Protecting Minister Rights in Tennessee

Take action in Tennessee

Join us in our efforts to roll back this unjust law. Below are some steps you can take to make your voice heard, and help Tennessee's legislature understand the impact of the new marriage law.

We are now offering a special Tennessee Minister Ordination Package, for our ministers who still would like the credentials and materials to officiate a wedding. This package also includes a letter to Governor Bill Lee for you to sign in the hopes of reversing this unfortunate law.

1. Contact your local county clerk and ask them how you are to proceed with weddings that are already planned. Be sure to ask them what steps you can take to ensure that your ordination is recognized, or if not, what you should do.
2. Contact your local representative and voice your opposition to this new law. The law seems to have been passed with little publicity or debate, and we suspect that most representatives were unaware of how their vote would negatively impact their constituents.
3. File a complaint with the Tennessee Human Rights Commission. Explain that this new law allows the state to arbitrate religious decisions that only individuals can make. Only the couple should be allowed to decide what sort of religious leader can perform their wedding. Under the new law, this decision has been granted to government officials.

Tennessee Disclaimer

Due to a recently-enacted law, ordinations granted through AMM’s online ordination application may not qualify ministers in Tennessee to legally solemnize marriage. While AMM strongly disagrees with this legislation and is advocating to fully restore the rights of its Tennessee ministers, AMM cannot guarantee that weddings performed by ministers we have ordained online will be legally recognized in Tennessee. Individual ministers must ensure that they are in compliance with Tennessee marriage laws.

The foregoing paragraph does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice; instead, all information, content, and materials available on this site are for general informational purposes only.

Contact your attorney to obtain advice with respect to any particular legal matter. No reader, user, or browser of this site should act or refrain from acting on the basis of information on this site without first seeking legal advice from counsel in the relevant jurisdiction.