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 PrintableVersion Divorce & remarriage in the ChurchWhen families fall apartDIVORCE & REMARRIAGE IN THE CHURCH This is a popular version of the more substantial academic volume Divorce and Remarriage in the Bible by the same author, published by Eerdmans. Dr. Instone-Brewer has served as a Baptist pastor and is keen to apply his biblical research to the practical situations of church life. Any church leader who has faced the challenge of marital break-up, divorce, or remarriage in his congregation will welcome this useful contribution to the current debate. The central thesis of the author is that we need to re-read the NT teaching on divorce (particularly the passages in the gospels) in the light of first-century Judaism. It was commonly understood amongst the religious leaders of the time (claims the author) that there were four established grounds of divorce. The first was adultery (which is affirmed by the words of Christ). The other three were the failure of the husband to provide his wife with proper food, clothing, and conjugal love; these were well-established from the case law in Exodus 21 about the obligations of a husband to his slave wife - and if his slave wife was entitled to expect these things, then how much more the free wife. In Jesus's day the controversy centred around a new strand of Jewish thinking that the man could divorce his wife for 'any reason'. This was based on a novel interpretation of Deuteronomy 24, and it is this deviant view that the Jewish leaders asked Jesus about. He affirmed the orthodox position - that the right understanding of Deuteronomy 24 is to do with sexual immorality. But in restricting the interpretation of that passage, Jesus does not undermine the other three valid grounds for divorce. The Bible affirms the importance of marriage, and that divorce always involves sin. God's purpose is for monogamous, lifelong marriage, and forgiveness when one partner fails but repents. But now we see that divorce is permitted in situations of persistent abuse - unfaithfulness, or an unloving, harsh and uncaring spouse. This thesis also makes very good sense of 1 Corinthians 7. We might well be suspicious of the author's 'novel' view on the basis of his study of Jewish sources. But to my mind his case is largely convincing. In evangelical circles today, books by Andrew Cornes and by Heth & Wenham are popular which take an absolutist line - effectively denying the possibility of real divorce, or remarriage before death. (In fact William Heth has recently changed his views.) It seems to me that Instone-Brewer's position makes much better sense both of the biblical text and real pastoral situations. He addresses the questions raised by Cornes and refutes his thesis effectively. While we will not agree with every element of this book, it is highly commended for careful study. Another fine book on this subject which argues slightly differently but comes to similar sorts of conclusions is Putting Asunder by Stephen Clark (Bryntirion Press). It is important that we read and consider well on such a weighty matter for the church and for those who need help and counsel in struggling marriages and broken relationships. Bill James, © Evangelicals Now - December 2003 |
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