The legal dissolution of marriage, which has for the Christian believer not only a social and a psychological impact but also a religious one. The following 11 points state as clearly as possible the position of the Seventh-day Adventist Church on the subject of divorce and remarriage:
“1. ‘In the sermon on the mount Jesus declared plainly that there could be no dissolution of the marriage tie, except for unfaithfulness to the marriage vow.’ -Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing , p. 63. ( Matt. 5:32 ; see also Matt. 19:9 .)
“When Jesus said, “‘Let not man put asunder,’ He established a rule of conduct for the church under the dispensation of grace which must transcend forever all civil enactments which would go beyond His interpretation of the divine law governing the marriage relation. He here gives a rule to His followers, who must adhere to it whether or not the state or prevailing custom allows larger liberty.
“2. Even though the Scriptures allow divorce for ‘unfaithfulness to the marriage vow,’ earnest endeavors should be made by those concerned to effect a reconciliation urging the innocent spouse to forgive the guilty one and the latter to amend his or her conduct, so that the marriage union may be maintained.
“3. In the event that reconciliation is not effected, the innocent spouse has the biblical right to secure a divorce, and also to remarry.
“4. A spouse found guilty of adultery by the church shall be subject to church discipline. Even though the transgressor may be genuinely repentant, he or she shall be placed under censure for a stated period of time, in order to express the church’s abhorrence of such evil. The transgressor who gives no evidence of full and sincere repentance shall be disfellowshipped. In case the violation has been so flagrant as to bring public reproach on the cause of God, the church, in order to maintain its high standards and good name, shall disfellowship the individual even though there is evidence of repentance.
“5. A guilty spouse, who is divorced, has not the moral right to marry another while the innocent spouse still lives and remains unmarried and chaste. Should he or she do so, he or she, if a member, shall be disfellowshipped. The person whom he or she marries, if a member, shall also be disfellowshipped.
“6. When a divorce is secured by either spouse, or when both mutually secure a divorce on any grounds other than that of ‘unfaithfulness to the marriage vow,’ the party or parties securing the divorce shall come under the censure of the church except as provided later in this paragraph. In the event that either spouse who is a church member remarries-unless in the meantime the other party has remarried, committed adultery or fornication, or died-the one remarrying shall be disfellowshipped from the church. The person whom he or she married shall also be disfellowshipped. It is recognized, however, that sometimes there may be conditions that make it unsafe or impossible for husband and wife to continue to live together. In many such cases the custody of the children, the adjustment of property rights, or even personal protection may make necessary a change in marriage status. In such cases it may be permissible to secure what is known in some countries as a legal separation. However, in some civil jurisdictions such a separation can be secured only by divorce, which under these circumstances would not be condemned. But such a separation or divorce, in which ‘unfaithfulness to the marriage vow’ is not involved, does not give either one the scriptural right to remarry, unless in the meantime the other party has remarried, committed adultery or fornication, or been removed by death. Should a member who has been thus divorced remarry, he or she, if a member, shall be disfellowshipped; and the one whom he or she marries shall also be disfellowshipped from the church.
“7. A guilty spouse who has violated his or her marriage vow and has been divorced and disfellowshipped and who has remarried, or a person who has been divorced on other than the grounds set forth in section 1 and has remarried, and who has been disfellowshipped from the church, shall be considered as standing under the disapproval of the church and thus ineligible for membership except as hereinafter provided.
“8. The marriage contract is not only more sacred but also infinitely more complex than ordinary contracts in its possible involvements; for example, in the factor of the children who may be born. Hence, in a case where any endeavor by a genuinely repentant offender to bring his marital status into line with the divine ideal presents apparently insuperable problems, his or her plea for readmittance shall, before final action is taken, be brought by the church through the pastor or district leader to the conference committee for counsel and recommendation as to any possible steps that the repentant one, or ones, may take to secure such readmittance.
“9. Readmittance to membership of those who have been disfellowshipped for reasons given in the foregoing sections shall be on the basis of rebaptism.
“10. When a person who has been involved in divorce proceedings is finally readmitted to church membership, as provided in section 8, every care should be exercised to safeguard the unity and harmony of the church by not giving such a person responsibility as a leader; especially in an office which requires the rite of ordination, unless by very careful counsel.
“11. No Seventh-day Adventist minister has the right to officiate at the remarriage of any person who, under the stipulation of the preceding paragraphs, has no scriptural right to remarry” ( Church Manual [1990], pp. 172–174).
In 1976 the General Conference established a set of guidelines and procedures to assist pastors and church administrators in the implementation of the instructions quoted above (cf. Review and Herald 154:7, Feb. 17, 1977).