Divorce before conversion

Hello and welcome to TAW. Well, you are allowed three marriages in the Orthodox Church. Since this would be your second marriage as an Orthodox, I would say it was permitted, but perhaps it would be good to talk to your SF on the issue of being married four times. I don't know the circumstances of your marriage, but I do think some introspection and consults with your priest would be good.

Will be interested in what Fr. Matt says.

From what I've read the only one that should really count is that last one when you were EO. And that should not be the end of the world even though it is obviously frowned upon. There are other EO that get divorced as a sad fact of life and the Church says they "understands human weakness" etc.

A lot of it depends on whoever your bishop is (I think the EO should invent a "your mileage may vary" saying based on this phenomenon, like TMVBB, things may vary based on bishop) But lots of EO have been divorced only to remarry, the secondary weddings are more penitent than celebratory etc. like no crowns on your head and no processions...

Ancient Mariner said:

Hello all I am orthodox engaged to a non orthodox woman, this would be my fourth marriage, 2 of my prior 3 were before conversion decades ago. Even my priest is confused, just looking for advise on how this would effect my standing in the church

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I don't listen to what people say that is doctrine of men including in the church, I just know what the bible says:

• Luke 16:18 (NIV)
  “Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery, and the man who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

For this reason I would not re-marry if I was divorced and I will not marry a divorced person I nearly did by the way but called it off after seeing hidden fruits come out during the our engaged period, its a personal choice as its your walk with God not mine or the churches all the best.

Ancient Mariner said:

Thank you sir, thoughts on the verse about except for adulatory

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I think Jesus Christ was saying if you can not keep one marriage commitment where you swear an oath then do not re-marry again I think that is more the point than Adultery but that is my personal view not scriptural or any authority, my own doctrine in a sense.

Marc Munday said:

I think Jesus Christ was saying if you can not keep one marriage commitment where you swear an oath then do not re-marry again I think that is more the point than Adultery but that is my personal view not scriptural or any authority, my own doctrine in a sense.

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That's an issue for his bishop to deal with

Ancient Mariner said:

Hello all I am orthodox engaged to a non orthodox woman, this would be my fourth marriage, 2 of my prior 3 were before conversion decades ago. Even my priest is confused, just looking for advise on how this would effect my standing in the church

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go to the bishop, it's his call.

Not David said:

That's an issue for his bishop to deal with

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Depends if you are a follower of God or man I guess:

• Matthew 23:8 (NIV)
  “But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have one Teacher, and you are all brothers.
  
  
• Matthew 23:10 (NIV)
  Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one Instructor, the Messiah.
  

Marc Munday said:

Depends if you are a follower of God or man I guess:

• Matthew 23:8 (NIV)
  “But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have one Teacher, and you are all brothers.
  
  
• Matthew 23:10 (NIV)
  Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one Instructor, the Messiah.

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Statement of Faith:

Members who are in communion with one or more of the Patriarchs listed here are considered “Orthodox” for the sake of these guidelines.

Active promotion of views contrary to the established teachings of canonical Orthodox Churches are considered off topic.

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Community Rules:

All posts within this faith community must adhere to the site wide rules. In addition, if you are not a member of this faith group, you may not debate issues or teach against it's theology. You may post in fellowship. Active promotion of views contrary to the established teachings of this group will be considered off topic.

Marc Munday said:

Depends if you are a follower of God or man I guess:

• Matthew 23:8 (NIV)
  “But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have one Teacher, and you are all brothers.
  
  
• Matthew 23:10 (NIV)
  Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one Instructor, the Messiah.

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You are posting in the Eastern Orthodox community forum. Your posts are in violation of the terms and conditions of Christian Forums which you agreed to abide by when you became a member. Your posts also demonstrate a very shallow understanding of the Scriptures you posted. If you wish to argue that point you may create a thread in St. Justin Martyr's Corner: Debate an Orthodox Chr

prodromos said:

You are posting in the Eastern Orthodox community forum. Your posts are in violation of the terms and conditions of Christian Forums which you agreed to abide by when you became a member. Your posts also demonstrate a very shallow understanding of the Scriptures you posted. If you wish to argue that point you may create a thread in St. Justin Martyr's Corner: Debate an Orthodox Chr

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Sorry I didn't know this was in a forum for people following men my apologizes all the best with end times.

Mr. Mark Munday.
First you give your interpretation of scripture, even describing as your own doctrine, and then accuse others of following man not God. You do realize how oxymoronic that is I hope?

