NEW BEGINNINGS – FURTHER MARRIAGES ?
LECTURE OUTLINE
Do you accept the principle that there are circumstances in which a divorced person may be married in church during the lifetime of a former spouse ?
Some Key Questions
Biblical Exegesis & Hermeneutics:
- How were sayings intended ? What form do they take ?
- How do we relate them to each other ?
- What do key terms mean ?
- How do we apply them to marriage and marriage breakdown today ?
Theological/Ethical question:
- What mean by 'indissoluble' or 'permanent' ? Can marriage be ended by other than death ?
Arguments in Favour
(eg Atkinson, Forster, Hays, Instone-Brewer, Keener)
- Cultural & Biblical Context of Sayings
- Matthean exception
- Pauline privilege
- Can end marriage but should not: 'we do not hold the view that when a marriage has completely failed, it continues to subsist in a shadowy fashion: we believe that it can be said in a literal sense of two living people that they were married and are no longer married' (MCAD, p12).
- Gospel of forgiveness
- Not universal approval but selective
Arguments Against
(eg Cornes, Heth & Wenham, official Roman Catholic)
- Natural reading of Jesus' sayings in Lk & Mk on 'adultery'
- Mt is best read as exception to divorce not remarriage
- Paul clearly against remarriage and only sees death as end of marriage
- Marriage bond established (sacramental / one flesh) – only death destroys so humans can only effect separation from bed and board
- Nature of promises and vows
- Not unforgiving
Roman Catholic Annulment
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