[1stFreedom]

>>Well, why would not "common sense" apply when a wife is living with a physically and emotionally abusive husband? A husband dangerous to her and to her children?

Divorce or separation isn't really the issue -- it's remarriage which is.

[ksen]

Divorce and remarriage is a plague in our churches. There have been more families ruined by it than any other thing. It also has closed off areas of ministry to many people who would otherwise be perfectly qualified.

I am thinking in particular about the office of Deacon. In our church we hold that the "husband of one wife" clause means no divorced or remarried men are qualified to serve as a Deacon. This has severely limited the amount of otherwise qualified men from serving the church in this capacity.

[Meletus]

>>Divorce or separation isn't really the issue -- it's remarriage which is.

A divorce at the time Jesus said this, if valid, always included the right of remarriage. The divorce decree declared that the divorced party was free to remarry. This is how Jesus' original audience would have understood his words.