Donatism and Divorce | National Catholic Reporter

Donatism and Divorce | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: Novationism and Donatism are not appropriate to this argument because they had to do with the Church in direct persecution by the Empire.  Unless one is willing to argue with a straight face that secular governments are somehow persecuting the faith by allowing divorce, especially to women, there is no connection.  On the giving of Communion, how we do that has changed numerous times in the past 2000 some years and we still don't have it right - although in practice we are doing good because most people have realized that unless the sin is very major (and loving someone in second marriage is not such a major flaw), going to Communion is not an issue - and it is a question of practice, not faith and morals.  Now, should there be forgiveness in ending a marriage - absolutely but it has nothing to do with remarriage.  If one spouse victimizes the other through adultery, abuse, drunkenness, or abandonment (especially if they had the bad example of a parent), then they should seek forgiveness from the other spouse before marrying again or getting absolution.  The wronged spouse should not have to.  Of course, I have not great expectations of the Synod coming to such a rational moral conclusion, although I fail to see how standing up for a status quo that is wrong (unless you like the fees from marriage tribunals - ah, that's it!) is defensible.