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I’m going to lay this down in the General Theology section because I’m interested in what your particular church teaches about this topic so that Anabaptist and not-Anabaptist can share.

I’m asking that no one pokes each other in the eye over differences in their churches.

JohnL wrote: ↑Tue Sep 30, 2025 5:57 am I’m going to lay this down in the General Theology section because I’m interested in what your particular church teaches about this topic so that Anabaptist and not-Anabaptist can share.

I’m asking that no one pokes each other in the eye over differences in their churches.

Why don’t we start with what your church teaches?

JohnL wrote: ↑Tue Sep 30, 2025 5:57 am I’m going to lay this down in the General Theology section because I’m interested in what your particular church teaches about this topic so that Anabaptist and not-Anabaptist can share.

I’m asking that no one pokes each other in the eye over differences in their churches.

Maybe you would get more engagement with a poll.

Standard conservative anabaptist line.
Marriage is a covenant for life.
Divorce is a separation between married people, but it does not nullify the commitment. Both/Either partner (whomever stays committed to walking with Christ) is held to the expectation that they will be faithful to that commitment, even in the absence/abandonment of their spouse.
Remarriage after divorce is thus seen as a state of adultery.
The exception to this would be if a divorced person's former spouse has died. In that case, the covenant has ended. The remaining spouse could marry and it not be considered a state of adultery.

There has already been at least one instance where this was explained to non-believers who had a heart for following Jesus. one or both of them had been married and divorced, but they had found happiness with each other. They were raising children together. They asked what Jesus wanted of them. They were told Jesus would ask them to divide their family, because they were living in a lifestyle of adultery. This was too much for them to do.

Our church position is very close to the position Praxis outlined.

ohio jones wrote: ↑Tue Sep 30, 2025 1:47 pm

JohnH wrote: ↑Tue Sep 30, 2025 7:54 am Why don’t we start with what your church teaches?

I've hidden a couple of responses and will restore them after this question is answered.

We follow the Bible regarding marriage and divorce both from Jesus and the writings of the apostles in the NT. You said you hid Barnhart's response. I don't think that's fair to Barnhart. He has excellent insights.

JohnL wrote: ↑Tue Sep 30, 2025 7:28 pm

JohnH wrote: ↑Tue Sep 30, 2025 7:54 am Why don’t we start with what your church teaches?

We follow the Bible regarding marriage and divorce both from Jesus and the writings of the apostles in the NT.

Quite enlightening, since there are a handful of ways the pertinent passages are commonly interpreted. Is divorce ever valid? If so, under what circumstances? What about remarriage? If it is ever allowed, is it only allowed for the spouse who did not file for divorce? For both? It depends?

JohnL wrote: ↑Tue Sep 30, 2025 7:28 pm

ohio jones wrote: ↑Tue Sep 30, 2025 1:47 pm

JohnH wrote: ↑Tue Sep 30, 2025 7:54 am Why don’t we start with what your church teaches?

I've hidden a couple of responses and will restore them after this question is answered.

We follow the Bible regarding marriage and divorce both from Jesus and the writings of the apostles in the NT. You said you hid Barnhart's response. I don't think that's fair to Barnhart. He has excellent insights.

It doesn't seem like there is anything to discuss because we all agree with this vague statement

JohnL wrote: ↑Tue Sep 30, 2025 5:57 am I’m going to lay this down in the General Theology section because I’m interested in what your particular church teaches about this topic so that Anabaptist and not-Anabaptist can share.

I’m asking that no one pokes each other in the eye over differences in their churches.

In my church we follow what christ teach

"And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery.” Mathew 19:9

eccentric_rambler wrote: ↑Tue Sep 30, 2025 7:42 pm

JohnL wrote: ↑Tue Sep 30, 2025 7:28 pm

JohnH wrote: ↑Tue Sep 30, 2025 7:54 am Why don’t we start with what your church teaches?

We follow the Bible regarding marriage and divorce both from Jesus and the writings of the apostles in the NT.

Quite enlightening, since there are a handful of ways the pertinent passages are commonly interpreted. Is divorce ever valid? If so, under what circumstances? What about remarriage? If it is ever allowed, is it only allowed for the spouse who did not file for divorce? For both? It depends?

Does your church have a detailed theology on the marriage and divorce verses? I’m interested in how your church understands them to expand my own understanding.

We use the KJV and NKJV translations which possibly influences our interpretation. Our interpretation is pretty much marriage for life, only adultery ends the marriage but does not mean remarriage is allowed unless one of the spouses dies.