Christian views on divorce

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Christian views on divorce find their basis both in biblical sources dating to the giving of the law to Moses (Deut 24:1–4) and political developments in the Christian world long after standardization of the Bible. According to the synoptic Gospels, Jesus emphasized the permanence of marriage, (see Mark 10 at verses 1 to 12,Mark 10:11–12 Matthew 19;[1] Luke 16 v. 18) but also its integrity. In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus says "Whosoever shall put away his wife, and marry another, committeth adultery against her. And if a woman shall put away her husband, and be married to another, she committeth adultery."[2][3] 1 Corinthians 6:9–10 states that adulterers "shall not inherit the kingdom of God".[2] The only lawful groud for divorce available to the innocent spouse is fornication, or adultery, on the part of the guilty mate. Jesus, as recorded in Matthew 19:9, stated:"And I say unto you, whosoever shall put away his wife, except for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and he that marrieth her when she is put away committeth adultery" (American Standard Version). The Shepherd of Hermas, an early Christian work on the subject, teaches that while fornication is the only reason that divorce can ever be permitted, remarriage with another person is forbidden to allow repentance and reconciliation of the husband and wife (those who refuse to forgive and receive their spouse are guilty of a grave sin).[4]

Both in the Gospel of Matthew and of Mark, Jesus remembers and quotes Genesis 1:27 ("male and female created He them"),[5] and Genesis 2:24 ("shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twaine shall be one flesh.").[6] Paul the Apostle concurred but added an exception, known as the Pauline privilege.

The Catholic Church prohibits divorce, and permits annulment (a finding that the marriage was not canonically valid) under a narrow set of circumstances.[7][8][9][10][11] The Eastern Orthodox Church permits divorce and remarriage in church in certain circumstances,[12] though its rules are generally more restrictive than the civil divorce rules of most countries. Most Protestant churches discourage divorce though the way divorce is addressed varies by denomination; for example, the Reformed Church in America permits divorce and remarriage,[13] while connexions such as the Evangelical Methodist Church Conference forbid divorce except in the case of fornication and do not allow for remarriage in any circumstance.[14]

The Christian emperors Constantine and Theodosius restricted the grounds for divorce to grave cause, but this was relaxed by Justinian in the 6th century. After the fall of the empire, familial life was regulated more by ecclesiastical authority than civil authority.

Roman Catholic Church[]

Although marriage was not yet a declared, defined sacrament, by the ninth or tenth century, the divorce rate had been greatly reduced under the influence of the Roman Catholic Church,[15] which considered marriage to be instituted by God and Christ indissoluble by mere human action.[16] Marriage was later defined as a sacrament, beginning in 1208, when Pope Innocent III required members of another religious movement to recognize that marriage was a sacrament as a condition for being received back into the Catholic Church.[17] In 1254, Catholics accused Waldensians of condemning the sacrament of marriage, "saying that married persons sin mortally if they come together without the hope of offspring".[18] In 1439 the Council of Florence defined marriage as a sacrament, solidifying the development of doctrine from the previous twelve centuries and described marriage as 'indisoluble' "since it signifies the indivisible union of Christ and the church." The passage follows, "Although the separation of bed is lawful on account of fornication, it is not lawful to contract another marriage since the bond of a legitimately contracted marriage is perpetual."[19]

Although divorce, as known today, was generally allowed in Western Europe after the 10th century, separation of husband and wife and the annulment of marriage were also well-known. What is today referred to as “separate maintenance” (or "legal separation") was termed "divorce a mensa et thoro" ("divorce from bed-and-board"). The husband and wife physically separated and were forbidden to live or cohabit together; but their marital relationship did not fully terminate.[20] Civil courts had no power over marriage or divorce.

