Question:
As a Baptist (and a subscriber to Plain Truth Magazine) I am
troubled by the alarming increase in the number of divorces amongst Christians.
I believe that divorce, not drugs, is the number one problem in the USA
today. Now I see that many Baptist churches, mine included, are
allowing divorced men to become ministers.
I would like to know in plain English where you stand on this issue.
Thank
you,
Mick
Answer: Dear Mick,
We
agree with you that divorce and the state of the family is a serious concern for
all of us – and the divorce statistics for the church are not much different
than those of American society in general.
A
position on whether a member of the clergy can be divorced and still hold a
pastoral position depends largely on Paul’s teaching in 1 Timothy 3:2 –
“the husband of but one wife.”
Interpretations
vary:
1.
That a minister should never, under any circumstances, re-marry –
whether from death of his wife, divorce before his service in the ministry, etc.
2.
Ministers are permitted to re-marry only upon death of their wife.
3.
A minister, after ordination, should be married once. If previous marriages occurred, they are “forgiven”, as
they are not within the scope of this passage.
4.
This passage is talking of having only one wife AT A TIME – as there
were polygamists in this area (Ephesus) – with pagan pasts, including
polytheists (often the philosophical foundation for polygamy) – and thus does
not involve the marriages of those who were once divorced and are not remarried.
If
a congregation or denomination allows for pastors to serve who have been
divorced and remarried,
those pastors must, of course, fit within the view of what is a biblically
appropriate reason for divorce (usually centering on how Jesus’ exception
clause in Matthew 19:9 is understood).
PTM
does not believe that pastors who are divorced and remarried have automatically
disqualified themselves to serve in the ministry.
In
Christ,
Greg Albrecht