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Line 43: − + − Mennonite founder Menno Simons (ca. 1496-1561) clarified the Anabaptist position on divorce, based directly on the words of Christ and of the Apostle Paul, with adultery being the only acceptable ground for divorce. + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + − + − + − + − However, the statement of position and policy adopted on June 24, 1983, by the Southeastern Mennonite Conference, states+ − :Scripturally, there is nothing which breaks the marriage bond except death. The act of adultery does not dissolve the marriage bond, although it decidedly affects the quality of a marriage relationship and leaves a permanent scar on the persons involved. A legal document called divorce, from God's point of view, does not break the marriage bond, else remarriage would not be adultery. Even the conversion of one of two unbelieving married partners does not dissolve the marriage bond. If the unbelieving partner should leave, the marriage bond continues. Statement of Position on Divorce and Remarriage+ − ===Wesleyan Church===+ − The Wesleyan Church states, + − + Line 72:
Line 91: − + + + + + + − Reformed Church in America stated[http://www.accsd.org/Reformed.html] that + − :God's intention for marriage is permanency. Divorce involves sin. There are only two permissible grounds for divorce: adultery, based on the exceptive clause in Matthew 19:9, and desertion of the believing spouse by the unbeliever, based upon the so-called "Pauline Privilege" in I Corinthians 7:15.<ref> Understanding Protestant Churches of North America (2003) by Shelly Steig,</ref> + − ===Evangelical Presbyterian Church===+ − + + − + − + − + Line 92:
Line 117: − + + + − Due to the autonomous nature of the Southern Baptist churches, the largest Protestant denomination, there is no universal policy within the Convention that addresses divorce, though consistent with their general conservatism, they are expected to be strict, as historically it was.<ref>Divorce, annulments, and the Catholic Church, by Richard J. Jenks, Craig A Everett p. 29</ref><ref> http://www.sbc.net/resolutions/amResolution.asp?ID=441</ref> One study showed that among Southern Baptists, the top five issues of concern were divorce (53 percent), negative influences from the media (38 percent), materialism (36 percent), absentee fathers (29 percent) and latch-key kids (23 percent).<ref>[http://www.lifeway.com/lwc/article_main_page/0,1703,A=158643&M=50011,00.html Divorce, Media & Materialism Top List of Threats to Family]</ref>+ − Liberal denominations tend to allow or advocate lesser restraints. Their position statements on such often lack substance. + − ===Evangelical Lutheran===+ − + + + − + − In ''Common Convictions'', adopted by the Church Council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America on November 9, 1996, the section on "The ending of a marriage" ambiguously states, + − :In some situations, however, divorce may be the better option.+ Line 120:
Line 149: − + − In ancient time Roman [[Catholics]] could possibly obtain divorces for either of the two traditional reasons,<ref>Dissolution and annulment of marriage by the Catholic Church, by Eileen F. Stuart, p. 82</ref> Later Canon law does not admit divorce. [[Catholic Church|The Catholic Church]] has a process of [[annulment]] based on the non-fulfilment of any of the religious marriage requirements, such as individual freedom or a previous unmarried state. In addition, various other conditions are recognized as possible grounds for annulment. Technically, an annulment is not a divorce but a declaration that a valid marriage never took place. Current available statistics show 53,885 annulments were granted to Catholics in the United States<ref>Vatican's 2004 Statistical Yearbook of the Church</ref> and 638,705 from 1984 to 705, the large majority being for "defective consent", meaning deceit by one of the parties.<ref>What God has joined together, pp. 25,26, by Robert H. Vasoli</ref> Other common grounds for annulment include "lack of due discretion" in choosing a spouse, "psychic incapacity" to fulfill marital obligations, "defect of form", referring to a marriage that was not performed in the Catholic Church, and "prior bond", meaning one of the partners was married to someone else at the time of the wedding.