Recently The New York Times published an article, "Unmarried Pastor, Seeking a Job, Sees Bias". The title is fairly self-explanatory. If you take the time to peruse job postings for pastoral openings you will often see 'married' listed as a requirement. Should this be? As the article starts to hit on, it seems that much of the reason for this tends to be based on irrational fears rather than rational or even theological stances.
In my bible study last night we looked at Titus 1:6 where it talks of elders being 'the husband of one wife'. This passage, and similar ones such as in 1 Timothy 3:2, traditionally frame the argument for a pastor, or elder, being married. To jump right to my interpretation: This is not a commandment that one must be married but that if you are married you are faithful and if you are not married you are faithful in that.
Much more can be said on this topic (and I plan to do so through this blog). You can see several other responses from Christian leaders here:
Albert Mohler: Must a Pastor Be Married? The New York Times Asks the Question
Justin Taylor: On Bias Against Single Pastors
At Internet Monk: Single? Need Not Apply
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