The Catholic Church historically opposed the legalization of civil divorce in Catholic countries. For example, when Republican Spain legalized divorce in Spain for the first time, Pope Pius XI wrote: 'the new Spanish legislation, with the deleterious introduction of divorce, dares to profane the sanctuary of the family, thus implanting, with the attempted dissolution of domestic society, the germs of saddest ruin for civil well-being.'[21]

Canon law makes no provision for divorce, but a declaration of nullity may be granted when proof is produced that essential conditions for contracting a valid marriage were absent—i.e., that the sacrament did not take place due to some impediment. The grounds for annulment are determined by Church authority and applied in ecclesiastical courts. Annulment was known as "divorce a vinculo matrimonii", or “divorce from all the bonds of marriage", for canonical causes of impediment existing at the time of the marriage. “For in cases of total divorce, the marriage is declared null, as having been absolutely unlawful ab initio.”[22][23][24]

The Church holds that the sacrament of marriage produces one person from two, inseparable from each other: "Holy Scripture affirms that man and woman were created for one another: 'It is not good that the man should be alone.' The woman, 'flesh of his flesh,' his equal, his nearest in all things, is given to him by God as a 'helpmate'; she thus represents God from whom comes our help. 'Therefore a man leaves his father and his mother and cleaves to his wife, and they become one flesh.' The Lord himself shows that this signifies an unbreakable union of their two lives by recalling what the plan of the Creator had been 'in the beginning': 'So they are no longer two, but one flesh.'"[25] Since husband and wife became one person upon marriage, that oneness can only be seen as null if the parties improperly entered into the marriage initially, in which case the marriage does not validly exist.

In 2016, Pope Francis published Amoris laetitia, which pertains to the reception of Holy Communion by the divorced and remarried who live together "more uxorio". However, there have been no updates to Roman Catholic Canon Law as a result of this apostolic exhortation.

Eastern Orthodox Church[]

The Eastern Orthodox Church does recognize that there are occasions when it is better that couples do separate, and permits remarriage in Church,[12] though its divorce rules are stricter than civil divorce in most countries. For the Eastern Orthodox, the marriage is "indissoluble" as in it should not be broken, the violation of such a union, perceived as holy, being an offence resulted from either adultery or the prolonged absence of one of the partners. Thus, permitting remarriage is an act of compassion of the Church towards sinful man.[26] A very low rate of divorce among Orthodox Christians in Greece may suggest that the same may be said for Orthodox Christians in the U.S. However, U.S. rates are inconclusive. The actual divorce rate is probably somewhat higher due to civil divorces obtained without an accompanying ecclesiastical divorce.[27] Divorced individuals are usually allowed to remarry though there is usually imposed on them a penance by their bishop and the services for a second marriage in this case are more penitential than joyful. The Orthodox Church traditionally states that "it blesses the first marriage, performs the second, tolerates the third, and forbids the fourth". Widowed spouses are permitted to remarry without repercussion and their second marriage is considered just as blessed as the first. One exception to this rule is the clergy and their wives. Should a married priest die, it is expected that his widow will not remarry. Widowed priests are not allowed to remarry and frequently end up in monasteries.

Oriental Orthodox Churches[]

The Oriental Orthodox Churches are more severe than the Eastern Orthodox Church in terms of divorce and adopt an intermediate position between Rome and Constantinople, allowing it only in the case of adultery. This position is true for both Syriac Orthodox, Armenian Orthodox, Ethiopian Orthodox, and Coptic Orthodox.[28][29]

Lutheran Churches[]

Martin Luther deplored divorce and "thought it clear, both from the ordinance of creation and the teaching of Christ, that marriage is meant to last throughout life".[30] He taught that the innocent party in adultery and the innocent party in desertion were exceptions in which divorce was allowed on Scriptural grounds.[30] With regard to the innocent party in adultery, Luther held that "the guilty party severed the marriage tie so that the innocent one can act as though his spouse has died and he is free to marry again".[30] Concerning the innocent party in desertion, Luther taught that this was an extension of the Pauline privilege as "any husband or wife who deserted the home proved themselves to be unbelievers in fact, whatever they might be in name, and therefore should be treated as such."[30]

Anglican Churches[]

Henry VIII of England is known for breaking with the Roman Catholic Church partly in order to obtain an annulment.

