“Therefore, what God has joined together, no human being must separate. They are not free to marry again while their previous wife or husband is still alive. ‘The remarriage of persons divorced from a living, lawful spouse contravenes the plan and law of God as taught by Christ. They are not separate from the Church, but they cannot receive Eucharist communion. They will lead Christian lives especially by educating their children in the faith.’ (Catechism of the Catholic Church 1665) However, the Catholic Church does allow annulment, if: a) One partner suffered from mental problems at the time of the marriage. b) One partner was forced into the marriage c) One of the partners was not baptised at the time of the marriage d) One partner did not intend to keep the marriage vows.
The Church of England allows divorced people to remarry. They follow the teaching in (Matthew 19:9) Jesus says “I tell you, then, that any man who divorces his wife for any cause other than her unfaithfulness, commits adultery if he marries some other woman but they usually require them to talk to the minister about why their first marriages failed. They are sometimes asked to show repentance for the failure and required to promise that this time their marriage will be for life. Under Church law, no Anglican priest is allowed to marry a divorcee. But, some priests get round this by using civil law. The Bishop of Birmingham himself has married a divorcee.
In January 2000, The House of Bishops, as part of the General Synod put together the Winchester Report, where the main findings had been that the public was overwhelmingly in favour of allowing divorcees to remarry in church. The General Synod is shortly to consider these recommendations. It is likely that the vote will go to individual dioceses.” Many Christians believe that divorce is a grave offence against the natural law. It breaks the contract to which the husband and wife freely consented, to live with each other until death.
Most Christians believe that divorce is immoral because it introduces disorder into the family and into the society. It brings harm to the deserted spouse and often children are torn between both parents. c) Divorce and remarriage can never be justified.” Give reasons to agree and disagree with this statement, using evidence from Christian teachings and practice. What is your opinion? Give reasons when you explain it. I believe that divorce and remarriage is not part of God’s plan and should therefore be avoided. In the story of creation, God created the Earth, but also created mankind to live in love.
Only God can break such a sacred bond. The only time in which a marriage may end is due to the death of one of the partners. The couple stood before God and made vows to remain together until ‘death do us part.’ I believe that no civil law can end this bond and only God. And in God’s eyes when a civil divorce takes place the couple have not broken the bond and therefore if either of the partners remarries they will be committing adultery. ‘Whoever divorces his wife and marries another is guilty of adultery against her. And if a woman divorces her husband and marries another, she is guilty of adultery too.'(Mark 10: 10-12) God’s love has no ends, just as marriage should.
If the love is broken, Christians believe that divorce is breaking the bond between Jesus, God and his Church. The children can also suffer if the mother and father separate. Most Christians believe that marriage is the environment in which the mother, father and children live within. When a divorce occurs, upset can arise and the safe secure environment is jeopardised.
If a couple decide to divorce purely because they are no longer getting along anymore, I believe that a divorce is not necessary. Part of marriage is struggling through the hard times ‘for better for worse’. This can strengthen the relationship. I believe that if the couple can not uphold the relationship and eventually end in divorce, then they do have the right to remarry in a church. They have broken the promise they have made to God. The Roman Catholic Church teaches that if one of the spouses is the innocent victim of a divorce decreed by civil law: this spouse therefore has not contravened the moral law.
‘There is a big difference between a spouse who has tried to be faithful to the sacrament of marriage and is unjustly abandoned, and one who through his own grave fault destroys a canonically valid marriage.’ (Catechism of the Church 2386) I believe. If either of the partners is mistreating the other, either by physical or mental cruelty then a divorce can be justified. ‘Husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies.’ (Ephesians 5:21-23) If this teaching is not upheld then either partner has the right to want a divorce. A couple may wish to divorce for many reasons.
Each spouse vows to ‘be faithful for as long as he shall live.’ If this promise is broken, one of the partners may want a divorce. I believe that the victim of physical or mental abuse has the right remarry once again. I believe that because it is the not the victim’s fault that the marriage had broken down it is only fair that he/she can remarry in a church. I think that when a couple make promises before God in a marriage ceremony to stay together until death do part, they should do so. However, if one commit adultery, the other should be free to choose whether she or he should divorce. If one partner is treating the other unreasonably, by physical or mental cruelty, or even by insanity, one also has the choice whether to divorce.
I think that the divorcee, who suffered from his or her partner by abuse or adultery, then they have the right to remarry. If the marriage is suffering from difficulty, due to arguments and disagreements, then the couple should work to make the marriage work. Suffering can sometimes strengthen the relationship, so what would be the point of giving it up? I believe that annulment can take place if: a) the partner was forced into the marriage b) one partner suffered from mental problem at the time of the marriage c) one of the partners did not intend to keep the marriage vows d) One of the partners was not baptised at the time of marriage. I believe that divorce and remarriage can be justified, but only under some circumstances of adultery and abuse. I believe that God does not want any one to live in sadness or hurt.
