I’m going to post this as simply a point of interest, though one I am very much still thinking through. For some time I have heard conversations similar to this come up among pastors. My only opinions at the moment are (a) that there likely needs to be a definitive break between the church and secular society on the question of marriage and (b) that such a break would indeed raise a number of difficult questions about how the church views marriage and, in particular, divorce that the church would really have to think through. My interest in this is convictional: I simply do believe that what the state says about marriage and what the church says about marriage are two very separate things except insofar as they conveniently overlap. The recent social experiments are causing the church today to think through the lines of demarcation, and I think, on the whole, that is a positive thing. More on these later, but, for now, check out Olson’s first post and then his second clarifying post.
Walking Together Ministries
A Resource for the Pilgrim Church
Having read Olson’s article I’m a little troubled by something. Olson, speaking words I’ve seen many others speak as well, recognizes that there’s something incomplete and unstable about the status quo concerning the separation of church and state. And like so many others, Olson just seems to assume that the obvious solution is to further the completeness of that separation–that abandoning any structural control/influence of the state by the church is the obvious way to go. Indeed, the opposite possibility just never even seems to occur to him. I suppose such a view upholds the Baptist party line, but I’m not convinced that such is the best solution. Honestly, the trajectory of modern secular states doesn’t so much convince me of a need for greater separation of Church and State, it rather leads me to suspect that secularism is itself inclined towards moral absurdity and is therefore unsustainable over the long-term.
Eugene, thank you so much for the very helpful comment. Personally, in light of the current trajectory of modernity, I think a clearer break is probably wisest. However, it’s certainly complicated and I would like to see and think through the options available, as I’m sure we all would. My sense is that aggressive forces of modernity will exploit any toehold they can, and that the church’s signing of civil marriage licenses could be one such toehold. I could very well be wrong.
I do think that Olson’s proposal could open a Pandora’s box as far as divorce is concerned.