Early History[]

Divorce followed by remarriage was illegal in early modern England, becoming a felony in 1604, categorized as bigamy.[31]

Prior to 1857, divorce laws did not exist and was available only to those of wealth able to secure an Act of Parliament. The Divorce Bill of 1857 introduced legislation granting divorces which was opposed by the majority of clergy.[32]

Prominent Anglican Perspectives[]

Several Anglicans have opposed divorce and remarriage:

  • Elizabeth I and Archbishop Parker.[33]
  • Edmund Bunny (c.1595) a Yorkshire minister issues sermons and tracts.[34]
  • John Dove (c.1601) preacher at St Paul's Cross.[35]
  • John Howson (c.1602) vice-chancellor of Oxford, 1602.[36]

The Puritans were an English reform movement within the Church of England that sought to remove its Roman Catholic influence and complete the reformation. They largely supported marital dissolubility promoting divorce and remarriage. Prominent Puritans that lobbied the Church of England include:

  • John Rainolds, a prominent academic during Queen Elizabeth's reign.[37]
  • William Whatley, minister of Banbury.[38]
  • John Milton

Current Anglican Communions[]

The modern Anglican Church of Canada permits divorce and remarriage.[39]

Reformed Churches[]

The Westminster Confession of Faith[40] (WCF), which is a secondary standard of the Presbyterian Church, allows for divorce under certain circumstances. In chapter 24, section 5, it states that the contract of marriage may be dissolved in the case of adultery or abandonment, citing Matthew 5.31 as proof.[41]

Methodist Churches[]

Traditional Methodist views on divorce have been expressed in the Book of Discipline of the mother church of Methodism, the Methodist Episcopal Church, as well as historic writings by Methodist ministers including Jerry Miles Humphrey, who penned A Word Of Warning On Divorce-Marriage.[42] The Doctrines and Disciplines of the Methodist Episcopal Church (1884) teaches that "No divorce, except for adultery, shall be regarded by the Church as lawful; and no Minister shall solemnize marriage in any case where there is a divorced wife or husband living: but this Rule shall not be applied to the innocent party to a divorce for the cause of adultery, nor to divorced parties seeking to be reunited in marriage."[43] The present-day teaching and church discipline regarding divorce varies with the Methodist connexion. The Allegheny Wesleyan Methodist Connection, in its 2014 Discipline, teaches:[44]

We believe that the only legitimate marriage is the joining of one man and one woman (Gen. 2:24; Rom. 7:2; 1 Cor. 7:10; Eph. 5:22, 23). We deplore the evils of divorce and remarriage. We regard adultery as the only scripturally justifiable grounds for divorce; and the party guilty of adultery has by his or her act forfeited membership in the church. In the case of divorce for other cause, neither party shall be permitted to marry again during the lifetime of the other; and violation of this law shall be punished by expulsion from the church (Matt. 5:32; Mark 10:11, 12). In the carrying out of these principles, guilt shall be established in accordance with judicial procedures set forth in The Discipline.[44]

The Emmanuel Association of Churches teaches in its 2002 Guidebook:[45]

Since God's Word strictly forbids remarriage after divorce (Mark 10:2-12); and because of the suffering of the divorcees, the stigma placed upon their children, and the ruination of homes, no divorced and remarried person who continues to live in such a relationship shall be allowed to belong to the Emmanuel Association of Churches or an affiliated church or take any appointed part in public service.[45]

The United Methodist Church, in its 2012 Book of Discipline, states:

God’s plan is for lifelong, faithful marriage. The church must be on the forefront of premarital, marital, and postmarital counseling in order to create and preserve strong marriages. However, when a married couple is estranged beyond reconciliation, even after thoughtful consideration and counsel, divorce is a regrettable alternative in the midst of brokenness. We grieve over the devastating emotional, spiritual, and economic consequences of divorce for all involved, understanding that women and especially children are disproportionately impacted by such burdens. As the church we are concerned about high divorce rates. It is recommended that methods of mediation be used to minimize the adversarial nature and fault-finding that are often part of our current judicial processes, encouraging reconciliation wherever possible. We also support efforts by governments to reform divorce laws and other aspects of family law in order to address negative trends such as high divorce rates.

