Defining The New Testament Logia On Divorce And Remarriage In A Pluralistic Context

Christian marriage is a permanent union which requires the commitment of both spouses for its maintenance through fulfillment of its stipulations. The failure of the fulfillment of the latter provides legitimate grounds for divorce and remarriage of the innocent party. This work employs a fourfold approach for the development of NT ethical argumentation based on Richard B. Hays' Moral Vision of the New Testament. The author establishes the proper contextual grounds for the NT study through formulation of the Old Testament perspective on marriage as covenant. The relevant NT passages are examined through historical-critical and narrative-critical methods. A critical study of the main Christian traditions leads to an ecumenical formulation of the theological conclusions. Pragmatic implementation of the thesis follows an examination of the contemporary pluralistic context and applications in both Christian communities and the larger society within its legislative system.

This well-researched book explains why the Catholic Church continues to teach marital indissolubility and addresses the numerous contemporary challenges to that teaching. It surveys the patristic witness to marital indissolubility, along with Orthodox and Protestant views, as well as historical-critical biblical exegesis on the contested biblical passages. It also surveys the Catholic tradition from the Trent through Benedict XVI, and it examines a Catholic argument that the Catholic Church's teaching can and should change. Then it explores Amoris Laetitia, the papal exhortation from Pope Francis on marriage, and the various major responses to it, with the issue of marital indissolubility at the forefront. Finally, it retrieves Aquinas's theology of marital indissolubility as a contribution to deepening current theological discussions. The author argues that Amoris Laetitia upholds the traditional Catholic teaching that a valid and consummated Christian marriage is absolutely indissoluble, in accord with the teachings of Jesus and the Apostle Paul, as solemnly and authoritatively taught by the Council of Trent and affirmed by later popes and the Second Vatican Council. He says that Amoris Laetitia should be interpreted and implemented in light of the doctrine of marital indissolubility: implementations that undermine this doctrine should be avoided. Levering says that numerous contemporary Catholic theologians and biblical scholars are mistakenly turning the indissolubility of marriage into contingent dissolubility based upon whether the spouses continue to act in loving ways toward each other. The sacrament's gift of objective indissolubility is thereby undermined. Fortunately, the main interpreters of Amoris Laetitia, whose views have been approved by Pope Francis, insist that the Apostolic Exhortation does not change the doctrine of marital indissolubility in any way.

What light does the New Testament shed on the practice of celibacy for the sake of the kingdom? In his newest work, renowned Scripture scholar Raymond F. Collins turns his attention to the question, which, of course, has important implications for the church in our own day. Though the answer is not a simple one, and it does not necessarily translate automatically into clear contemporary ecclesial policy, it still serves as an important foundation for discussion. Collins gives careful consideration of the methodology to be used in approaching the question and to important aspects of the sociocultural context of first-century Palestine, within which the New Testament took form. He then explores what Jesus said to the disciples, several disciples' own statuses as married men, and Paul's teaching and personal example on marriage. Raymond Collins has served the church through his thoughtful and scholarly exegetical work for decades. This latest work of his will long be counted among his best.

The Bible is not an easy book to get into, although it is infinitely rewarding if you make the effort. But where to start? More experienced readers can help you to explore, and Light for our Path is an ideal way to begin regular Bible reading. The daily notes introduce you to some of the biblical books as a whole, but they also cover a variety of themes, showing how the Old and New Testaments read together can reveal the depth, richness and relevance of the Bible for today's world. This is not a book of technical Bible study; rather, writers from all over the world and from many different churches help you to meditate on the word of God and see how it bears on your own life.Among the books studied this year are: readings in Luke (the lectionary gospel for the year), Questions in Job, Navigating Numbers, Hosea, Isaiah 56-66 and Acts 6-12, plus a wide range of interesting themes, including: Living differently, Through Lent and Passiontide in poetry, Fire, Mountains and valleys, Paul for today, Contested sites, Mothers and Facing death.

Explores single men and women in the Roman world, their ways of life and their reasons for remaining unmarried.

“The New Testament on marriage and divorce has exercised a deep influence upon Western civilisation. This is especially the case with the logia on divorce which are recorded in the Gospels of Matthew v. 32, XIX 3—12, Mark X. 2—12 and Luke XVI. 18. The Apostle Paul deals with the subject in 1 Corinthians VII. 1—15. Within the Christian churches the statements in these texts are considered authoritative concerning the questions of whether or not marriage is indissoluble, and whether divorce and remarriage are allowed for one or several reasons. The purpose of this study is to examine the interpretation of the New Testament divorce texts during the Reformation period. The significance of the exegetical results achieved by the reformers can be appreciated only in the light of the medieval sacramental concept of marriage and the work of the Christian humanists; accordingly, the investigation begins with an examination of these two subjects, as well as the reaction of Roman Catholic exegetes to the interpretation of Erasmus. The interpretations of Luther and his associates and those of the prominent Reformed theologians follow. The works of representative English theologians have been studied, beginning with Willian Tyndale and Thomas Cranmer and ending with John Milton, whose works on divorce from an exegetical point of view terminate a period during which the meaning of the divorce texts was explored.” ‑From the Foreword