Permanency of Marriage

[bearbear]

Came across a very interesting PDF on the history of divorce and remarriage in the church:

http://www.danielrjennings.org/ThisH...Remarriage.pdf

Conclusion from the paper:

A. Our journey through 2000 years of Christian teaching regarding marriage, divorce and remarriage can be summarized as follows:

1. The Christians who lived closest to the time of the New Testament understood Jesus teachings on D&R to mean that remarriage after a divorce was a sinful lifestyle.

2. When Roman emperors started going to church they passed legislation that contradicted what Jesus taught regarding D&R.

3. Those Christians/Churches in the eastern empire who were most under the sway of the emperors bowed to accept this legislation. Those Christians/Churches in the western empire and outside of the influence of the emperors, more or less, maintained the early Christian interpretation.

4. The Reformation brought with it a new reevaluation of the early Christian interpretation in this western area of nations.

5. The latter half of the 20th century in the United States brought about a renewed reevaluation that led to most churches seeking an accommodating position, rather than a Scriptural one when it came to dealing with D&R.

6. This renewed reevaluation has opened the door for churches to reevaluate same-sex marriage.

It is an example of culture and the world changing and influencing the church. Yet God does not change and the words of Jesus will never pass away.