Turn the Clock Backwards a Few Years

A few years ago, in the liberal mainline denominations, a minister who got divorced --for any reason--left the pastoral field. He might receive a job at headquarters, but that was it. The liberals did not allow for a divorced man calling himself a minister. Now the conservatives advocate it. I heard a Ft. Wayne seminary professor and WELS district pope both say that "husband of one wife" means one wife at a time. Suddenly everyone realized that the Bible supported the serial marriage of pastors.

The qualification for pastors clearly says, "Husband of but one wife." Perhaps in the Living Bible or the feminist NIV, one might find those new rules about "having a Scriptural divorce," but they are absent in the Word of God. In fact, God even says, "I hate divorce."

The Word allows for divorce in extreme circumstances but does not mandate divorce. Reconciliation and forgiveness are far better.

I find the leap to "Scriptural divorce" especially tricky because it rewards the slickest liar. What if the minister drives his wife away through mental cruelty and then cries abandonment? What if his career is his mistress?

Some people prefer the earlier approach when all the ministers were married men who were the husbands of one wife.

Divorced pastors can earn a degree in marital counseling. All the marriage counselors are divorced. It is a better-paying gig.