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 am presently working on a paper and my professor listed your book, " Divorce and Remarriage in the Bible" as one of his "suggested reading" materials. I choose to do it for a class presentation this week...and I have a question. Almost  without exception, Christians believe that divorce is a "sin." In every discussion, teaching, sermon, it is referred to as such. A few weeks ago, in a class discussion, several students called it a "sin" that one must repent of but that can be forgiven. They also refered to it as the "lesser of two evils", when having to choose between slavery, or prostitution et. I wanted to do a report on your book because I believe it shows the true Biblical view.  Dr. Brad Young in his book, "Jesus the Jewish Theologian," says, 'Divorce is not adultery(a sin). Remarriage after a divorce is not adultery (a sin). However, divorce can be employed to committ adultery(a sin.)P.116  I cannot see that Moses would allow divorce if it were a "sin." So my question is, of course, do you think it is Biblically correct for Christians to  continue to place divorce in the catagory of a "sin"...I would appreciate your insight on this.
Reply:
	I can't regard divorce as a sin, because the OT prophets describe God as a divorcee - He separated from Judah but divorced Israel. The sin in divorce is the breaking of marriage vows. Israel broke all her marriage vows and God, after trying many times to get her to repent, was forced to divorce her. When Jesus said that remarriage was sinful, he was speaking in the context of a debate about the new divorce for 'Any Cause', which he regarded as non-Scriptural and therefore invalid. Unfortunately it was so common that virtually all divorces in his day were based on this new Hillelite law, so that anyone who got a divorce on this ground was not properly divorced (according to Jesus). In this case, if they remarried, they were committing adultery, because they were still married to their former partner. You will find much more about both of these issues in my books. The pastoral version (which is much easier to read than the academic version) is not available in the USA but you can read it on the web at www.Divorce-Remarriage.com I hope you get an A !
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