Escaping an abusive marriage is no easy task for many evangelical women, many of whom have pastors that say physical abuse is no reason for divorce.
What is a good enough reason for divorce? Well, according to Rick Warren’s Saddleback church, divorce is only permitted in cases of adultery or abandonment -- as these are the only cases permitted in the Bible -- and never for abuse.
spousal abuse should be dealt with by temporary separation and church marriage counseling designed to bring about reconciliation between the couple. But to qualify for that separation, your spouse must be in the “habit of beating you regularly,”
“How many beatings would have to take place in order to qualify as
regularly?” asks Jocelyn Andersen, a Christian domestic violence survivor and advocate, author of the 2007 book
Woman Submit! Christians and Domestic Violence, an indictment of church teachings of wifely submission and male headship.
clipped from: www.alternet.org