<ref>John T. Catoir, J.C.D., "Understanding Annulments," St. Anthony Messenger, 1998; http://www.twopaths.com/faq_marriage.htm</ref>. + − In the 2004 Presidential election season many devout Catholics were scandalized by Senator [[John Kerry]], now married to his second wife, taking [[Communion|Holy Communion]] without having obtained an annulment. Some charge the Catholicism with engaging in deception by using annulments to circumvent its prohibition on divorce,<ref>Catholic Divorce: The Deception of Annulments, Pierre Hegy, Joseph Martos (Editors)</ref> while it is pointed out that the Bible considered people married even when joined under conditions which might quality as grounds for annulments.<ref>[http://peacebyjesus.witnesstoday.org/papalpresumption.html Papal Presumption]</ref> + − − The current catechism states, in part, − − :The remarriage of persons divorced from a living, lawful spouse contravenes the plan and law of God as taught by Christ. They are not separated from the Church, but they cannot receive Eucharistic communion.<ref>Catechism of the Catholic Church, (c) 1994, 1997; #1665</ref>
Alphabetized list, and added CMA and OCA
==Denominational positions==
==Denominational positions==
Most Protestant churches permit divorce, but encourage marriage counseling services or pastoral discussion first to save a marriage, saving divorce as a last resort. Sometimes the local pastor has exclusive authority over the marital business of his church, with only minimal policymaking from above. Most [[conservative]] [[Protestantism|Protestant]] denominations restrict divorce to one or two conditions, and allow remarriage in the case of the innocent victim.
Most Protestant churches permit divorce, but encourage marriage counseling services or pastoral discussion first to save a marriage, saving divorce as a last resort. Sometimes the local pastor has exclusive authority over the marital business of his church, with only minimal policymaking from above. Most [[conservative]] [[Protestantism|Protestant]] denominations restrict divorce to one or two conditions, and allow remarriage in the case of the innocent victim. Liberal denominations tend to allow or advocate lesser restraints. Their position statements on such often lack substance.
===Assemblies of God===
===Assemblies of God===
:This shows that a married person who divorces a sexually immoral spouse does not cause that spouse to commit adultery, since the offender is already guilty of adultery. Paul also included an exception on behalf of the innocent spouse. In cases where unbelieving spouses were unwilling to live with partners who had become believers, Paul advised, “If the unbeliever leaves, let him do so. A believing man or woman is not bound [not “enslaved,” douloō] in such circumstances; God has called us to live in peace" (1Corinthians 7:15). “Not bound” is a strong expression that appears to mean the believer is set free. Therefore, the meaning seems to be that the believer is free to remarry. <ref>[http://ag.org/top/Beliefs/Position_Papers/pp_downloads/pp_4189_divorce_remarriage.pdf AG Position Papers: Divorce and Remarriage Application of Biblical Principles]</ref>
:This shows that a married person who divorces a sexually immoral spouse does not cause that spouse to commit adultery, since the offender is already guilty of adultery. Paul also included an exception on behalf of the innocent spouse. In cases where unbelieving spouses were unwilling to live with partners who had become believers, Paul advised, “If the unbeliever leaves, let him do so. A believing man or woman is not bound [not “enslaved,” douloō] in such circumstances; God has called us to live in peace" (1Corinthians 7:15). “Not bound” is a strong expression that appears to mean the believer is set free. Therefore, the meaning seems to be that the believer is free to remarry. <ref>[http://ag.org/top/Beliefs/Position_Papers/pp_downloads/pp_4189_divorce_remarriage.pdf AG Position Papers: Divorce and Remarriage Application of Biblical Principles]</ref>
===Mennonites===
===Christian and Missionary Alliance===
The CMA perspective based on an Instructional Statement of The Christian and Missionary Alliance states (in part),
:Divorce is a departure from the purposes of God. Jesus explained that provisions for divorce in the Old Testament were an accommodation to the hardness of people’s hearts and a necessary evil (Matt. 19:8; 19:6).
