Can I be re-married in church after a divorce?
Christian Tradition has been that marriage is a solemn life-long commitment. At St Neots and Eynesbury Parish Churches we affirm this as the ideal to which all couples thinking about marriage should aspire.
However, we acknowledge that we all can fall short of our ideals. We know that marriages do come to an end, and for a variety of reasons.
We want to give our fullest support and to be sympathetic in cases where the previous marriage of one or both of the people concerned has been dissolved, and their former spouse is still living. We do not believe that this contradicts the Church’s teaching on marriage because we believe that serious reflection on past circumstances and the acknowledgement of mistakes can result in a stronger commitment to the new marriage, and a firm resolve to make it work.
If you are in this position and would like to explore the possibility of a marriage in church, please contact us (at office @ stneots.org) in the first instance to arrange a meeting at which the circumstances and issues can be discussed sensitively. The Church of England has issued guidelines which form the basis of that discussion. If after reflection, a marriage ceremony in church does not seem to be the best way forward, we may be able to offer you a service of thanksgiving and blessing following a civil marriage.
Please be aware that a wedding in church is less likely to be agreed to where one or both of the parties has been married and divorced more than once before (but it is not impossible).