Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!sdd.hp.com!wuarchive!bcm!dimacs.rutgers.edu!aramis.rutgers.edu!porthos.rutgers.edu!christian From: mib@geech.ai.mit.edu (Michael I. Bushnell) Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: Re: divorce and remarriage Message-ID: Date: 2 Nov 90 08:49:35 GMT Sender: hedrick@porthos.rutgers.edu Organization: /home/fsf/mib/.organization Lines: 72 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu Jennifer Irani asked about the justification of divorce by Christians in churches which permit divorce and remarraige. The PCUSA has for quite some time allowed the marraige of divorced persons. The Westminster Confession reads as follows: In the UPCUSA amended version: Because the corruption of man is unduly to put asunder those whom God has joined together in marriage, and because the Church is concerned with the establishment of marriage in the Lord as Scripture sets it forth, and with the present penitence as well as with the past innocence or guilt of those whose marriage has been broken; therefore as a breach of that holy relation may occasion divorce, so remarriage after a divorce granted on grounds explicitly stated in Scripture or implicit in the gospel of Christ may be sanctioned in keeping with his redemptive gospel, when sufficient penitence for sin a failure is evident, and a firm purpose of and endeavor after Christian marriage is manifest. (Book of Confessions, 6.132) In the PCUS amended version: It is the divine intention that persons entering the marriage covenant become inseparably united, thus allowing for no dissolution save that caused by the death of either husband or wife. However, the weaknesses of one or both partners may lead to gross and persistent denial of the marriage vows so that marriage dies at the heart and the union becomes intolerable; yet only in cases of extreme, unrepented-of, and irremediable unfaithfulness (physical or spiritual) should separation or divorce be considered. Such separation or divorce is accepted as permissible only because of the failure of one or both of the partners, and does not lessen in any way the divine intention for indissoluble union. The remarriage of divorced persons may be sanctioned by the church, in keeping with the redemptive gospel of Christ, when sufficient penitence for sin and failure is evident, and a firm purpose of and endeavor after Christian marriage is manifested. Divorced persons should give prayerful thought to discover if God's vocation for them is to remain unmarried, since one failure in this realm raises serious question as to the rightness and wisdom of undertaking another union. (Book of Confessions, 6.137 - 6.139) Also, note that the Directory for Worship recommends "Services of Acceptance and Reconciliation" for recognizing and acknowledging "one's own responsibility in the brokenness and failure of a relationship ... in marriage" as a "significant move toward wholeness." Such a service is for "acknowledgement and recognition of failure in relationships, [for] grieving together over the loss of relationship, and [for] mutual forgiveness and reconciliation within the believing community." In the statement on "Diversity and Inclusiveness" the Book of Order affirms that "Persons of ... different marital conditions (married, single, widowed, or divorced) shall be guaranteed full participation and access to representation in the decision making of the church." (G-4.0403) -- Michael I. Bushnell \ This above all; to thine own self be true LIBERTE, EGALITE, FRATERNITE \ And it must follow, as the night the day, mike@unmvax.cs.unm.edu /\ Thou canst not be false to any man. CARPE DIEM / \ Farewell: my blessing season this in thee!