Marriage counsellor George Luttrodt has criticised churches in Ghana for what he describes as their role in shaping a misleading perception of marriage, particularly the tendency to equate civil weddings with Christian marriage.

Speaking in an interview on Accra FM’s mid-day news on Thursday, January 15, Mr. Luttrodt argued that churches have contributed to public confusion by endorsing civil marriages as though they were synonymous with marriages sanctioned by God.

“It is the fault of the churches. The church made us think that if we do a civil marriage and that is a wedding, it is approved as God’s marriage,” he said.

Reflecting on earlier practices within Pentecostal churches, Mr. Luttrodt noted that church leaders previously took a more practical and supportive approach before approving marriages.

According to him, churches would assess a man’s readiness for marriage by checking whether he had basic necessities such as accommodation, furniture and household items, and would sometimes support couples who fell short.

He lamented that such practices have faded, leading to situations where individuals, particularly women, are reprimanded or excluded from church activities for becoming pregnant outside marriage.

Mr. Luttrodt stressed that while there is nothing sinful about weddings, civil, traditional and Christian marriages are fundamentally different.

He explained that traditional marriage in Ghana allows polygamy, while a wedding under civil or church law enforces monogamy unless a legal divorce is obtained.

“It is the church that has helped the nation put dust in people’s eyes, making them believe this is God’s marriage.

Civil marriage is not necessarily Christian marriage,” he stated.

He further revealed that despite Ghana being largely monogamous in practice, statistics between 2024 and 2025 indicate that about 95 per cent of monogamous marriages in the country are not officially registered.

Commenting on contemporary marriage practices, Mr. Luttrodt expressed concern that many marriages today are entered into on a trial-and-error basis, without adequate understanding or preparation.

“Too many marriages are trial and error. No one really knows marriage; everyone is trying to see if it will work out,” he said, urging couples to seek guidance from experienced counsellors before making lifelong commitments.

He also cautioned women against men who claim they want to “test character” before marriage, describing such intentions as dishonest.

“If a man says he wants to see your character before marriage, he is a bad man. Don’t allow it,” he advised.

Mr. Luttrodt concluded by urging individuals to approach marriage with clarity and understanding, warning that entering into marriage blindly could lead to its eventual collapse.