4th October, 2011

BRUCE C WEARNE

Russell Moore, of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, recently published a trenchant article in Christianity Today's "Speaking Out" column. He was clearly provoked by broadcaster Pat Robertson's recent comment about a wife's Alzheimer's being legitimate grounds for a husband seeking divorce in order to marry another woman.

KEEPING PROMISES:God's faithfulness means it's possible for marriage partners to keep their promises "for richer, for poorer; for better, for worse; in sickness and in health". PICTURE: © Robert Williams (www.sxc.hu) "Christians, Moore says, should not only view marriage in terms of the faithfulness of the Lord to His Bride, but as restored image-bearers, they should be giving expression to the Lord's long-suffering patience and mercy."

Moore's provocative piece stirred considerable on-line comment. At last count, 2,747 readers gave it "thumbs up" on Facebook. It is a sharp criticism of a view broadcast by Robertson, former leader of the US "Christian Coalition", on his television show. He is reported to have said that because the woman is "not there" anymore, a man would be justified in divorcing his wife with Alzheimer's disease in order to marry another woman.

A few readers were alarmed by Moore's "unChristian" criticism of Robertson and upset by his claim that the televangelist had repudiated the Gospel. But what impressed me was the normative framework within which Moore evaluated what seems to have been a thoroughly inept "pastoral care" suggestion.

Moore did more than appeal to our restored image-bearing in Christ as he offered his critique of Robertson's published views. Christians, he says, should not only view marriage in terms of the faithfulness of the Lord to His Bride, but as restored image-bearers, they should be giving expression to the Lord's long-suffering patience and mercy. His article takes aim at views in which sexuality - and that meant in this case male sexuality - is assumed to be an autonomous power and thus is referred to as a basis over-riding any previous promise. There's more that can be said about the particular case, but that is what I take from Moore's "Speaking Out".

The upshot of Moore's article is that marriage partners and potential marriage partners (that is, those who seek Christian counselling about their life together), should be counselled in the Gospel - the way is open to keep your promises to each other because God Himself has remained faithful to His promises. This is part and parcel of what living is all about for the restored image-bearers of the Lord. This kind of imaging is integral to the Christian life and, in this sense, marriage is about keeping our promises "for richer, for poorer; for better, for worse; in sickness and in health".

Such promise-keeping is by no means sentimentalism - it is Christian faith coming to expression in the "tough love" God calls forth from marriage. Moore rightly emphasises that because God didn't sue for divorce but remained faithful to His Bride, our oath-keeping has a firm basis and remains meaningful. The Book of Acts, for instance, tells us how God's love for the world in sending Jesus was maintained not only for Gentiles but for the historic people who had disowned Him. And the New Testament was written to remind us that Peter, John and Paul had no claims on God - they were living proof of God's promise-keeping despite their evident failures.

There is normative depth to Moore's criticism that goes far beyond the immediate censure of Robertson's views. We need to find ways to further express this same principle in order to strengthen the marriage institution, not only for ourselves as Christians, but for our neighbours who also seek to live within its promissory structure. Moore's twin appeal to God's patience and our identity as image-bearers of our Creator-Redeemer, gives a firm basis for all the various relationships in which we live out our life.

Following Moore's suggestive interpretation we will read Jesus' comment in the Sermon on the Mount "You have heard that it was said...but I say unto you..." not only as His considered advice about how marriage should be viewed, but how marriage should be lived as a God-given opportunity to follow Christ in lives of service. Just as the Lord is a loving, troth-keeping husband so also as a patient and merciful ruler, we image Him by loving our neighbours with a patient and merciful search for justice in sharing the same polity. And so on throughout the other dimensions of our lives, in friendships, buying and selling and whatever else we find ourselves doing.

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