:While divorce is always contrary to God’s intentions, it is permitted in certain circumstances. Jesus said in Matthew 5:32 and again in Matthew 19:9 that a person is not to divorce his or her spouse except for the cause of fornication. The Greek word used for “fornication” refers to habitual sexual immorality. It implies all kinds of immorality, including adultery, which desecrates the marriage relationship.
:When one partner of a divorce has become involved in adultery, the offended spouse is permitted—though not required—to get a divorce. If an unsaved husband or wife refuses to continue to live with his or her spouse and departs, the believer may agree to this separation (1 Corinthians 7:15). Such separations may result in divorce, and in that case the Christian is guilty of no wrong.
:When an adulterous relationship has brought about a divorce, the party who is innocent of adultery has a right to remarry (Matthew 5:32). The right to marry anyone guilty of adultery is denied and as well as to marry anyone who obtained divorce for the express purpose of remarriage (Mark 10:11–12).
:According to 1 Corinthians 7, remarriage on grounds of desertion alone is not permitted. When two unbelievers have been divorced and one is subsequently converted and neither has remarried, the Christian should attempt to restore the marriage. If the non-Christian refuses, this makes the marriage the same as the kind described in 1 Corinthians 7:15.
:If a person is divorced on other than the above scriptural grounds and his or her former partner remarries, that partner by remarrying has, according to scriptural standards (Matt. 5:32 and 19:9), committed adultery and has dissolved the original relationship.
:Persons who remarry after being divorced on other than scriptural grounds are guilty of adultery (Matthew 5:32). A Christian clergyman should not perform such marriages.<ref>[http://www.cmalliance.org/about/beliefs/perspectives/divorce Divorce and Remarriage]</ref>
===Evangelical Lutheran===
In a non-binding, declaration, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, without providing clear criteria states,
:And also, that the bond of undefiled, honorable matrimony is so unchangeably bound in the kingdom and government of Christ that neither a man nor a woman can forsake one the other, and take another, understand rightly what Christ says, except it be for fornication, Matthew 19:9.Divorce has not permitted among the Anabaptists and Mennonites from the earliest times to the mid-20th century except for the cause of adultery, in accordance with the Biblical standard as found in Matthew 19:9, although separation (either legal or privately arranged) was generally allowed.
:If after careful consideration the marriage relationship is deemed beyond repair, and the effects of continuing the marriage to be more destructive of the welfare or persons than divorce, the decision for divorce may be recognized as a responsible choice, the lesser of several evils in a fallen world....Remarriage of divorced persons is neither forbidden nor automatically endorsed by The American Lutheran Church.<ref>Teachings and Practice on Marriage, Divorce, and Remarriage. A Social Statement of the American Lutheran Church, a predecessor church body of the ELCA (1982)</ref>
The Wismar Resolutions of 1554, (as quoted in Mennonitisches Lexikon I, 530) stated:
In ''Common Convictions'', adopted by the Church Council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America on November 9, 1996, the section on "The ending of a marriage" ambiguously states,
:Adultery on the part of one member breaks the marriage relationship. However, the responsible party may return to re-establish the relationship provided he (or she) gives evidence of due repentance and a changed life. In cases of deliberate adultery, the innocent party may be free to remarry after consulting with the congregation." The position taken by the Hutterian Brethren was ". . . that nothing can break the marriage bond except adultery. In cases where a man is married to an unbelieving woman, and she desires to live with him, he may not divorce her (nor vice versa). If the unbelieving husband threatens her faith or hinders the training of the children in the faith, she may divorce her husband, but must not remarry so long as that man is living.<ref>[http://www.gameo.org/encyclopedia/contents/D59ME.html The Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online (GAMEO) "Divorce and Remarriage]</ref>
:In some situations, however, divorce may be the better option.
===Evangelical Presbyterian Church===
The Evangelical Presbyterian Church Position Paper on Divorce & Remarriage (adopted at the 15th General Assembly, June 1995) states that,
:...marriage is a sworn fidelity, whereby God joins a man and a woman in life-long companionship. Nevertheless, divorce is permitted only in circumstances of grave repudiation of the marriage covenant, namely adultery and willful, irremediable desertion.
