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Line 1: − + − Many Christians believe that God's views on divorce are most clearly articulated in [[Gospel of Matthew|Matthew]] 5:32 and 19:9: + − It should be noted that the corresponding passages in Mark and Luke lack the reference to fornication:+ Line 15:
Line 15: − Does two beat one or is Matthew, as an eyewitness, inserting information that the others had lost? There is no one answer. + − Some believe that divorce therefore equates to adultery, and incurs the consequences of such.+ − The further consequences of adultery are played out more radically in + − − <blockquote>''"2: A bastard shall not enter into the congregation of the LORD; even to his tenth generation shall he not enter into the congregation of the LORD."'' (Deuteronomy 23:2)</blockquote>+ − As this is an [[Old Testament]] decree (unlike the previously-mentioned Matthew), it may no longer apply Post-Christ when the emphasis of [[salvation]] shifts from countries and family lines to individuals. − Many religions adopt the more liberal view towards divorce that advocates its free practice. Most [[Protestantism|Protestant]] denominations have no prohibition on divorce. [[Catholics]] do 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 previous unmarried state, among others. Technically, it is not a divorce but a declaration of non-valid marriage. 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.+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
→Biblical View: edited, expanded some intro for encylopedic aspects etc. and , formatted and added more info
'''Divorce''' is the [[legal]] dissolution of a [[marriage]] [[contract]]. Marriage sometimes has a legal and a religious component. Divorce ends the legal contract. Some religions require the married partners to have a ''religious'' divorce if the individuals wish to continue their religious practice. For instance, practicing [[Jews]] must get both a legal divorce, to satisfy secular authorities, and a ''get'' (גט), or religious divorce, to satisfy religious practice.
'''Divorce''' is the [[legal]] dissolution of a [[marriage]] [[contract]]. Marriage sometimes has a legal and a religious component. Divorce ends the legal contract. Some religions require the married partners to have a ''religious'' divorce if the individuals wish to continue their religious practice. For instance, practicing [[Jews]] must get both a legal divorce, to satisfy secular authorities, and a ''get'' (גט), or religious divorce, to satisfy religious practice.
== Biblical View ==
== Primary biblical Statements==
Many believe that the Bible indicates that divorce is a [[sin]] in the eyes of God, and can lead to drastic consequences for those involved. Indeed, God says "''I hate divorce.''" (Malachi 2:16 [[NIV]] version)
Many believe that the Bible indicates that divorce is a [[sin]] in the eyes of God, and can lead to drastic consequences for those involved. Indeed, God says "''I hate divorce.''" (Malachi 2:16 [[NIV]] version)
For most of 2,000 years [[Christians]] have viewed divorce primarily through two scriptural citations, [[Gospel of Matthew|Matthew]] 5:32 and [[1 Corinthians]] 7:15. God's views on divorce are seen as most clearly articulated in the former, which is reiterated in 19:9:
<blockquote>''"32: But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery"'' (Matthew 5: 32) and, ''"9: And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery"'' (Matthew 19: 9)</blockquote>
<blockquote>''"32: But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery"'' (Matthew 5: 32) and, ''"9: And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery"'' (Matthew 19: 9)</blockquote>
The corresponding passages in Mark and Luke lack the reference to fornication:
<blockquote>''[[Gospel of Mark|Mark]] 10:11-12 ([[KJV]]): And he saith unto them, Whosoever shall put away his wife, and marry another, committeth adultery against her. And if a woman shall put away her husband, and be married to another, she committeth adultery.''</blockquote>
<blockquote>''[[Gospel of Mark|Mark]] 10:11-12 ([[KJV]]): And he saith unto them, Whosoever shall put away his wife, and marry another, committeth adultery against her. And if a woman shall put away her husband, and be married to another, she committeth adultery.''</blockquote>
<blockquote>''[[Gospel of Luke|Luke]] 16:18 (KJV): Whosoever putteth away his wife, and marrieth another, committeth adultery: and whosoever marrieth her that is put away from [her] husband committeth adultery.''</blockquote>
<blockquote>''[[Gospel of Luke|Luke]] 16:18 (KJV): Whosoever putteth away his wife, and marrieth another, committeth adultery: and whosoever marrieth her that is put away from [her] husband committeth adultery.''</blockquote>
<blockquote>''"1 Corinthians 7:15 states But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God hath called us to peace.</blockquote>
==Doctrinal positions==
Historically most conservative [[Protestant]] Christians have allowed divorce only in the case of adultery,<ref>Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible; Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible; John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible on Mt. 5:32; 19:9</ref> and some also for desertion,<ref>Jamieson, A. R. Fausset and David Brown</ref><ref>Ibid. Boardman</ref> The original text of the Westminster Confession, as approved by the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in 1647, emphatically stated: "Nothing but adultery or such willful desertion as can no way be remedied by the Church or civil magistrate is cause sufficient of dissolving the bond of marriage." The offended party in such circumstances is free to remarry, as if the offending party were dead. In 1927, Dr. Clarence Edward Macartney recommended that the Presbyterian General Assembly declare that, "...adultery alone clearly recognized in the New Testament as cause for divorce. Therefore the Church cannot sanction divorce on any other ground nor the remarriage of divorced persons other than the innocent parties in divorces granted for adultery; and it shall be unlawful for a minister to marry any divorced person except one so divorced."<ref>Religion: Ground for Divorce; Time magazine, Monday, May. 23, 192</ref>