Although divorce publicly declares that a marriage no longer exists, other covenantal relationships resulting from the marriage remain, such as the nurture and support of children and extended family ties. We urge respectful negotiations in deciding the custody of minor children and support the consideration of either or both parents for this responsibility in the custody not be reduced to financial support, control, or manipulation and retaliation. The welfare of each child is the most important consideration.

Divorce does not preclude a new marriage. We encourage an intentional commitment of the Church and society to minister compassionately to those in the process of divorce, as well as members of divorced and remarried families in a community of faith where God’s grace is shared by all.

For those who have been divorced and remarried prior to receiving the New Birth, many Methodist connexions, such as the Bible Methodist Connection of Churches in its 2018 Book of Discipline, teach:[46]

We recognize that, in today’s society, many have divorced and remarried while yet unsaved or unenlightened to the Scripture’s teaching. When they are born from above, they become new creatures in Christ Jesus;1 they are justified, sanctified, and washed from the guilt of their former sins.2 We encourage them, therefore, to raise their current families to live for God.

For those who come to the Lord divorced for reasons other than adultery but who have not remarried, we recommend that they carefully seek God’s will and pastoral counsel regarding how to proceed in this matter.3
1 2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”
2 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 “Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.”

3 1 Corinthians. 7:39 “A wife is bound by law as long as her husband lives; but if her husband dies, she is at liberty to be married to whom she wishes, only in the Lord.”[46]

Baptist Churches[]

Baptist perspectives vary on account of their governance structure that prizes local autonomy of the pastor and its congregants.

Particular Baptists[]

Particular baptist John Gill (c.1697–1771) argues for "indissoluble" marriages, yet understands desertion and adultery akin to death of a spouse.[47]

19th C. - 20th C. Views[]

The Southern Baptists Convention states that discouragement of divorces from pastoral leadership was the dominant view throughout the 19th to 20th C.[48] For instance, in 1964 the Christian Life Commission of the Baptist General Convention of Texas published a pamphlet in entitled “The Christian, The Church, and Divorce” which discouraged divorce, and for divorces to hold leadership in church.[49]

In the 1960s Foy Valentine argued for marital indissolubility stating: “Only in the exclusive union of one man and one woman joined together as one for life... can there be the abundantly full and deeply satisfying development of body, mind, and soul. This is God’s intention for marriage."[50] Valentine further opposed remarriage castigating it as "tandem polygamy."[50]

Current Views[]

Many conservative evangelical and Protestant churches, such as some Baptists, strongly oppose divorce, viewing it as a sin, pointing out Malachi 2:16 – "'For I hate divorce,' says Yahweh, the God of Israel, 'and him who covers his garment with violence!' says Yahweh of Armies. 'Therefore take heed to your spirit, that you don't deal treacherously'" (WEB). However interfaith marriages are handled differently in Ezra 9–10 and 1 Corinthians 7 (the Pauline privilege).

Assemblies of God (Pentecostal)[]

The Assemblies of God affirms divorce, yet restricts some divorces from taking the office of elder in certain cases, stating:

In view of all the available biblical evidence relating to the divorce and remarriage problems in the Early Church, The General Council of the Assemblies of God has adopted interpretation six above—the description, “one woman man,” is best understood to refer to persons in a sexually faithful, heterosexual, monogamous marriage, where neither partner has been previously divorced (except where the divorce occurred prior to conversion, as a result of the previous spouse’s sexual infidelity, or because of abandonment of the believer by an unbeliever).[51]

Anabaptist Churches[]

Some Anabaptist churches forbid divorce altogether.[52]

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints[]

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) officially discourages divorce. The LDS Church encourages its members to work around marital problems before they lead to annulment or divorce, yet allows both practices in circumstances of infidelity or other serious cases.[53] Divorce is regarded with heavy social stigma, and Church authorities maintain that “Latter-day Saints need not divorce—there are solutions to marriage problems.”[54] LDS Church policy allows members to seek civil divorce independent of ecclesiastical authority, but cancellation of a temple sealing may only be performed with special permission from the First Presidency of the Church.

