Conversion after Divorce (Teachings of the Orthodox Church)

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“I am Yahweh your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. “You shall have no other gods before me. “You shall not make for yourselves an idol, nor any image of anything that is in the heavens above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: you shall not bow yourself down to them, nor serve them, for I, Yahweh your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and on the fourth generation of those who hate me, and showing loving kindness to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments. “You shall not take the name of Yahweh your God in vain, for Yahweh will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain. “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. You shall labor six days, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to Yahweh your God. You shall not do any work in it, you, nor your son, nor your daughter, your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your livestock, nor your stranger who is within your gates; for in six days Yahweh made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day; therefore Yahweh blessed the Sabbath day, and made it holy. “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land which Yahweh your God gives you. “You shall not murder. “You shall not commit adultery. “You shall not steal. “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor. “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.”

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	Conversion after Divorce (Teachings of the Orthodox Church)

QUESTION:

Is it possible to convert to Othodoxy after being divorced?

I was married in the Roman Catholic faith and so far no annulment is contemplated. Would I be accepted into Orthodoxy and be granted all the holy sacraments without a church annulment?

Would I be able to re-marry in the Orthodox faith after my divorce is granted? I have many such questions. Any help you can provide would be greatly appreciated.

ANSWER:

Your divorce would not be an impediment to your conversion to Orthodox Christianity.

As far as remarriage, some Orthodox jurisdictions, such as the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, require ecclesiastical divorces, although I do not know if this would apply in your situation since you were neither Orthodox at the time of your marriage nor were you married in the Orthodox Church.

With regard to our jurisdiction -- the Orthodox Church in America (OCA) -- there is no process akin to annullment nor ecclesiastical divorce.

What I would recommend is that you talk thinks over with the pastor of the parish in which you plan to convert. He will be able to guide you properly within the parameters set forth by the jurisdiction in which his parish falls.

Published in January 2011.

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