:[[Adultery]] is a radical breach of marital fidelity, violating the commitment of exclusive conjugal love...Christ's teaching is that if a divorce takes place on any other grounds than that of marital unfaithfulness, it can have no sanction from God, and any new marriage which follows is an adulterous act, since from God's standpoint the original couple is still married to each other. Matthew 19:9 indicates that a valid divorce (on the grounds of marital unfaithfulness) entails the right to remarry...
:The only scriptural grounds for considering divorce is the sexual sin of the spouse such as adultery, homosexual behavior, bestiality, or incest. Appropriate counseling to restore the relationship must always precede a consideration of divorce. To obtain a divorce on other than scriptural grounds is a sin against God and man. Such putting asunder of what God has joined is a direct and deliberate act of disobedience against both the Law and the Gospel. It separates one from God and subjects a member to Church discipline (5350; 5370). (Discipline 265:10; 410:6) Divorce, however sinful the act and however serious the consequences, is not unpardonable. A redeemed sinner or reclaimed backslider is “free” to marry “in the Lord” or to remain unmarried...<ref>[http://www.wesleyan.org/bgs/assets/downloads/down.php?dfile=Standing%20Firm.pdf Standing Firm 10-17-01]</ref>
:Desertion is the destruction of the marriage which the Christian spouse was unable to prevent. The believer in such a case is not bound (that is, he or she is free to divorce and remarry); for Paul says, "God has called us to live in peace." (1 Cor. 7:15)<ref>[http://www.epc.org/about-the-epc/position-papers/divorce--remarriage Position Paper on Divorce & Remarriage]</ref>
===Lutheran Church, Missouri Synod===
===Lutheran Church, Missouri Synod===
:A person who divorces his/her spouse for any other cause than sexual unfaithfulness and marries another commits adultery. have no prohibition on divorce.<ref>[http://www.lcms.org/pages/internal.asp?NavID=2128 How is divorce viewed in the LCMS?]</ref>
:A person who divorces his/her spouse for any other cause than sexual unfaithfulness and marries another commits adultery. have no prohibition on divorce.<ref>[http://www.lcms.org/pages/internal.asp?NavID=2128 How is divorce viewed in the LCMS?]</ref>
===Reformed Church in America===
===Mennonites===
Mennonite founder Menno Simons (ca. 1496-1561) clarified the Anabaptist position on divorce, based directly on the words of Christ and of the Apostle Paul, with adultery being the only acceptable ground for divorce.
:And also, that the bond of undefiled, honorable matrimony is so unchangeably bound in the kingdom and government of Christ that neither a man nor a woman can forsake one the other, and take another, understand rightly what Christ says, except it be for fornication, Matthew 19:9.Divorce has not permitted among the Anabaptists and Mennonites from the earliest times to the mid-20th century except for the cause of adultery, in accordance with the Biblical standard as found in Matthew 19:9, although separation (either legal or privately arranged) was generally allowed.
The Wismar Resolutions of 1554, (as quoted in Mennonitisches Lexikon I, 530) stated:
:Adultery on the part of one member breaks the marriage relationship. However, the responsible party may return to re-establish the relationship provided he (or she) gives evidence of due repentance and a changed life. In cases of deliberate adultery, the innocent party may be free to remarry after consulting with the congregation." The position taken by the Hutterian Brethren was ". . . that nothing can break the marriage bond except adultery. In cases where a man is married to an unbelieving woman, and she desires to live with him, he may not divorce her (nor vice versa). If the unbelieving husband threatens her faith or hinders the training of the children in the faith, she may divorce her husband, but must not remarry so long as that man is living.<ref>[http://www.gameo.org/encyclopedia/contents/D59ME.html The Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online (GAMEO) "Divorce and Remarriage]</ref>
However, the statement of position and policy adopted on June 24, 1983, by the Southeastern Mennonite Conference, states
:Scripturally, there is nothing which breaks the marriage bond except death. The act of adultery does not dissolve the marriage bond, although it decidedly affects the quality of a marriage relationship and leaves a permanent scar on the persons involved. A legal document called divorce, from God's point of view, does not break the marriage bond, else remarriage would not be adultery. Even the conversion of one of two unbelieving married partners does not dissolve the marriage bond. If the unbelieving partner should leave, the marriage bond continues.<ref>Statement of Position on Divorce and Remarriage</ref>
The Evangelical Presbyterian Church Position Paper on Divorce & Remarriage (adopted at the 15th General Assembly, June 1995) states that,
===Orthodox Church in America===
The OCA takes a liberal position on divorce, as stated in the Q+A section of its official web site:
:...marriage is a sworn fidelity, whereby God joins a man and a woman in life-long companionship. Nevertheless, divorce is permitted only in circumstances of grave repudiation of the marriage covenant, namely adultery and willful, irremediable desertion.
