Loading ...Forum on Marriage, Divorce, and Remarriage
Today at Freed-Hardeman University I am participating in a forum on marriage, divorce, and remarriage. The forum is set up to be adversarial. There are three positions that are going to be discussed. And at the end of the forum, the spiritual sword position is suppose to prevail. The other major views that will be presented will be the “Olan Hick’s position of changing the definition of adultery to covenant breaking” and the “James Bales’ position of non-Christians not being amenable to the law of Christ.” At Freed-Hardeman, we are never to argue to establish truth, we are to contend for the established truth. FHU is different than some of the other schools I have attended. It has many similarities to my preaching training school experience. The graduate program at FHU does not attempt to expose the student to various opinions on a matter, but it seeks to only reinforce the established mindset on the issue. Truth must be declared, but in a graduate program it would be wise to expose the students to the various thoughts in the religious world.
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Yikesssss!!!
I am not saying that FHU is not a good place, but it seems to be lacking this quality in the Graduate Bible program
Perceptive, Matthew. Keep your eyes open brother!
If the SS position is correct, then they ought to be the biggest purveyors of Youth Ministry on the planet … because a very very large percentage of adults have already broken their law … and unless willing to be celebate, remain lost no matter what. They need to catch ‘em young. I haven’t seen any interest in that kind of ministry in the SS though.
I have not attended Freed, so I can’t say what they do or do not do. But I doubt very seriously that they teach the spiritual sword position. Just as other schools don’t teach Olin Hicks position or James Bales position. They and others may agree on a position but let’s not give anyone that much credit. I know you well enough to know that what you follow you will call the position of scripture. When you are warned to keep your eyes open, I agree, but not so much with what you might hear at Freed. but with what you will read from others on this blog. There are those who “must” remain celibate. The door has been opened to often to sleep and marry who and how many times you wish. It is a difficult matter. Hearts and homes and congregations have been torn asunder by DMR. Don’t make it so hard that there is no answer for anyone and don’t make it so easy that we just let it all hang out, and say who cares.
Is it really true, “at the end of the forum, the spiritual sword position is suppose to prevail.” If that is true than it needs to be stopped. if it is not true then don’t give Rex, john dobbs and others so much ammo.
Position yourself in scripture and make scripture your position.
Matthew,
I understand the frustration you are feeling, and I know those situations can be difficult. I am an FHU Grad and I appreciate my experience there. There were some classes that left me feeling that frustration. There were other teachers there that challenged us to draw our own conclusions in a way that I thought was much more beneficial.
However, I think it might not be wise to paint any school with such a broad stroke. Having taken multiple classes at 3 of our Christian schools, I realize that no place is perfect (just as no Christian is), and we need to be careful not to let our experience with one or two teachers determine our feelings for an entire program. There are godly teachers there doing their absolute best, just as in our other schools.
As far as handling divorce/remarriage issues, I pray regularly for wisdom in dealing with those challenges in our congregations today (as I’m sure everyone does who has encountered those issues). I hope the forum/class went as well as possible!
By the way, that last post was by Andrew Phillips. I guess I should add my last name from now on. I know another Andrew posts on here regularly, and I don’t want to tie him to opinions I post, or the typos that usually go with them!
Sonny,
I agree with you that we should not just tolerate and “anything goes” approach to MDR. Earlier this year, our congregation lost a male member. The man decided that he no longer wanted to be married to his wife of twenty years and left our church because the elders/myself refused to endorse such a decision. So I don’t just take a free-for-all approach. On the other hand, though I have never extensively studied the DMR issue I do realize that my views are open to critique. Further, while I want to uphold scripture and call other people to stay with scripture, I try not to read the passages dealing with this issue apart from my empathy for people who are having to bear burdens that I know nothing of. I have no idea what it is like to go through divorce, separation, etc… Like the Pharisees, I have seen some CoC people offer such use the DMR issue to place a yoke upon people’s neck that is impossible to bear — a yoke that is so heavy, that I wonder if those championing the yoke would even be willing to bear if they actually ever had to wear it.
