According to Dally Messenger and Alain de Botton, in most Western countries the values and ideals articulated in both church and civil ceremonies are generally similar. The difference is in what Messenger calls … See more

According to Dally Messenger III secular ceremonies are "roadmap" influences which lead to an acceptable, ethical and dignified life. Ceremonies contribute to the unseen ingredients … See more

Lionel Murphy also knew that the superficial, the unaware, were not the right persons to bring this about. The civil celebrant needs to have a rich skill-set and knowledge base. Murphy is on the record as asserting that the civil celebrant needed to have a "feel" for … See more

Other, society-wide ceremonies may mark annual or seasonal or recurrent events such as:
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The main impetus to the development of quality civil ceremonies in the Western world was the foresight of the Australian statesman, senator … See more

To be powerful and effective, such ceremonies, in the view of all the scholars in the field, had to have impact. This occurred when the … See more

• Marriage, or a wedding, is the flagship ceremony of every culture.
• Almost as important is the funeral or burial ceremony.
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