Monday, October 24, 2005
Perhaps The Church's Greatest Failure
Nothing sends shivers down my spine more than when someone in church gets a divorce and the church collectively shrugs. People talk about "needing to support them, not ostracise then." Fair enough, but isn't a valid support to urge them to try and make the marriage work?
Over the weekend the WSJ looked at a new book about the children of divorce.
I am not asking for much here. But in the church we simply cannot "just accept it." Not much we can do about the people in the pews, but...People whose marriages are in trouble should be given a leave of absence from leadership positions to work on the marriage -- paid if applicable. People who divorce should be removed from leadership positions for several years. When divorced people are called to leadership they should undergo extra accountability. Scripture is clear that church leaders should have their households in order, is it too much to ask that we follow scripture?
Over the weekend the WSJ looked at a new book about the children of divorce.
No one disputes that some marriages must be dissolved. What concerns Ms. Marquardt is that the "happy talk" about well-managed breakups lets adults dismiss and make light of children's real experiences.So many stories I know that confirm this, but prudence demands I do not tell them.
While her book may help grown-up children make sense of those experiences, it also carries a strong message for parents who are deciding whether to end a marriage: There may be no such thing as a "good divorce."
I am not asking for much here. But in the church we simply cannot "just accept it." Not much we can do about the people in the pews, but...People whose marriages are in trouble should be given a leave of absence from leadership positions to work on the marriage -- paid if applicable. People who divorce should be removed from leadership positions for several years. When divorced people are called to leadership they should undergo extra accountability. Scripture is clear that church leaders should have their households in order, is it too much to ask that we follow scripture?