The LDS Church discourages divorce largely on account of its theology of the family. Early church leaders taught that God himself lives in a family and with a wife.[55] Tim B. Heaton, a sociologist from Brigham Young University, explains, “The key tenet in the Mormon Theology of the family is that, given the proper circumstances, family relationships will be perpetuated in heaven.”[53]

Latter-day Saint culture places an extreme emphasis on success in family life, leading to high expectations for marital success. David O. McKay, former President of the Church, stated that “no other success can compensate for failure in the home.”[56] Church publications often publish articles instructing members on means to improve married life,[53] and, on rare occasions, will become involved politically when it feels the institution of marriage is threatened by proposed public policy.[57] General Authority of the Church have repeatedly warned against an impermanent view of marriage. "[The view of marriage] as a mere contract that may be entered into at pleasure … and severed at the first difficulty … is an evil meriting severe condemnation, especially where children are made to suffer."[58] In 2007 Dallin H. Oaks, a senior member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, and a former judge on the Utah Supreme Court, has counseled church members that "the weakening of the concept that marriages are permanent and precious has far-reaching consequences."[59]

Latter-day Saint couples (both with and without temple sealings) are found to have slightly lower rates of divorce when compared with Protestants and Catholics, and significantly lower rates when compared with those who state no religious preference.[60] The following is a chart showing the rate of divorce among various religions with data copied from the study “Religion and Family Formation", conducted by Tim B. Heaton and Kristen L. Goodman.[53]

Sex Catholics Liberal Protestants Conservative Protestants Latter-day Saints No Religion
Male 19.8% 24.4% 27.7% 14.3% 39.2%
Female 23.1% 30.8% 30.9% 18.8% 44.7%

A lower divorce rate among Latter-day Saints may be due to a strong family culture, the difficulty of securing a cancellation of sealing, and other religious influences.[53] Al Thornton, from the University of Michigan, comments that, "With its unique theology and heritage concerning marriage, family, and children, it should not be surprising to find that Mormon behavior differs from that of the larger society."[61] Certain doctrines which are unique to Latter-Day Saint theology may help account for the lower divorce rate among active members. These doctrines include the literal parenthood of God the Father, the eternal nature of families, and the requirement of a successful temple marriage in order to gain salvation.[62] For Latter-day Saints, divorce is "a very serious undertaking", both socially and religiously.[62]

Various factors have been shown to lower incidence of divorce among church members, including church activity. Heaton says that, “Overall, church attendance is associated with lower rates of nonmarriage and divorce, [and] higher probabilities of remarriage after divorce.”[53] Studies suggest that the most important statistical variable affecting marital dissolution rates of Latter-day Saints is marriage in the temple, with some studies finding that non-temple marriages entered into by Latter-day Saints are almost five times more likely to result in divorce than are temple marriages.[63]

The Encyclopedia of Mormonism states that “[t]he Church distinguishes between (1) civil marriages, which are valid for "time" (until divorce or the death of one spouse), and (2) temple marriages, or sealings, solemnized by proper ecclesiastical authority, which are binding for "time and all eternity."[64] In order for a marriage to be considered eternally binding, it must be performed in a Latter-Day Saint temple by properly authorized temple workers.[62] Marriage in the temple is strongly encouraged by church leaders, as Latter-day Saint marriages performed in the temple have less than a 7% chance of dissolution.[65][66]

Latter-day Saints Women Men
Married in Temple 7% 6%
Not married in Temple 33% 28%

