Protestants (especially Baptists): Your church's view on divorce

[Esdra]

Hi folks,

in a talk with my working collegue today the topic divorce got up. (see thread.)

Now, as I know the Catholic view, I’d also be interested in the Protestant’s. - Especially, as I am a (young and by far in not all cases well informed) Baptist, in the Baptist’s view.

Keep it charitable!

in Christ,
Esdra

 

[TrueLight]

Hi folks,

in a talk with my working collegue today the topic divorce got up. (see thread.)

Now, as I know the Catholic view, I’d also be interested in the Protestant’s. - Especially, as I am a (young and by far in not all cases well informed) Baptist, in the Baptist’s view.

Keep it charitable!

in Christ,
Esdra

I guess it would depend on the church. In the Baptist church I grew up in, it was a no-no. Very few people actually got divorced.

 

[SonCatcher]

Confusing (at least as I’ve experienced it). One couple I know were married by an associate pastor because the pastor refused due to one party’s divorced status. Yet, they were allowed to marry in the church. It made my head spin.

This was in a SBC church.

 

[nickybr38]

Hi folks,

in a talk with my working collegue today the topic divorce got up. (see thread.)

Now, as I know the Catholic view, I’d also be interested in the Protestant’s. - Especially, as I am a (young and by far in not all cases well informed) Baptist, in the Baptist’s view.

Keep it charitable!

in Christ,
Esdra

I am no longer Protestant but I can share what I was taught.

Baptists do not approve of divorce apparently. I know this because I attended a United Church of Canada church and many of the members were former Baptists who were shunned after they were divorced, so they went to the UC since they were welcomed with open arms.

The Salvation Army doesn’t seem to disagree with divorce, I know many of the members there were divorcees as well.

 

[CountrySteve]

Hi folks,

in a talk with my working collegue today the topic divorce got up. (see thread.)

Now, as I know the Catholic view, I’d also be interested in the Protestant’s. - Especially, as I am a (young and by far in not all cases well informed) Baptist, in the Baptist’s view.

Keep it charitable!

in Christ,
Esdra

i dont know what the free will baptist church teaches on divorce, but i do know that they will marry divorced people

 

[ConsciousCoward]

My United Methodist Church is very much against divorce.

 

[GeorgeTheWild]

The way that divorce is treated is going to vary from Baptist church to another because each church is autonomous in its practices. Generally divorce is going to be frowned upon except in cases where Biblically permitted (ie: unfaithfulness). I haven’t heard of my Baptist church being as strict about remarriage as the Catholic Church. But that might just be a result of the pastor handling individual cases without making a big deal about it to the rest of the church.

The Southern Baptist Convention has passed resolutions concerning divorce. But like always, they are non-binding to the member churches.

 

[ltwin]

Divorce (without biblical grounds) is seen by Pentecostals as a sin, but not an unforgivable sin. The problem for Pentecostals is not so much the person who divorces and remains unmarried as it is the person who divorces and remarries.

Most Pentecostal denominations have policies against ordaining divorced and remarried clergy except in certain cases (like abandonment by an unbelieving spouse) . It would be up to the individual congregation how they handle divorced members who remarry.

There is a distinction made between remarriage before and after conversion. If it occurred before conversion, Pentecostals will accept the person(s) as church members. What actions to take regarding the marriage in question are left up to the individual believer to work out with prayer and in the light of God’s word. Pentecostals would be against the break up of families however.

If divorce and remarriage occurs after the person has been born again and is a member of the church, then some Pentecostal churches might consider placing that person under discipline. This would probably only happen in the most conservative of Pentecostal churches. In most churches, it wouldn’t happen if you remarried after you were legally divorced.

This is largely in reference to the Pentecostal denominations. The independent Pentecostal churches will all handle this question differently.

 

[ConstantineTG]

During a preaching I’ve heard a Pentecostal pastor/missionary who said his son’s divorce was a blessing from God because his previous wife didn’t want him to go on a mission to the Philippines to proselytize Catholics to their faith. Now he’s remarried and they can now go to a country that is 80% Catholic to teach them about having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ

 

[PiousTemplar]

During a preaching I’ve heard a Pentecostal pastor/missionary who said his son’s divorce was a blessing from God because his previous wife didn’t want him to go on a mission to the Philippines to proselytize Catholics to their faith. Now he’s remarried and they can now go to a country that is 80% Catholic to teach them about having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ

ROFL!

