Egyptian court says Coptic Church must allow divorce, remarriage
May 31, 2010
Egypt's highest court has ruled that the Coptic Orthodox Church must allow divorce and remarriage.
The Supreme Administrative Court, siding with a lower court decision, rejected an appeal by Coptic Pope Shenouda II. The court said that "the right to family formation is a constitutional right."
In Egypt all marriages must be solemnized in a religious ceremony. The court ruled that the Christians who make up 10% of the country's population have the same right to marriage and remarriage as their Muslim neighbors, and Christian churches, regardless of their religious doctrines, must allow divorced people to remarry. The decision cannot be appealed.
Coptic Church leaders have said that they will not abide by the court's order, setting up a potentially serious church-state clash.
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Further information:
- Egypt court orders Coptic church to allow remarriage (AFP)
- Coptic Church Protests Egyptian Court Ruling on Marriage License (AINA)
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Posted by: Chestertonian -
May. 31, 2010 6:43 PM ET USA
The Egyptian court needs to correct its view of marriage; it is a good, not a right. Once you define marriage as a right, then you risk allowing all forms of disorder--gay marriage, or to a child, or even to an animal. This is the tipping point we stand at in the US. We MUST stand firm on the nature of marriage! Bravo to our Coptic brethren for their courage. We should all pray that God will assist them, and us.
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Posted by: -
May. 31, 2010 6:20 PM ET USA
This is an easy one. All the Coptic Church has to do is study American annulment policies and declare marriages null that people want out of. Deceptive of course, but easy.
