Proclaimer Blog
Divorce and remarriage
When it comes to marriage, divorce and remarriage, pastoral problems are increasingly complex. Today I'm running a study day chez nous for some of our students on these particular issues. We're splitting the day into two parts. In part one, we're going to try to put together the various Bible passages and come up with some principles. I don't expect we'll all agree on these. But we need to hold them with conviction and good conscience – not other people's views, but our own carefully thought through scriptural positions.
Then in part two, I've got nine real life (names changed) pastoral situations – the very kinds of situations which these principles need to be applied to. This is important as well. It's no good having principles if you haven't thought through how they actually work. This is not to say that the situations must be allowed to drive our theology. Perish the thought! But we must know how the principles work.
Too much pastoralia does part one, but not part two. Other pastoralia is driven by part two, rather than part one. Both need correcting. That's our plan. It's no use, for example, waiting until situations come along to sort out what we think. We can't tell people in difficult and pastoral situations to wait a few months whilst we sort out what we believe.
So, here's my plea. Do you know what you believe the Bible to clearly teach about marriage, divorce and remarriage and do you know how to apply these truths to situations. If not, perhaps next time you need to come along and join us?