[[Deuteronomy]] 23:2, when it is stated:
There is disagreement as to how the absence of the fornication clause in the Mark and Luke affect the meaning of the fuller Matthean account, and some believe that any divorce equates to adultery, and incurs the consequences of such. (Gal. 5:19,21) Further consequences of adultery are stated in [[Deuteronomy]] 23:2, where it is stated:
<blockquote>''"2:A bastard shall not enter into the congregation of the LORD; even to his tenth generation shall he not enter into the congregation of the LORD."'' (Deuteronomy 23:2)</blockquote>
However, the verse is open to some degree of interpretation,<ref>According to the Talmud and the Rabbins, this refers to those who were begotten in incest or adultery (cf. Ges. thes. p. 781), and is seen by Maimonides and Matthew Henry as being for deterrent effect, while Jephthah (Judges 11:1) seems to be an exception to this, as Ruth is in the next verse. See John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible. And as Henry notes, interpreters also are not agreed what is here meant by "entering into the congregation of the Lord."</ref> and as this is an [[Old Testament]] decree (unlike the previous reference in Matthew), the generational effects are usually not seen by Christians as applying under the [[New Covenant]]<ref>Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible, Dt. 23:2</ref> where the emphasis of [[salvation]] shifts from countries and family lines to individuals, and is open to all who will believe. (Gal. 3:28; Eph. 2; Rev. 5:9)
In the extensive examination of the issue by By Wesleyan holiness preacher L. S. Boardman, fornication is shown as not restricted to premarital sex, and he contends that "the words from Mark must be blended with Matthew's account to make the dialogue complete."<ref>DIVORCE AND REMARRIAGE UNDER GOD By L. S. Boardman The Problem of Divorce and Remarriage Scripturally Examined in the Light of the Original Text</ref>
==Denominational positions==
As regards denominations, most [[conservative]] [[Protestantism|Protestant]] denominations restrict divorce to one or two conditions, and allow remarriage in the case of the innocent victim.
In the rather detailed statement by the General Council of the Assemblies of God it is stated,
divorce is treachery (deceitful unfaithfulness) against one’s companion. Jesus forbade divorce as contrary to God's will and word", though He "permitted a Christian to initiate a divorce when “marital unfaithfulness” was involved", with porneia being "a broad term for sexual immorality of various kinds, often habitual, both before and after marriage (Mark 7:21; Acts 15:20; 1 Corinthians 5:1; 6:18; Galatians 5:19; Ephesians 5:3; 1 Thessalonians 4:3). In stating the exception, Matthew did not use moicheia, the Greek noun for adultery. (Jesus did differentiate between porneia and moicheia elsewhere [Matthew 15:19; Mark 7:21] and the verb moicheuō is used in Matthew 5:32;19:9 to describe the actions of the sinful party who forces the divorce without a valid cause.)
As regard remarriage, it holds that,
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>
The statement of position and policy adopted on June 24, 1983, by the Southeastern Mennonite Conference disagrees, stating
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
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) state:
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>
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>
The Lutheran Church, Missouri Synod states that "While divorce can be justified Scripturally in certain situations (e.g., adultery or desertion), it is always preferable for couples to forgive and work toward healing and strengthening their marriage." In the 1987 study, Divorce and Remarriage: An Exegetical Study", it is stated, "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 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>
The Evangelical Presbyterian Church Position Paper on Divorce & Remarriage (adopted at the 15th General Assembly, June 1995) states that,
[[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...
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>
In 1992 the Presbyterian stated in ''Minutes of the General Assembly" (p. 62) that divorce was allowed under Biblical grounds.
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> Marriage is the uniting of one man and one woman in covenant commitment for a lifetime.
Liberal denominations tend to allow or advocate lesser restraints. Their position statements on such often lack substance.
In a non-binding, declaration, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, without providing clear criteria states,
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> 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.
The United Methodist Church states[http://www.accsd.org/UnitedMethodist.html] that "When marriage partners are estranged beyond reconciliation, the church recognizes divorce as regrettable, but also recognizes the right of divorced persons to remarry."<ref>Ibid. Steig</ref>
The United Church of Christ states[http://www.accsd.org/UCC.html] that "Divorced and remarried persons are welcome to participate fully in the life of the church."<ref>Ibid. Steig</ref>
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 previous unmarried state. In addition, various other conditions are recognized as possible grounds for annulment. Technically, it is not a divorce but a declaration that a valid marriage never took place. Common grounds for annulment include "lack of due discretion" in choosing a spouse, "defective consent", meaning deceit by one of the parties, "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 married under conditions which might quality as grounds for annulments.<ref>[http://peacebyjesus.witnesstoday.org/papalpresumption.html Papal Presumption]</ref>
The current catechism states,
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>
== Divorce in Christian Denominations ==
== Divorce in Christian Denominations ==