The Bishop of the Diocese of Kalabari, Rt. Revd. Dr. Boma Peter Briggs, has declared that any knight who divorces his or her spouse will be stripped of the honour as part of sweeping measures aimed at curbing the rising rate of divorce within the church.
The bishop announced the decision during his Presidential Address, also known as the Bishop’s Charge, at the First Session of the First Synod of the Diocese, held at the Cathedral Church of St. Augustine, Abonnema.
Expressing concern over what he described as the alarming rate of marital breakdown among church members, Bishop Briggs said divorce contradicts biblical teachings and must be decisively addressed.
“As from now, any knight who divorces his or her spouse will be disrobed,” he declared, stressing that the church would uphold the sanctity of marriage through stricter disciplinary measures.
The bishop also unveiled new marriage guidelines for all churches within the Diocese. He directed that every church, particularly Archdeaconry and Deanery headquarters, must be licensed before conducting marriages.
Under the new regulations, intending couples will undergo compulsory pre-marital counselling for six months under the supervision of the diocesan marriage committee before any wedding can be approved.
He further announced a ban on emergency weddings and marriage blessings during the Lenten season, while pregnant women will no longer be eligible for marriage blessings.
In addition, all intending couples must present the results of preliminary medical tests, including blood group, genotype and HIV/AIDS screening, before the church will officiate their marriage.
Bishop Briggs said the measures are designed to strengthen Christian marriages, promote responsible family life and preserve the biblical standards of the church.
