The recent controversy over Joe Kennedy's annulment gave only a glimpse of American Catholicism's open secret: that contrary to official Catholic doctrine, American churches grant annulments wholesale, freely declaring marriages nonexistent so that one or both partners can remarry in the church. The United States is home to only 6% of the world's Catholics, Robert Vasoli points out, but it now accounts for 75% of all Church annulments, two-thirds of which are granted on ostensibly psychological grounds. The real scandal, though, is not simply the numbers, but that Church marriage courts annul thousands of marriages that are actually valid according to Catholic teaching. Drawing on considerable research, the author details precisely how these courts let divorced Catholics--and many non-Catholics as well--bypass Catholic teaching and law. He shows, for instance, how they often help petitioners manufacture grounds for annulment, which are justified with specious psychological reasoning that are counter to the letter and spirit of canon law. Indeed, it may even be alleged that "lack of emotional maturity" at the time of the wedding can invalidate marriages that have lasted 30 years. The result has been a tidal wave: in 1968, the American church granted fewer than 600 annulments; today it hands out more than 60,000 a year. But Rome has not smiled on the performance of U.S. tribunals: of those psychological annulments appealed to the Roman Rota (the Vatican's highest marriage tribunal), more than 90% are overturned. This revealing look at annulment weaves painstaking analysis with a wealth of evidence as it illuminates the degree to which the U.S. Church has gone its own way since Vatican II on what constitutes valid marriage.

If you're ready to set your marital house in order and get your marriage back on track - this book is for you. Every chapter is written with the aim of a genuinely happy, spiritually centered marriage in mind. This is not a research based document; there are plenty of those available if you are so interested. It is, rather, the account of one married couple who has found a way to be happy and spiritually whole in an anti-commitment era. I am privileged and overjoyed to share these observations and experiences with fellow Christians and others who seek to live to the glory of God in the bonds of holy matrimony. -Poiette

In this book, I attempt to re-examine relationships in light of scripture for the purpose of revealing some misunderstood truth about relationships. I hope to provide the reader with a view of Relationship in light of how God would have us view it from a spiritual perspective. A relationship is the process of becoming one in unity with each other. It cannot be done by man alone even as a world view. A healthy relationship is a spiritual relationship. We need to look deeper into the word of God for understanding what God has joined together, not just in marriage but in our entire lives. In our society today we want to take what God has created and make it work our way. When it comes to a relationship we selfishly replace that responsibility with our personal desires. We are expecting the relationship to work under our control and understanding, giving no thought to the fact we really have no foundation for that relationship to stand. Even in considering the things that are most valuable to us in a relationship, the appearance, personality, character, money, sex or even intelligence are not foundations for a relationship. They may be valuable to us but not enough to base our lives on. They are not even stable themselves because nothing stays the same but God. When we have our own values and put them in the place of righteousness we will never be able to see or understand the truth. Our feelings and our values combined are a deadly combination for making decisions morally or ethically if not guided by the principles of God. Therefore, In a Relationship we should consider a required commitment with the understanding of what that means spiritually and physically. A relationship must be about oneness and with love. In order to understand a relationship we need to understand God’s will for our lives.

REPENTANCE AND SEEKING GOD'S DIRECTION IS A KEY FACTOR TO THE RELEASE OF YOUR TRUE COVENTANT MARRIAGE. THE PRIMARY CALL FOR PUBLICATION OF "WHAT GOD HAS JOINED TOGETHER" IS TO RECONCILE THE MARRIAGE COVENTANT ESTABLISHED BY THE CREATOR OF ALL. THROUGH THE MOVEMENT OF THE END TIME CHURCH, GOD IS CONFIRMING AND REVEALING THE TRUE ASSIGNMENTS FOR MARRIAGE.

Much has been written about marriage from the sociological and psychological point of view and as an object of civil and canon law. But in terms of systematic theology this treatment of marriage as a sacrament may very well be unique. Every effort has been made to keep the text from becoming too academic while at the same time providing the average educated reader with a wealth of original insights into the "mystery" of marriage: in creation and as transformed by Christ. Chapters cover sacramental consent, bond, and covenant as well as the quest for the sign. Such thorny problems as the role of faith in the sacrament, marriage with an unbaptized person, the most pressing ecumenical questions and the relationship between the sacrament and contraception are studied in depth. Finally, the "sacrament of family" is treated at some length with an eye to its social and redemptive dimensions.

Jesus Christ is the most influential human to ever walk the earth. We've heard and seen so many depictions of Him that we think we know Him better than we actually do. If we took the time to really look at Him, we might be surprised at what we'd find. In 52 Weeks with Jesus, author and pastor James Merritt leads you on a transformational journey as he shares what he's learned over a lifetime of studying Jesus' life and ministry. As you join Dr. Merritt on this journey, you will come to know and encounter Jesus in new and surprising ways and be inspired anew to embrace His invitation, "Come, follow Me." Filled with practical applications and surprising truths, this book will help you more ably answer that ancient question that's as timely today as when it was first posed: "Who do you say that I am?"

A comprehensive introduction to Christian ethics addressing today's most challenging moral issues Invitation to Christian Ethics is an indispensable guide for helping pastors, counselors, and everyday Christians navigate today's difficult moral questions. Readers will benefit from Ken Magnuson's survey of ethics from a biblical perspective as well as contemporary theories of moral reasoning. This survey is followed by twelve chapters devoted to some of the thorniest issues Christians encounter today, such as: Sexuality, including homosexuality, sexual identity, and gender Marriage and divorce Infertility and assisted reproductive technologies Abortion Physician-assisted suicide Race relations Creation care Capital punishment Just war, pacifism, and the use of lethal force Magnuson provides biblical insight into each topic and presents key moral considerations. He also answers specific, practical questions that arise and concludes with a summary of his recommended approach to each issue. Readers will learn how to grapple with difficult moral questions and will receive guidance for some of life's most challenging ethical conundrums. "Ethics will continue to be a line in the sand that separates Christians. In this volume, Magnuson gives us a biblically-based, logically-sound, historically-rooted, and future-aware guide that the church so desperately needs in the face of sexual revolution, moral relativism, and advancing technology." --Brian Arnold, President of Phoenix Seminary

The subject of marriage is a timely subject. The Bible simply defines marriage as "a man takes a woman." Happiness and well-being in marriage is based on a specific design. This design along with society's mores, civil government expectations, and ecclesiastical laws and fantasies are addressed. Jesus' message is compared and/or contrasted with Moses, the Prophets, the Pharisees, the Apostles, and Medieval church leaders. Over 40 translations of the Bible were consulted in addition to comparing the ancient Hebrew with its Greek equivalents through interlinears, word studies, lexicons, dictionaries, textual variants, and scholastic articles and comments. The appendix gives the history of Christendom's changing positions on marriage, divorce, and remarriage.

The centrality of God in all things is not a novel concept to Christianity, at least not in theory. For centuries, it would appear that the Church has somehow allowed herself to remove the God-centered gospel definition from marriage and has subsequently fashioned a culturally subjective definition of love, marriage, and divorce that has left God, in many respects, far from the center. This book, however, will pay less attention to our own domestic legacies of love, marriage, and divorce. It is more so about the church, covenants, conditions, true fidelity, perseverance, God-centered joy, authenticity, fraud, legalism, and apostasy. It is a journey into the kingdom of God wherein the visible and invisible church, along with love, marriage, and divorce, all seem to collide with the gospel of glory and grace.