There is some debate over the validity of these figures.[67] The LDS Church itself notes that "In reporting their findings, the two researchers noted that if there were some measure of religious commitment comparable to temple marriage among other religions, statistics for those groups might also be more favorable."[68] The accuracy of this statistic is also disputed on the grounds that the process required to obtain a temple recommend artificially limits the test group to those who are already less likely to divorce.[69] For example, the temple recommend requires Church members to abstain from pre-marital sex, a behavior associated with a higher divorce rate.[70] This statistic also fails to take into account couples who enter into a temple marriage and subsequently obtain a civil divorce, yet fail to apply for a cancellation of temple sealings. Nevertheless, numerous studies show a strong link in the Latter-day Saint culture between marriage in the temple and a lower divorce rate, and that among members "the temple marriage [is] the most resistant to divorce."[71]

In order to obtain a cancellation of temple sealings, permission from the First Presidency is required. Applicants for divorce are required to submit a request for a cancellation of sealings through their local ecclesiastical authorities, including information about the couple, and a personal appeal. The resulting cultural impact of a divorce upon an LDS couple is significant. Church leaders have stated that “every divorce is the result of selfishness on the part of one or both",[59] and that selfishness is a leading cause of marital stress and divorce. Divorced Latter-day Saints may report feelings of alienation from fellow church-members and some Latter-day Saints may see divorce as “a sign of failure”.[72]

Remarriage of Divorcees[]

Remarriage as Adultery[]

The Shepherd of Hermas, 3rd century, Catacombs of Rome.

Several throughout history have held the position that divorcees who seek to marry a new party while their first spouse remains alive constitutes adultery.

Shepherd of Hermas (c. 140) states:[4]

But if he put his wife away and marry another, he also commits adultery. And I said to him, What if the woman put away should repent, and wish to return to her husband: shall she not be taken back by her husband? And he said to me, Assuredly. If the husband do not take her back, he sins, and brings a great sin upon himself; for he ought to take back the sinner who has repented.[73]

Athenagoras of Athens discourages remarriage even after death:[4]

...a person should either remain as he was born, or be content with one marriage; for a second marriage is only a specious adultery. For whosoever puts away his wife, says He, and marries another, commits adultery; Matthew 19:9 not permitting a man to send her away whose virginity he has brought to an end, nor to marry again. For he who deprives himself of his first wife, even though she be dead, is a cloaked adulterer, resisting the hand of God, because in the beginning God made one man and one woman, and dissolving the strictest union of flesh with flesh, formed for the intercourse of the race.[74]

Jerome:

"So then, if, while her husband lives, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress."[75] "Therefore if your sister, who, as she says, has been forced into a second union, wishes to receive the body of Christ and not to be accounted an adulteress, let her do penance; so far at least as from the time she begins to repent to have no farther intercourse with that second husband who ought to be called not a husband but an adulterer."[76]

Augustine of Hippo:

Our Lord, therefore, in order to confirm that principle, that a wife should not lightly be put away, made the single exception of fornication; but enjoins that all other annoyances, if any such should happen to spring up, be borne with fortitude for the sake of conjugal fidelity and for the sake of chastity; and he also calls that man an adulterer who should marry her that has been divorced by her husband. And the Apostle Paul shows the limit of this state of affairs, for he says it is to be observed as long as her husband lives; but on the husband's death he gives permission to marry.[77]

