Become an Interfaith Minister online and celebrate unique differences and shared values in marriage

 

Interfaith marriages are becoming more common in the United States and around the world, and couples are finding creative and beautiful ways to include multiple faith traditions in the marriage ceremony. 

 

This means that interfaith ministers are more important than ever in the wedding world! 

 

These caring officiants meet with couples before the ceremony to talk about which traditions and spiritual practices are most important to them. With a little research and creativity, they are able to design wedding ceremonies that include elements that are special to each partner to celebrate unique cultures and shared values.

There are many creative examples of interfaith wedding traditions! Here are just a few: 

 

• A Jewish-Muslim couple might enjoy a mangni ceremony to exchange rings and gifts with their families before the wedding, and are later married by an interfaith officiant under a chuppah. 

 

Related: Muslim & Jewish Intercultural Wedding Ceremony Script

 

• A Christian partner and a nonreligious Humanist partner might include a unity candle ceremony that resonates with them in different ways – both as a symbol of Jesus as the Light of the World, and as a symbol of the joy, passion, and love they share as they walk through life together.

 

Related: Muslim & Christian Interfaith Wedding Ceremony Script

 

• Pagans in an interfaith or inter-religious relationship might include natural elements like flowers, herbs, crystals, water, and fire in the ceremonial space, while their partner chooses a meaningful reading from literature or scripture.

 

• Some rituals, like a moment of remembrance or a moment of silence to honor lost loved ones and ancestors often transcend faiths and cultures, and are included by couples of many diverse backgrounds. 

 

Related: Jewish & Christian Interfaith Wedding Script with Breaking the Glass Ritual

 

• Handfasting is a popular ritual that appears in many different religions and cultures, with variations in the type or color of cord used and how the handfasting knot is tied or wrapped. Some Buddhist traditions use a red string (symbolizing good luck), for example, while Pagan practitioners of Irish or Scottish descent might use a braided cord of green, white, and red ribbons (symbolizing luck, fidelity, and passion). Handfastings are chosen by many interfaith and interspiritual couples, including interfaith Pagans (A Wiccan marrying a Druid, for example); Pagan-Christian couples; Buddhist-Humanist couples; and many others. 

 

Click the link below to see more unity rituals and ceremonies: 

 

• Unity Ritual Wedding Ideas & Inspiration

 

 

Photo: Kobus Louw / iStock

There are many variations of the unity candle ritual for interfaith couples to choose from, and a good wedding officiant can write a custom ceremony script that honors both partner's faith and culture. In one variation, mothers of the couple light two small candles and then pass them to the couple, which they use to light the larger unity candle. 

How to Become an Interfaith Minister Online with AMM

 

Interfaith ministers can become ordained online through American Marriage Ministries (AMM). AMM is a nondenominational internet church that offers ordination and training for ministers who wish to perform marriage ceremonies. We ordain people from all faiths and backgrounds, including agnostics and atheists. 

 

• Get Ordained Online with AMM here

 

Once you have been ordained online with AMM, you might need to register as a minister with your state before you perform a marriage ceremony. Click the link below to see if minister registration is required in the state (or states) where you want to officiate marriage: 

 

• Weddings By State: Minister Registration Requirements
   

 

Photo: LumiNola / iStock

Interfaith ministers, celebrants, and wedding officiants can create beautiful, personal wedding ceremonies for interfaith couples. These ceremonies include might include readings, prayers, music, unique cultural traditions, and diverse spiritual rituals, depending on the couple and their families.

 

What is an Interfaith Minister?

 

Interfaith Ministers study different religions, cultures, and spiritual paths in order to better understand and appreciate the richness of the human spiritual experience. Knowledgeable interfaith ministers are always learning, expanding their awareness of diverse marriage rituals and how to perform them, and deepening their compassion for people from all backgrounds. 

 

Interfaith ministers might come from multifaith and multicultural backgrounds themselves, or they might simply be drawn to the universal experiences shared by humankind – the experiences that unite us all. Experiences with love, friendship, joy, sadness, childhood, and even death. 

 

Related: What is an Interfaith, or Non-Denominational Church?

 

Interfaith ministers and celebrants lead ceremonies that celebrate milestones in life, including multicultural baby blessings, naming ceremonies, quinceaneras, bar and bat mitzvah and other coming of age ceremonies, marriages, funerals, and more. They help interfaith and multicultural families honor their emotions and experiences, provide insight on spiritual matters, and help to bridge apparent divides in faiths to find common ground and shared values. 

 

Photo: Delmaine Donson / iStock
Interfaith minister online ordination is free and easy with AMM. Our church is an accredited nonprofit organization, and our ordinations are legal and recognized in every state* (it's much harder in Virginia, where we're looking into our options).  You can find the online application here, it only takes a minute to complete. 

 

What do you call an Interfaith Minister? 

 

If you have been ordained online with American Marriage Ministries, your title is ‘Minister.’ 

 

Some AMM Ministers call themselves an ‘Interfaith Minister’ or ‘Interfaith Officiant’ to stand out from other officiants and make it easier for the couples who need their services to find them. 

 

See the answer to this question and more by visiting AMM's FAQs. 

 

• AMM FAQ: What is My Title Once I Get Ordained Online?

 

Ready to get started? Become an Interfaith Minister Online with Ordination through AMM! 

 

• Get ordained online with American Marriage Ministries here

 

 

(Above:  Minister Maria Reyes Martinez ; See more ministers wearing our stole here)
Looking for an interfaith minister stole? The AMM Officiant Stole is made from high quality satin and embroidered with our iconic joined rings and three stars – a powerful symbol of marriage.

 

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You might also like: 

 

• An Intro to Interfaith & Interspiritual Wedding Ceremonies

 

• Online Ordination for Modern Pagans: Why it’s So Important, Especially Now

 

• Creating ‘Spiritual But Not Religious’ Weddings & Lasting Marriages with Rev. Dr. Samora Smith

 

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