Adultery in Orthodox Christian Ethics

Adultery is defined as the act of engaging in sexual relations with someone other than one's spouse or marriage. In Orthodox Christian Ethics, adultery is considered a grave sin that disrupts the sacred bond of marriage and undermines the core values of faithfulness, trust, and love. The Church's teachings on this topic are grounded in biblical principles and emphasize the sanctity of marriage as a union blessed by God.

Here's a breakdown of the Orthodox perspective on adultery:

Biblical Basis:

• Exodus 20:14: "አታመንዝር” “You shall not commit adultery." This commandment clearly establishes the prohibition against adultery.
• Matthew 5:27-28: " አታመንዝር እንደ ተባለ ሰምታችኋል። እኔ ግን እላችኋለሁ፥ ወደ ሴት ያየ ሁሉ የተመኛትም ያን ጊዜ በልቡ ከእርስዋ ጋር አመንዝሮአል::” You have heard that it was said to those of you, 'You shall not commit adultery.' But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart." Jesus Christ expands the concept of adultery beyond the physical act, encompassing lustful thoughts and intentions.
• Romans 13:9-10: "አታመንዝር፥ አትግደል፥ አትስረቅ፥ በውሸት አትመስክር፥ አትመኝ የሚለው ከሌላይቱ ትእዛዝ ሁሉ ጋር በዚህ፦ ባልንጀራህን እንደ ነፍስህ ውደድ በሚለው ቃል ተጠቅልሎአል።ፍቅር ለባልንጀራው ክፉ አያደርግም፤ ስለዚህ ፍቅር የሕግ ፍጻሜ ነው።” For the commandments, 'You shall not commit adultery,' 'You shall not murder,' 'You shall not steal,' 'You shall not bear false witness,' 'You shall not covet,' and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law." This verse emphasizes the connection between adultery and the fundamental principle of love.

• The Apostle Paul also addresses adultery in 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, where he warns that those who engage in sexual immorality, including adultery, will not inherit the kingdom of God. “…አትሳቱ፤ ሴሰኞች ቢሆን ወይም ጣዖትን የሚያመልኩ ወይም አመንዝሮች ወይም ቀላጮች ወይም ከወንድ ጋር ዝሙት የሚሠሩ ወይም ሌቦች ወይም ገንዘብን የሚመኙ ወይም ሰካሮች ወይም ተሳዳቢዎች ወይም ነጣቂዎች የእግዚአብሔርን መንግሥት አይወርሱም።” (1 Corinthians 6:9-10).

Church Teachings:

• The Orthodox Church views marriage as a sacrament, a sacred union that embodies the love between Christ and the Church. Adultery is seen as a violation of this sacred union, causing spiritual harm not only to the individuals involved but also to the entire community of faith.

Consequences:

The consequences of adultery in Orthodox Christian Ethics extend beyond the immediate emotional pain and disruption it causes to individuals and families. It can also lead to spiritual consequences, including:

• Loss of communion with God: Adultery is considered a sin that can distance individuals from God's grace and love.
• Spiritual damage: The act of adultery can cause deep spiritual wounds that require healing and restoration through repentance and forgiveness.
• Harm to the community: Adultery can damage the trust and unity within the Church community.

In Conclusion, Adultery is seen as a grave sin in Orthodox Christian Ethics, violating the sacred bond of marriage and undermining core values. It carries spiritual consequences, causes emotional pain, and damages the community. Faithfulness, love, and respect within marriage are emphasized.