The aim of this article to take a look at and assess the current     situation in South Africa regarding marriages and civil unions from a Christian theological and     historical perspective. The question to be answered is: Where do churches stand with regard to     marriages and civil unions? Are they merely to accept the way current laws on face value arguing     that the state has the right to make laws and to enforce them and churches just have to obey the     laws of the state or does the human rights of freedom of religion and freedom of association as     part of state legislation give churches the options to exercise their faith identity in the     matters of marriage and civil unions?