Teologiczno-prawne rozumienie małżeństwa w Kościele Ewangelicko-Metodystycznym w Polsce

Abstract

The basic unit of social life is undoubtedly a family which cannot exist without marriage. It is the foundation. It is worth to have a look at beliefs and laws of different communities who are interested in the institution of marriage and family. This is particularly important in times of questioning the fundamental values and truths, including those concerning marriage and family. The subject of this article is the meaning of marriage in the Evangelical-Methodist Church in Poland. Because of the fundamental importance of the stability of marriage for social and religious life, the Church has established the appropriate legal standards and keeps them to protect the institution of marriage against divorces and family breakdowns. This applies not only to the Catholic Church, but also to other churches and religious communities (including Methodists), and even to the state and secular law (since the nineteenth century). Especially the latter however, in some cases, allows the possibility of divorce. In the course of discussion on the theology and law of marriage in the Evangelical-Methodist Church which refers to the heritage of the reformation, first we can note that marriage is deeply rooted in human nature as an unbreakable union between man and woman. Analyzing the biblical texts we can discover and better understand the order established by God at the time of creation of man in the image and likeness of God. The appeal to Divine Revelation is particularly valuable and important for the churches and religious communities which grew on the basis of the sixteenth century reformation. It has a crucial influence on the theological views on marriage and translates to legal understanding of marriage, and therefore to the implementation of God’s plan towards marriage in the lives of individuals and communities. Despite the significant differences in views on marriage between Evangelical-Methodist Church and Roman Catholic Church it is worth to present and analyze the Methodists’ views of the marriage. They reveal the intrinsic value of marriage, confirm the importance of the indissolubility of marriage and treat the divorce as a “necessary evil”, the exception to the rule. Finally, we can thus note that not only the Roman Catholic Church recognizes the profound role of marriage and family for the life of his own community, society and the individual. Also the Evangelical-Methodist Church is one of the religious communities, which sees marriage as a community of man and woman, through which man realizes one’s life and shapes the fullness of humanity in oneself. It is worth reminding, especially at times of ideological pluralism and times of trying to blight and deny the vocation for married life, flowing from the nature of man – the community of the whole life of man and woman.