What are the rules (or sin) with regards to divorce?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Everyone sins; sins that would disqualify you from Church leadership would be something you refuse to admit is a sin or repent from.

I don’t think someone divorced and remarried should serve in Church leadership unless there was adultery. The Bible rules need to apply to everybody. I’m not even sure if someone estranged from their spouse should serve in leadership as Church leaders need to be models for everyone else.

My mother left my father and legally divorced. However, even though our priest offered her an annulment (my father was/is a terror), my mother refused and still considers herself “married” even though she has not seen my father in 20 years. She has never dated anyone since then. That’s her interpretation of the Bible!

So someone who divorced because she or he was abused (but no adultery) should be prohibited from serving in church leadership, according to what you write here, PP.

You're OK with their divorcing an abusive spouse but would bar them from serving a church.

How would you explain that to an abuse victim who left an abuser and who also had a God-given gift for leadership? "Find a different outlet for serving God because your victimhood disqualifies you from certain forms of service"--?

I would rather hew closer to the Bible and historical precedent.

How do you know if someone has a "God-given gift for leadership?" What does that mean? I'm not sure what kind of situation you are talking about, or what kind of "leadership" position, or what kind of "abuse." My parents were in an abusive marriage- my father was worse but I saw for myself that both parties were abusive and did not handle things in a sane, "Christian" fashion.

Are you saying an abused person who leaves their spouse and re-marries should be allowed into Church leadership? Or someone who is just separated from their spouse? If the former, I would disagree with that. Possibly even the latter. It's a complicated situation, but no, I don't think someone in that scenario should be in Church leadership.

Mind you my own mother was in that situation but I think that often abusive relationships have a lot more going on than just one spouse beating down the other. I think it would be up to the priest/pastor and other leadership to determine, but I would hew closely to the Bible. You absolutely can find other ways to serve. It doesn't seem fair, and I know that, but I have noticed that once you start taking liberties with Biblical teaching or going your own way everything starts going in a bad direction. That's just my experience and discretion. I think there are a lot of policies in different churches.

Curious now if you also hew to the Bible on women not having leadership over men.

I'm guessing yes, or that you think women can be "leaders" but not as ordained ministers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Everyone sins; sins that would disqualify you from Church leadership would be something you refuse to admit is a sin or repent from.

I don’t think someone divorced and remarried should serve in Church leadership unless there was adultery. The Bible rules need to apply to everybody. I’m not even sure if someone estranged from their spouse should serve in leadership as Church leaders need to be models for everyone else.

My mother left my father and legally divorced. However, even though our priest offered her an annulment (my father was/is a terror), my mother refused and still considers herself “married” even though she has not seen my father in 20 years. She has never dated anyone since then. That’s her interpretation of the Bible!

So someone who divorced because she or he was abused (but no adultery) should be prohibited from serving in church leadership, according to what you write here, PP.

You're OK with their divorcing an abusive spouse but would bar them from serving a church.

How would you explain that to an abuse victim who left an abuser and who also had a God-given gift for leadership? "Find a different outlet for serving God because your victimhood disqualifies you from certain forms of service"--?

I would rather hew closer to the Bible and historical precedent.

How do you know if someone has a "God-given gift for leadership?" What does that mean? I'm not sure what kind of situation you are talking about, or what kind of "leadership" position, or what kind of "abuse." My parents were in an abusive marriage- my father was worse but I saw for myself that both parties were abusive and did not handle things in a sane, "Christian" fashion.

Are you saying an abused person who leaves their spouse and re-marries should be allowed into Church leadership? Or someone who is just separated from their spouse? If the former, I would disagree with that. Possibly even the latter. It's a complicated situation, but no, I don't think someone in that scenario should be in Church leadership.

Mind you my own mother was in that situation but I think that often abusive relationships have a lot more going on than just one spouse beating down the other. I think it would be up to the priest/pastor and other leadership to determine, but I would hew closely to the Bible. You absolutely can find other ways to serve. It doesn't seem fair, and I know that, but I have noticed that once you start taking liberties with Biblical teaching or going your own way everything starts going in a bad direction. That's just my experience and discretion. I think there are a lot of policies in different churches.

Curious now if you also hew to the Bible on women not having leadership over men.

I'm guessing yes, or that you think women can be "leaders" but not as ordained ministers.

I know the quotes indicate you think other "leaders" are second-tier. The Biblical verses on women leadership in the Church are less clear-cut in my opinion, but my church does not ordain women. Perhaps eventually they will change, but I would rather have the Church always have a Biblical reason for something than to just change to keep up with modernity. The Church is still an institution run by imperfect people, so it will never be perfect. As long as there is an effort to follow the Bible I am ok with it. Divorce in particular is something Jesus actually spoke about, so we know that marriage and divorce are very important. In other aspects of life I am pretty liberal but when it comes to Church I think abandoning the scriptural authority just always goes so badly.