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Meaningful they may be, but Christian engagement rings don’t actually have a biblical tradition or any connection with Jesus. Christian engagement rings are actually historically derived from pagan traditions, as is a lot of other religious jewelry, with many non-Christian cultures embracing the ring as a representation of fertility and endless love.
Christian engagement ring tradition
The tradition of an engagement or betrothal ring stems from Roman times where the giving of a ring was a public pledge to honor the promises made between the groom and bride. The origin of a Christian engagement ring apparently dates from early Christian marriages where the priest would touch three fingers on the left hand while intoning: ‘In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost’, after which he would gently tap the fourth finger. Over time the fourth finger became known as the ring finger and Anglican Book of Common Prayer referred to the left hand as the ‘marriage hand’.
Infinity, purity and eternity
The Celts, the Romans and the Ancient Egyptians all believed a circular band was a symbol of infinity, purity, endlessness and eternity. It is not difficult to see how this symbol evolved to represent commitment and also that true love waits for the right time to join together. The jewels used in the making of engagement rings also have their own special meanings: a ruby symbolize the heart, a sapphire the heavens above and a diamond the indestructibility of true love. The Celts used knots as symbols of love that has no starting point or end. In England, the Banns, which stem from the tradition of blessing the bands to ward off bad spirits and bring the wearers of the rings good luck in marriage, are still read. Such superstition is not in the Jesus tradition.
According to some feminists, a so-called christian ring merely represents an excuse for the public display of a man’s wealth (‘Buy her a solitaire diamond and show her you care’) and his ownership of a woman (men don’t wear engagement rings). It’s unlikely their popularity will fade, but, just like the institute of marriage, there will always be just a little controversy over the idea of Christian engagement rings.
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