Questions & Replies about Divorce and Remarriage by David Instone-Brewer
Read the book    Buy a copy	I read and reply to all emails though sometimes the reply is very brief, due to pressure of time. I like to get questions - especially if they are new. Many people ask questions which are already covered in these Questionas & Replies. Please take a moment to look at previous emails before you write. Pastoral support doesn't really work by email, so if you need this, I'd encourage you to find a local fellow Christian or minister. Their personal views on this subject don't matter too much if they are good at listening, both to you and to God. David Instone-Brewer	Read portions    Buy a copy

Emailed question/comment:
	I understand that you reject the "any cause" ground for divorce, but do accept the ground of emotional neglect. Some of the leaders of our church  see "emotional neglect" as being tantamount to "any cause" in today's climate of psychological analysis/argument and in a modern divorce court. Can you comment?
Reply:
	"Emotional neglect" is a very wooly phrase which can be interpreted too widely, so I agree that it can be unhelpful and misleading. It would be a hopeless phrase to use in legislation, but it does help to encapsulate an idea. Ex.21.10f refers starkly to sexual activity, and Paul reflects this in 1Cor.7.3-5, but I wanted to avoid the situation where one partner demands "sex" when they should be offering love. I also wanted a phrase which mirrored the phrase "material support". But I agree that the phrase "emotional support" could be used by people who have 'fallen out of love' as an excuse to end a marriage, when really they should get counselling, or go on a holiday, or stop reading girlie mags. I made this clear in one of my emails about a girl who 'no longer loved' her husband. So I agree that "emotional support" can be misleading, but I used this terms as a good middle ground between "sex" and "love". I'd welcome ideas for a replacement.
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