Out of all ‘catholic majority’ countries, he picked the Phillippines! They are the most pious Catholics ever!

 

[ltwin]

During a preaching I’ve heard a Pentecostal pastor/missionary who said his son’s divorce was a blessing from God because his previous wife didn’t want him to go on a mission to the Philippines to proselytize Catholics to their faith. Now he’s remarried and they can now go to a country that is 80% Catholic to teach them about having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ

Interesting ConstantineTG. I can’t really comment because I don’t know the details or context. Do you know if he was affiliated with any denomination? Was his wife a Christian or not? If she wasn’t a Christian then there may be some appeal to Pauline privilege.

My father is recognized as a minister (not a pastor) in a non-denominational church even though he was married and divorced before he met my mother. His ordination would not be recognized in most Pentecostal denominations.

I know a minister who also faces this situation. He has pastored churches before, and he attended a Pentecostal Holiness Church where a vacancy occurred. He might have been made the pastor, but he can only be an assistant to the new pastor. This is because after his first wife died he married a divorcee.

 

[ConstantineTG]

ROFL!

Out of all ‘catholic majority’ countries, he picked the Phillippines! They are the most pious Catholics ever!

Sadly many there are poorly catechized and would fall victim to such proselytizing. He even had a story how he converted the truck driver who brought them sacks of rice who happens to be Roman Catholic. I wanted to stand up and ask him why did he need to convert a Catholic. But I know its useless.

By the way, I was there because I was invited by a friend who is Pentecostal, and said they had a dinner for Filipinos. I thought it was a cultural event by the Filipinos of their community. But hey, I still enjoyed the free food to go with the free proselytizing

 

[ConstantineTG]

Interesting ConstantineTG. I can’t really comment because I don’t know the details or context. Do you know if he was affiliated with any denomination? Was his wife a Christian or not? If she wasn’t a Christian then there may be some appeal to Pauline privilege.

My father is recognized as a minister (not a pastor) in a non-denominational church even though he was married and divorced before he met my mother. His ordination would not be recognized in most Pentecostal denominations.

I know a minister who also faces this situation. He has pastored churches before, and he attended a Pentecostal Holiness Church where a vacancy occurred. He might have been made the pastor, but he can only be an assistant to the new pastor. This is because after his first wife died he married a divorcee.

The pastor is a husband and wife team. They’ve been married for like forever. But he considers his son’s divorce a blessing because the first wife didn’t want to let his son go to the Philippines for their mission. The second wife eventually is supportive of such a mission, that is why he considers the divorce as a blessing.

I believe they are from Florida, but they came here to Canada as guests of the Filipino Pentecostals here. They have a mission in the Philippines. They are linked with the Jesus is Lord movement in the Philippines led by Eddie Villanueva. That pastor/missionary claims he was the one who gave Bro. Eddie his mission.

 

[ltwin]

Sadly many there are poorly catechized and would fall victim to such proselytizing. He even had a story how he converted the truck driver who brought them sacks of rice who happens to be Roman Catholic. I wanted to stand up and ask him why did he need to convert a Catholic. But I know its useless.

By the way, I was there because I was invited by a friend who is Pentecostal, and said they had a dinner for Filipinos. I thought it was a cultural event by the Filipinos of their community. But hey, I still enjoyed the free food to go with the free proselytizing

Years ago we had a Filipino family who attended our church. The couples’ parents were Roman Catholic, but they were strongly anti-Catholic. It was actually weird because my church does not have any anti-Catholic feelings whatsoever. We sort of just lump them in with all the overly subdued, too quiet, and highly “respectable” Protestant churches. .

But the wife was especially outspoken about the corruption of the Catholic Church. She actually told my brother once that the RCC in the Philippines wasn’t actually ran by the Pope but was instead controlled by a secretive and shadowy cabal. Or was that the RCC as a whole? I can’t remember exactly what she said, but she was the only member of our church that I ever heard speak negatively of the Catholic Church.