As for Matthews comments about FHU… Seems like I have heard that FHU song before, on several occasions.
Rex
Ithaca Church of Christ
Ithaca, NY
Perhaps it has changed but as an alumnus of Freed-Hardeman and a long time supporter and having spoke on their lectureship program at least five different years I have never known there to be an offcial Freed-Hardeman position. I know that when I was a student there different faculty members had differing views on certain issues and there was never an offcial declaration from the “powers that be” that was to be adopted.
You are right Andrew, I am painting the school with a too large brush. There have been some great teachers that have challenged me, and there has been others that seemed closed to everything. There has to be a balance in knowing and being open.
Every school has an “unofficial-official” position on the issues, especially the CoC hot-button issues. If any doesn’t believe this then just watch for when one of the instructors teaches something contrary to the unofficial official issue. And even if the school does not have an unofficial official position, the money donors sure do and that dictates a lot more than many would like to admit.
Adversarial format. Daja Vue. Is there a better way?
[...] Read the rest of this great post here [...]
Hence my attending ACU. I could not agree more with you, Matthew.
Leon Cole said, “I have never known there to be an offcial Freed-Hardeman position.”
Leon, there are loads of Freed-Hardeman positions. Be they official or not, I don’t know (they have the force of official positions), but those “positions” are why so many people are prevented from speaking at FHU. In addition, if you will check, at the first contemporary discussion event on the Friday of lectureship, the moderator was Earl Edwards. Before the discussion, he got up and made it very clear what “Freed-Hardeman’s position” was on the matter. I believe that was the exact phrase he used.
Hello!
Nice site
Bye
Let me begin by saying that i really like your site matthewsblog.waynesborochurchofchrist.org a lot
now.. back on topic haha
I cant say that i agree with what you wrote… care to explain deeper?
What did Jesus, Apostle Paul and the early church fathers have to say on MDR?
Interested to hear what a English QC Barrister (Attorney) had to say about Divorce in 1857?
Considerations on Divorce Re-Marriage an excellent reference booklet for your personal library
FREE DOWNLOAD at http://www.WiseReaction.org
This brillant short book is allegedly written by Barrister and Ecclesiastical Lawyer
Edward Badeley QC (UK) in 1857
Do you know about the Erasmus Trap?
http://www.WiseReaction.org
Les McFall has an interested way to deal with the exception clause in Matthew 19:9. He has written a 43 page paper that reviews the changes in the Greek made by Erasmas that effect the way Matthew 19:9 has been translated. I reviewed McFall’s paper at Except For Fornication Clause of Matthew 19:9. I would love to hear some feedback on this position.
Another perspective that is based upon how God dealt with marriage under the Law, and what we can learn from that.
http://ibsresources.org/articles/marriage.shtml
I have decided not to remarry eventhough my wife divorced me. I feel that this position is pleasing to God and He has given me the strength and courage to have remained celibate for the last 10 years. I believe this is the correct Biblical interpretation of Divorce/Remarriage issues. Often I have noticed that when the rubber hits the road and consequences of our actions cause tough decisions, many of my christian brothers change their conceptual framework to suit their life choices. As far as truth is concerned he said it best who said “If you abide in my word-you shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free”
In Christ,
Seldon Ward
hello Matthew,
I have only recently started studying in a serious way the issue of marriage, divorce and remarriage. I have been privy to conversations on the issue among the brethren. What i’ve gathered is that most people ofetentimes seek to want the bible to say what they want it to say on certain issues.
personally i know that the bible is the truth and the god was never and would never be confused.matt. 19: 3-10 is clear to me.
I think that the instances where the bible is silent on issues brethren try to speak for god, which is impossible.
As guided in matt: 19: 9 one have grounds on which to remarry, that is clear.