Ep. 372 Response to Grudem’s New View on Abuse and Divorce

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Shows Main Idea – A pastor asked about an interview with Wayne Grudem and the “Quick to Listen” podcast crew from Christianity Today where Wayne talked about his newly discovered third reason for divorce, which is in abuse cases. I produced a video response for this pastor, which you may watch in these Show Notes or on our Rumble or YouTube channels. You may also listen to the podcast version.

Show Notes

• Response to Grudem’s Position: and (You will not agree with everything in these articles, but they do provide alternate opinions.)
• You may watch Rick’s response on our Rumble or YouTube channels. Or you may watch it below too.

Preliminary Thoughts

• A burden for a real-life tragedy does not make one qualified to work through it. Wayne is not a counselor, as he admits. His burden for legitimate abuses overreaches to the point of complicating potential solutions.
• I’m not addressing how to help a person through abuse but speaking strictly to Grudem’s overreach.
• I have reduced my use of the word “abuse,” choosing to use the throwback word, sin, which opens all the possibilities when helping a person that another is sinning against in horrific and evil ways.

If you want to follow an abuse situation on our community forums, this link will take you there. You’ll see how the presentation of abuse and what you think might have happened changes once you get to the end of the conversation. As Sara says below, the point is that biblical counseling is not straightforward or simplistic, which is why every person who does it should not be handling abuse cases.

Rick, biblical counseling is so fascinating, all the ins and outs, nuances, layers. Learning how to navigate it all is like a work of art and solving a puzzle while bringing the glory of God and His truth to be laid bare and helping a person walk in the freedom we have in Christ! –Sara

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Rick Thomas

Rick launched the Life Over Coffee global training network in 2008 to bring hope and help for you and others by creating resources that spark conversations for transformation. His primary responsibilities are resource creation and leadership development, which he does through speaking, writing, podcasting, and educating.

In 1990 he earned a BA in Theology and, in 1991, a BS in Education. In 1993, he received his ordination into Christian ministry, and in 2000 he graduated with an MA in Counseling from The Master’s University. In 2006 he was recognized as a Fellow of the Association of Certified Biblical Counselors (ACBC).