Southern Seminary’s Russell D. Moore appeared live on CNN’s Newsroom, Sept. 16. Moore, dean of the School of Theology and senior vice president for academic administration at SBTS, spoke about “700 Club” host Pat Robertson’s advice that a man should divorce his Alzheimer-ridden wife, saying that Robertson’s counsel does not agree with a Christian perspective of marriage.
“It is a grievous thing to hear a Christian leader speak in this way,” Moore said in the CNN interview. “According to the Christian Scriptures, marriage is a picture of the gospel of Jesus Christ. This is a repudiation of everything that we’re about. A man is to love his wife, the Bible says, as Christ loves the church, and that includes in weakness, that includes in those times of sickness. And so, this is horrifying, and this doesn’t speak for Christians.”
The CNN appearance follows Moore’s article, “Christ, the Church, and Pat Robertson,” posted Sept. 15 at his blog. In the article, Moore writes, “This is more than an embarrassment. This is more than cruelty. This is a repudiation of the gospel of Jesus Christ.”
Further:
“A woman or a man with Alzheimer’s can’t do anything for you. There’s no romance, no sex, no partnership, not even companionship. That’s just the point. Because marriage is a Christ/church icon, a man loves his wife as his own flesh. He cannot sever her off from him simply because she isn’t ‘useful’ anymore.”
CNN’s Web site carries the video of Moore’s appearance: “Christian outlash over Robertson advice”