I have heard a missionary refer to Catholics in a negative light. Our church had a long relationship with him, and we sort of adopted him as our unofficial missionary. He did alot of work in Africa, but he also visited the Philippines. He asked for our help, and we raised money to build a church in the Philippines. He also did missionary work in Mexico. He told the church once that Catholics didn’t consider themselves Christians and that they emphasized that they were Catholics. I found that even as a child a little dubious. He also said that in the Philippines when they showed up the priests were warning people about the “born agains”.

 

[ltwin]

The pastor is a husband and wife team. They’ve been married for like forever. But he considers his son’s divorce a blessing because the first wife didn’t want to let his son go to the Philippines for their mission. The second wife eventually is supportive of such a mission, that is why he considers the divorce as a blessing.

I believe they are from Florida, but they came here to Canada as guests of the Filipino Pentecostals here. They have a mission in the Philippines. They are linked with the Jesus is Lord movement in the Philippines led by Eddie Villanueva. That pastor/missionary claims he was the one who gave Bro. Eddie his mission.

I’m not familiar with Jesus Is Lord, but judging by its Wikipedia page (for whatever that’s worth) it seems this organization has a lot of problems. I don’t think I would go to one of their churches. From the controversies section of its Wikipedia page and from your comments, I would say that the minister/missionary you heard is from the segment of the Pentecostal movement that is prone to unaccountable leadership. In other words, his son’s divorce was a blessing because it happened to his son.

 

[Cheshangle]

Hi folks,

in a talk with my working collegue today the topic divorce got up. (see thread.)

Now, as I know the Catholic view, I’d also be interested in the Protestant’s. - Especially, as I am a (young and by far in not all cases well informed) Baptist, in the Baptist’s view.

Keep it charitable!

in Christ,
Esdra

The CofE was until recently strongly anti divorce. Divorced people could not remarry in church and in theory at least not receive communion.

Now things have softened a bit. Divorced couples who have remarried (someone else!) in a civil ceremony can have a blessing in church, but I don’t think this applies to twice divorced people.

In the Anglican Church of Australia (once) divorced people can have a full church service if the Archbishop agrees the Rector’s advice. I really don’t like this. I attended such a service, featurning a middle aged couple surrounded by their children. I suspect that God didn’t like it either. The couple split up within months.

 

[Hboggs]

I was a Southern Baptist for 31 years. Growing up in the 50’s and 60’s, my town was a beaver/cleaver type and most people were Baptist. The odd thing about my childhood is remembering that one of our Deacons was divorced/remarried and it was a topic never mentioned.

The best answer has previously been given: Each separate Baptist church answers only to itself and the policies on divorce are nearly as numerous as the various Baptist denominations.

 

[rick43235]

I grew up in the Lutheran Church. Although divorce was not regarded as being a positive thing, there seemed to be an understanding that it happens, even to good people. I’ve never heard of anyone being denied a church wedding because they were divorced.

 

[4Squarebaby]

. He also said that in the Philippines when they showed up the priests were warning people about the “born agains”.

Sort of like the Lutherans the Protestants in the Philippines also have taken on the identity of “Born Agains” as a badge of honor.

What is The Foursquare Church’s position on divorce and remarriage?

The Foursquare Church believes that marriage is a biblical, God-instituted covenant relationship between a man and a woman. Therefore, we encourage strong marriage relationships, and we discourage divorce. We believe that God is able to restore marriages and help men and women find fulfillment and contentment within the marriage relationship. However, we realize that extreme cases exist, and divorce may become a last-resort reality.

Within local Foursquare churches, people who have been divorced and remarried are accepted in love and grace as members, as long as they satisfy the membership requirements. We believe God is the judge; we do not make it our responsibility to judge other Christians in regard to this issues.

The Foursquare Church does set high standards for ministers. The church’s bylaws cover the subject of divorce and remarriage relating to ministers. Ethics committees are established to consider individual cases.

Read more: Get Started: FAQ | The Foursquare Church

 

[Bluegoat]

In the Anglican Church of Canada allowing divorce and remarriage I believe started in the 20th century. One had to have the permission of the Bishop though, who would make a decision based on the facts of the divorce.

That is still technically the case here, but I have never actually heard of anyone being denied. In fact, in our cathedral there was once a priest who was being divorced, and had a “divorce ceremony”.