Life in a Glass House: A Study of Ministry, Marriage and Divorce

As ministers, our lives are inescapably public. By faith we confess that who we are and what we do is a visible witness to the Christ who has called us. We hope and pray it is that. At the very least though, our lives are visible. We are seen and heard, measured and evaluated. The constant public scrutiny, real and perceived, can add even more complications to those which already exist in marriage.

I am interested in pursuing an “appreciative recovery and critical re-appropriation of the riches of the Christian tradition in scripture and history” as it relates to marriage and divorce in the context of ministry. Since my own unexpected divorce in 2004, I have thought a lot about marriage as sacrament and sacrifice and considered the kind of care that is necessary to grow from our failures and disillusionment.

This project will research the “marriage revolution” and what that means for congregations and ministers. I will explore the wisdom of the Christian tradition related to marriage and to living lives of integrity and beauty in a world of disposable relationships and at a time when we are witnessing the desacralizing of marriage.