Marc Munday said:

Sorry I didn't know this was in a forum for people following men my apologizes all the best with end times.

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Ah I just love the smell of fresh baked Religious Pride....

Marc Munday said:

Sorry I didn't know this was in a forum for people following men my apologizes all the best with end times.

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someone who can't read forum rules should probably not be giving us exegesis.

the Bible is much longer than our forum rules.

My sympathies are with our non-Orthodox visitor for their is something he is very right about, though his approach in our forum leaves something to be desired.

Most of us do not know what marriage really is and is meant to be. If one doesn’t know that, then one can’t possibly understand what divorce is. And many Orthodox now do not understand either, though they “commit” both. I think the appeal to the canon about three marriages in any kind of permissive sense is absolutely horrible.

We know not what we do.

Unless a Christian desires and determines to aim for the Christian ideal, they shouldn’t get married, period. (Let alone get divorced, which is already an abandonment of that ideal.)

Mariner, we’ve all sinned in the past. We have all marred God’s image in ourselves. The question is, what are you going to do from here on out? How are you going to live now? Many are in second marriages. Are they repentant about their own role in the dissolution of the first? Do they see that, if they had loved as Christ loved the Church, or obeyed and respected the other out of love, genuine agape, they could have saved the original marriage? Or do they justify the divorce as a “good” thing, that “freed” them to marry someone “better”? Are they determined to be faithful when the warm, fuzzy feelings of “being in love” pass, as they are bound to, when they are tempted to, or actually throw pots and pans at each other?

Marriage is a way to salvation, that requires taking up a cross that seems pleasant and desirable at first, until we begin to discover that the other person is also fallen, in need of repentance and salvation, with us having to take the brunt of their fallen passions, and they - ours. And it must be endured. For life. And in the love that we are commanded to show our neighbor and even our enemies. Not until you merely tire of each other. To constantly kick down and silence our own temptations to resentment and anger, and to fulfill that difficult command to love when we do not or no longer feel like it.

And behold! When we really begin to do that, when it becomes hard to do, we make it possible even to find the feelings we longed for, to restore at least some of what attracted us to the other in the first place. For it is truly hard to hate someone who is loving you sincerely, without resentment, sarcasm, etc, genuinely acting for your best interest, caring and concerned about you.

But we prefer to love ourselves, and to tell ourselves how we love our neighbor and love our enemies, even as we decide we don’t need to love a spouse we have fallen out of love with. You’re going to get to that place where you feel that way about the woman you are currently looking at, and if you’ve already ended a few marriages, it is even more likely. Unless you adopt that Christian ideal and determine to hold it for the rest of your life, you shouldn’t marry.

Marc Munday said:

Sorry I didn't know this was in a forum for people following men my apologizes all the best with end times.

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You're welcome for the bible the men of our church gave you. All the best.

Hello and welcome to CF and to TAW.

Of course that’s something to discuss with your spiritual father and priest, and I can understand in such a unique situation he would probably consult the bishop.

I won’t presume to comment on marriages since points have already been made here anyway. But I wanted to welcome you and also ask for your patience in case this thread ends up going off track. I hope you stay around.

God be with you.

Ancient Mariner said:

Hello all I am orthodox engaged to a non orthodox woman, this would be my fourth marriage, 2 of my prior 3 were before conversion decades ago. Even my priest is confused, just looking for advise on how this would effect my standing in the church

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Ancient Mariner said:

Thanks for the welcome, I’ve recently successfully completed alcohol detox and recovery and after a 2 years absent I am running back to the one true church for support NOT AA

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Glory to God!

Ancient Mariner said:

Hello all I am orthodox engaged to a non orthodox woman, this would be my fourth marriage, 2 of my prior 3 were before conversion decades ago. Even my priest is confused, just looking for advise on how this would effect my standing in the church

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Hello I withdraw everything I said and humble myself because of this scripture:

John 12:44-50
44Jesus shouted to the crowds, “If you trust me, you are trusting not only me, but also God who sent me. 45For when you see me, you are seeing the one who sent me. 46I have come as a light to shine in this dark world, so that all who put their trust in me will no longer remain in the dark. 47I will not judge those who hear me but don’t obey me, for I have come to save the world and not to judge it. 48But all who reject me and my message will be judged on the day of judgment by the truth I have spoken. 49I don’t speak on my own authority. The Father who sent me has commanded me what to say and how to say it. 50And I know his commands lead to eternal life; so I say whatever the Father tells me to say.”