   0520236750.
  3. Marriage Act 1961, Canberra, Australia, as amended at 1 July 1914, Section 43
  4. Dally Messenger III. "The Power of an Idea". International College of Celebrancy. Retrieved 2014-01-11.
  5. Messenger, Dally (1999). Ceremonies & celebrations : vows, tributes and readings. Port Melbourne, Vic.: Lothian. ISBN   0734400136. and as ebook
  6. "Funeral Celebrant Short Course". International College of Celebrancy (Est.1995). 23 February 2017. Retrieved 22 April 2021.
  7. Australia Marriage Act Regulations, Celebrant Code of Practice, Attorney General's Department, Canberra, Regulation 37L, 5(g)
  8. Day, E. Jane (1995). How to perform under pressure : by control of voice and nerves. Lower Plenty, Vic.: Daybreak Publishing. ISBN   1875584137.
  9. Day, Jane E. (2000). Winning your audience. Black Rock, Vic.: Day, E Jane. ISBN   0646393995.
  10. Messenger, Dally (13 January 2014). "Celebrants: Bad Management: Excessive numbers". International College of Celebrancy (Est.1995). Retrieved 22 April 2021.
  11. See for example "Arizona Revised Statutes: 25-124. Persons authorized to perform marriage ceremony; definition" . Retrieved 2008-05-30.
  12. 1 2 "Celebrant USA Foundation launches in Montclair". The Montclair Times, New Jersey. 13 June 2002.
  13. Birkbeck, Matt (2001-08-01). "Ceremonies For Any Occasion". The New York Times . Retrieved 2008-05-30.
  14. "Richard Pryor Got the Last Laugh at His Celebrant Funeral Service". newswise. Retrieved 2008-02-07.
  15. "New Jersey Department of State - Certified Civil Celebrants". nj.gov. Retrieved 23 April 2021.
  16. "Application From for Civil Celebrant Certification" (PDF). New Jersey Department of State. New Jersey State Government. Retrieved 23 April 2021.
  17. Wilson, Sherryl (2018). CANZ from the beginning : a history of the Celebrants' Association of New Zealand. Wellington: Celebrants Association of New Zealand. ISBN   978-0-473-44837-0.
  18. "Events & Workshops | Dead Good Guides" . Retrieved 2023-03-16.
  19. "A Hand on the Tiller | Total Theatre Magazine Print Archive". totaltheatre.org.uk. Retrieved 2023-03-16.