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Let’s look at the orthodox church’s stance on divorce
First, let’s discuss how the Orthodox Church views divorce. This church recognizes that marriages are not without fault and may end in divorce. In fact, St. Paul compares marriage to Christ and the Church. In addition, Jesus defends marriage as a sanctity and only permits divorce when the marriage becomes unnatural or sinful. In other words, the Orthodox Church does not support the practice of divorce out of concern for the integrity of the marriage.
Orthodox doctrine does not recognize Christian matrimony as indissoluble, despite what many Catholics believe. However, the Church does recognize that a second marriage is an aberration of Christian statute. In addition, orthodox teaching on marriage encourages steadfastness until death. Finally, Orthodox history reveals that divorce with right to remarry can be traced back to the sixth century, when Eastern Emperors began passing laws on marriage without the approval of Rome.
The Church does not allow divorce out of love, but does tolerate it when the couple is living apart. Divorce is a grave sin and requires the approval of a Spiritual Court. After a petition is filed, the Church will then review the case. Even people who are divorced but still remain faithful to the Church should not sponsor a Baptism or a wedding.
Is it strict or is it pastoral?
There are two sides of the question: the orthodox church is strict and the other side is pastoral. The former is the most common. In many ways, the orthodox church is both. Canons are guidelines that must be observed within the context of the Church’s ecclesiastical authority. The latter is more flexible. Often, a synod’s canons are not considered to be “legislation,” but pastoral guidelines.
The Synopsis of Holy Scripture is a text from the fourth or fifth century, incorrectly attributed to St. Athanasius. It covers three categories of books: canonized, disputed, and apocryphal. It refers to the canonical books as well as the Apocrypha and deuterocanonical books. The Synopsis also makes reference to the “Antilegomena”, which corresponds to the deuterocanonical books. These books were prohibited to be read outside the Eucharist.
Orthodox Christianity places great importance on the truth of God. Jesus Christ is the center of salvation. The body of Christ is sacred, and it is equated with the relics of the saints. This reflects how sacred the body is to the Christian faith. In addition, every symbol has a meaning. In Orthodox Christianity, the divine truth is based on Christ. As such, all truth and beauty have their origin in Christ.
Is there a commission of love reserved for those who are divorced?
The Theological Commission has recommended that churches extend grace and forgiveness to those who are divorced. However, not all RCA churches have adopted this recommendation, and many still feel divorced people are treated like second-class citizens. A church’s treatment of a divorced pastor may indicate full acceptance and inclusion. Alternatively, it may reflect a resentment toward the church that welcomes divorced people.
The Church has an obligation to be a fellowship for those who have been divorced. The Bible encourages marriage, but also offers forgiveness when marriages fail. It does not categorize people according to their guilt or innocence, because marriage failure is often a result of two people’s sins. All divorced people should be eligible for remarriage. However, there are some congregations that have not yet developed the grace and forgiveness that the church owes divorced people.
The Seventh-day Adventist Church has also studied marriage, divorce, and remarriage. The research has been designed to clarify the Church’s understanding of God’s will for marriage. Through its study of marriage, the Commission on Marriage and Divorce provides instruction and direction for church members and ministers. The commission’s mission continues to study these issues. In the meantime, these two topics have a profound impact on a church’s life.