:Regarding divorce, the Orthodox follow Christ in recognizing it as a tragedy and a lack of fulfillment of marriage as the reflection of divine love in the world. The Church teaches the uniqueness of marriage, if it will be perfect, and is opposed to divorce absolutely.
:[[Adultery]] is a radical breach of marital fidelity, violating the commitment of exclusive conjugal love...Christ's teaching is that if a divorce takes place on any other grounds than that of marital unfaithfulness, it can have no sanction from God, and any new marriage which follows is an adulterous act, since from God's standpoint the original couple is still married to each other. Matthew 19:9 indicates that a valid divorce (on the grounds of marital unfaithfulness) entails the right to remarry...
:If, however, a marriage breaks down and collapses, the Orthodox Church does in fact allow a second marriage, without excommunication, that is, exclusion from Holy Communion, if there is repentance and a good chance that the new alliance can be Christian.
:Desertion is the destruction of the marriage which the Christian spouse was unable to prevent. The believer in such a case is not bound (that is, he or she is free to divorce and remarry); for Paul says, "God has called us to live in peace." (1 Cor. 7:15)<ref>[http://www.epc.org/about-the-epc/position-papers/divorce--remarriage Position Paper on Divorce & Remarriage]</ref>
:More than one marriage in any case, however, is frowned upon. It is not allowed to the clergy, and the service of second marriage for laymen is a special rite different from the sacrament as originally celebrated.<ref>The Orthodox Church in America: Divorce, Birth Control, Abortion]</ref>
===Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)===
===Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)===
In 1992 the Presbyterian church stated in ''Minutes of the General Assembly" (p. 62) that divorce was allowed under Biblical grounds.
In 1992 the Presbyterian church stated in ''Minutes of the General Assembly" (p. 62) that divorce was allowed under Biblical grounds.
===Southern Baptist===
===Reformed Church in America===
Reformed Church in America stated[http://www.accsd.org/Reformed.html] that
:God's intention for marriage is permanency. Divorce involves sin. There are only two permissible grounds for divorce: adultery, based on the exceptive clause in Matthew 19:9, and desertion of the believing spouse by the unbeliever, based upon the so-called "Pauline Privilege" in I Corinthians 7:15.<ref> Understanding Protestant Churches of North America (2003) by Shelly Steig,</ref>
===Roman Catholicism===
In ancient time Roman [[Catholics]] could possibly obtain divorces for either of the two traditional reasons,<ref>Dissolution and annulment of marriage by the Catholic Church, by Eileen F. Stuart, p. 82</ref> Later Canon law does not admit divorce. [[Catholic Church|The Catholic Church]] has a process of [[annulment]] based on the non-fulfilment of any of the religious marriage requirements, such as individual freedom or a previous unmarried state. In addition, various other conditions are recognized as possible grounds for annulment. Technically, an annulment is not a divorce but a declaration that a valid marriage never took place. Current available statistics show 53,885 annulments were granted to Catholics in the United States<ref>Vatican's 2004 Statistical Yearbook of the Church</ref> and 638,705 from 1984 to 705, the large majority being for "defective consent", meaning deceit by one of the parties.<ref>What God has joined together, pp. 25,26, by Robert H. Vasoli</ref> Other common grounds for annulment include "lack of due discretion" in choosing a spouse, "psychic incapacity" to fulfill marital obligations, "defect of form", referring to a marriage that was not performed in the Catholic Church, and "prior bond", meaning one of the partners was married to someone else at the time of the wedding.<ref>John T. Catoir, J.C.D., "Understanding Annulments," St. Anthony Messenger, 1998; http://www.twopaths.com/faq_marriage.htm</ref>.
