Do other denominations require annulments

Answer 1

All denominations are required to accept the fact of civil weddings and of legal divorce. However, the Catholic Church requires a divorced person to obtain an annulment before being able to marry again, in church.

Protestant religions do not require annulments. however, the rules on remarriage in church vary from denomination to denomination. Some will marry a legally divorced person in church, while others regard the first marriage vows as morally binding, even if the marriage no longer exists. If you wish to know what rule applies to you, you should discuss the matter with your clergy.

In all cases, a legally divorced person is still free to enter into a civil marriage.

Answer 2

No. However, it depends upon the Protestant Chuch in question. While most Protestant Churches aspire to Christ's teaching on marriage that it should be a commitment for life, they also recognise that occasionally marriages do break down.

Unlike Roman Catholic teaching on the subject, Jesus Christ was not absolutely against divorce. In the case of infidelity divorce was allowed, both in Christ's teaching and in Jewish society. Jewish society allowed divorce if a wife (or in modern day speak - a spouse) has any 'indecency' in them - ie, there ais a record of infidelity (Deut. 21:1). In Jesus' teaching we see that God intended marriage to be for life (Matthew 19, Mark 10) but even then, divorce is recognised as an inevitability if there is any immoral behaviour.

It follows that within the context of Jesus' teaching and looking at the original Greek of the passages, that while there was no 'divorce right' for divorce because of any minor cause, (and never had been), Mark's account must be read as Jesus explaining to them that if a man or woman divorces his/her spouse (and remarries) without a just-cause, then the man or woman who had divorced his/her spouse without a just-cause, was committing adultery against that spouse. Otherwise, divorce would be acceptable. There is no other rational/logical/consistent way to understand this exchange regarding a right to divorce that both Matthew and Mark recounts (and the Apostle Paul will later acknowledge and expand upon within his writings).

Therefore, in most Protestant Churches, divorce under certain circumstances (eg infidelity, unreasonable behaviour etc) is allowed, although it is seen as a sad occasion rather than something to almost 'celebrate' as many in the secular world would believe.

Moreover, there are also many Protestant churches that also allow remarriage within Church too for divorced people. They see the Gospel as not being a gospel of retribution or judgment - after all, we all make mistakes - but as a gospel of repentance, forgiveness and love, and so, after suitable instruction and a period of repentance and forgiveness, many clergy within the protestant churches will also marry divorcees. The ultimate decision is, of course, the individual parish priests' or minister's and his/her conscience. But most Protestant clergy err nowadays on the side of forgiveness and a fresh start - just as Jesus himself would.