Reviews for Redemptive Divorce: A Biblical Process that Offers Guidance for the Suffering Partner, Healing for the Offending Spouse, and the Best Catalyst for Restoration

The average rating for Redemptive Divorce: A Biblical Process that Offers Guidance for the Suffering Partner, Healing for the Offending Spouse, and the Best Catalyst for Restoration based on 2 reviews is 3.5 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2021-01-02 00:00:00 Patrick Concilio You can tell that Mark Gaither, like many of us, sadly, has 'been there'. You can tell that he wanted to make his marriage work, and that he wanted to follow God's Word. In 'Redemptive Divorce' he offers an innovative solution to failing marriages, what he calls 'the Best Catalyst for Restoration'. He proposes that the 'upright spouse' (and it's not always that cut and dry, is it?) files for divorce against their abusive/alcoholic/unfaithful/gambling, etc. spouse. The purpose of this application is not its stated aim (divorce), but rather its opposite (reconciliation). Although a case could be made from Hosea and God himself sending away Gomer (Israel) in order to bring about some kind of repentance, there doesn't seem to be any New Testament encouragement to use the threat of a divorce as some kind of leverage to bring about repentance. A critical flaw with the 'go to the courts to get your wandering (Christian) spouse to repent' approach is that it flies in the face of 1 Corinthians 6:1-11 which explicitly encourages us to get the local church involved. This entire book is on the whole somewhat individualistic and separates out the believer from the local expression of Christ's body. There is very little about bringing the matter to brothers and sisters and elders for their assistance in resolving marital issues. Jesus is faithful to his Bride, the Church, and the teaching of the New Testament seems to be stay faithful to your spouse as far as they are willing to stay with you (1 Corinthians 7:12-14) and are prepared not to violate your marriage through infidelity (Matthew 19:9) with the possible provision for separation (1 Corinthians 7:10,11 - in the case of abuse?). There is no encouragement for the NT believer to use divorce as a mechanism for reconciliation.

Review # 2 was written on 2019-07-01 00:00:00 Thomas Sletto When does divorce actually happen? When the state declares it so, or when an unrepentant spouse repeatedly chooses their sin over the marriage? Mark Gaither argues the second, then lays out a plan based on how the court system actually functions (rather than how they should or we wished they'd function) to provide the best hope for a restored marriage. This is not a process for someone who wants to enact revenge nor will it be easy for a hurting spouse to walk through. But I read a lot of encouragement and power in these pages. This is a process that church leaders, as well as friends close to a suffering marriage, should consider.