In a non-binding, declaration, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, without providing clear criteria states,
In the 2004 Presidential election season many devout Catholics were scandalized by Senator [[John Kerry]], now married to his second wife, taking [[Communion|Holy Communion]] without having obtained an annulment. Some charge the Catholicism with engaging in deception by using annulments to circumvent its prohibition on divorce,<ref>Catholic Divorce: The Deception of Annulments, Pierre Hegy, Joseph Martos (Editors)</ref> while it is pointed out that the Bible considered people married even when joined under conditions which might quality as grounds for annulments.<ref>[http://peacebyjesus.witnesstoday.org/papalpresumption.html Papal Presumption]</ref>
The current catechism states, in part,
:If after careful consideration the marriage relationship is deemed beyond repair, and the effects of continuing the marriage to be more destructive of the welfare or persons than divorce, the decision for divorce may be recognized as a responsible choice, the lesser of several evils in a fallen world....Remarriage of divorced persons is neither forbidden nor automatically endorsed by The American Lutheran Church.<ref>Teachings and Practice on Marriage, Divorce, and Remarriage. A Social Statement of the American Lutheran Church, a predecessor church body of the ELCA (1982)</ref>
:The remarriage of persons divorced from a living, lawful spouse contravenes the plan and law of God as taught by Christ. They are not separated from the Church, but they cannot receive Eucharistic communion.<ref>Catechism of the Catholic Church, (c) 1994, 1997; #1665</ref>
===Southern Baptist===
Due to the autonomous nature of the Southern Baptist churches, the largest Protestant denomination, there is no universal policy within the Convention that addresses divorce, though consistent with their general conservatism, they are expected to be strict, as historically it was.<ref>Divorce, annulments, and the Catholic Church, by Richard J. Jenks, Craig A Everett p. 29</ref><ref> http://www.sbc.net/resolutions/amResolution.asp?ID=441</ref> One study showed that among Southern Baptists, the top five issues of concern were divorce (53 percent), negative influences from the media (38 percent), materialism (36 percent), absentee fathers (29 percent) and latch-key kids (23 percent).<ref>[http://www.lifeway.com/lwc/article_main_page/0,1703,A=158643&M=50011,00.html Divorce, Media & Materialism Top List of Threats to Family]</ref>
===United Methodist===
===United Methodist===
:Divorced and remarried persons are welcome to participate fully in the life of the church."<ref>Ibid. Steig</ref>
:Divorced and remarried persons are welcome to participate fully in the life of the church."<ref>Ibid. Steig</ref>
===Roman Catholicism===
===Wesleyan Church===
The Wesleyan Church states,
:The only scriptural grounds for considering divorce is the sexual sin of the spouse such as adultery, homosexual behavior, bestiality, or incest. Appropriate counseling to restore the relationship must always precede a consideration of divorce. To obtain a divorce on other than scriptural grounds is a sin against God and man. Such putting asunder of what God has joined is a direct and deliberate act of disobedience against both the Law and the Gospel. It separates one from God and subjects a member to Church discipline (5350; 5370). (Discipline 265:10; 410:6) Divorce, however sinful the act and however serious the consequences, is not unpardonable. A redeemed sinner or reclaimed backslider is “free” to marry “in the Lord” or to remain unmarried...<ref>[http://www.wesleyan.org/bgs/assets/downloads/down.php?dfile=Standing%20Firm.pdf Standing Firm 10-17-01]</ref>
== Secular view ==
== Secular view ==