Canon Christopher Woodsworth (later Bishop) of the Church of England opposed the Divorce Bill of 1857, along with the majority of CoE clergy. In Woodsworth's sermons, he describes remarriage as adultery.[78]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ "1611 King James Bible. Gospel of Matthew, chapter 19, verses 1 to 10". kingjamesbibleonline.org. Archived from the original on September 10, 2012.
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b Mark L. Strauss (15 December 2009). Remarriage after Divorce in Today's Church. Zondervan. p. 128. ISBN 978-0-310-86375-5. Simply put, Jesus would be saying that everyone who remarries after any divorce commits adultery (Mark 10:11-12); Luke 16:18). If this is the case, then marriage must be indissoluble. If marriages are indissoluble, then remarried couples are living in adultery; i.e., every time they have marital relations, they are committing adultery. Since no one who habitually sins makes it into heaven (1 Cor. 6:9-10; my addition to Craig's points), either remarried couples must refrain from marital relations (separation from bed and board), as the church father Jerome required, or pastors should seek to break up second marriages.
  3. ^ e.g., Matthew 5:31-32, Matthew 19:3-9, Mark 10:2-12, Luke 16:18, see also Expounding of the Law#Divorce
  4. ^ Jump up to: a b c Taylor, Dean (24 November 2008). "05. Divorce and also Remarriage in the Early Church". Radical Reformation. Retrieved 30 August 2021.
  5. ^ "1611 King James Bible. Book of Genesis, chapter1, verse 27". kingjamesbibleonline.org. Archived from the original on May 13, 2012.
  6. ^ "1611 King James Bible. Book of Genesis, chapter 2, verse 24". kingjamesbibleonline.org. Archived from the original on May 9, 2012.
  7. ^ "Code of Canon Law - IntraText". www.vatican.va. Retrieved 2019-02-10.
  8. ^ "Code of Canon Law - IntraText". www.vatican.va. Retrieved 2019-02-10.
  9. ^ "Code of Canon Law - IntraText". www.vatican.va. Retrieved 2019-02-10.
  10. ^ "Code of Canon Law - IntraText". www.vatican.va. Retrieved 2019-02-10.
  11. ^ "Code of Canon Law - IntraText". www.vatican.va. Retrieved 2019-02-10.
  12. ^ Jump up to: a b See Timothy (now Archbishop Kalistos) Ware, The Orthodox Church
  13. ^ "Statements of General Synod". Reformed Church in America. 1975. Retrieved 4 June 2021.
  14. ^ Evangelical Methodist Church Discipline. Evangelical Methodist Church Conference. 15 July 2017. pp. 22–21. The marriage contract is so sacred that we advise against seeking divorce on any grounds whatseover. Should any member seek divorce on any unscriptural grounds (Matt. 5:32 "But I say unto you, that whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery; and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced comitteth adultery."), and that well proven, he shall be summoned to appear at a meeting in the local church, with the general board working in co-operation with the local church board. If proven guilty of such offense, he shall be dismissed at once, and no longer considered a member of Evangelical Methodist Church. We advise against the remarriage of all divorced persons, as the scriptures declare in Romans 7:3a "...So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress." If any person becoming converted, and having such marital complications as mentioned above in the days of their sin and ignorance, it is our belief that God will and does forgive them; however, we shall not receive such persons into church membership, but with to extend to them the right hand of fellowship, promising the prayers of God's people. Should any pastor, knowingly or unknowingly, receive such persons that have been divorced and remarried into membership, such membership shall not be valid. Ministers are advised to have nothing to do with the re-marriage of persons divorced on any grounds. In the event any person is divorced by an unbelieving companion and shall remain in an unmarried state, retaining his or her Christian integrity, he or she shall not be dismissed or barred from church membership.
  15. ^ Kent's Commentaries on American Law, p. 96 (14th ed. 1896))
  16. ^ Cf. Mark 10:9; Canons of the Council of Trent, Twenty-fourth Session. Waterworth, J., ed. (1848). "Session the Twenty-Fourth". The Council of Trent: The canons and decrees of the sacred and oecumenical Council of Trent. Translated by Waterworth. London: Dolman. pp. 192–232. Retrieved 2006-09-18 – via Hanover Historical Texts Project.
  17. ^ Francis Schüssler Fiorenza, John P. Galvin (editors), Systematic Theology (Fortress Press 1991 ISBN 978-1-45140795-2), vol. 2, p. 320
  18. ^ Michael Thomsett, Heresy in the Roman Catholic church: A history, McFarland 2011 ISBN 978-0-78648539-0), p. 105
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  20. ^ Kent's Commentaries on American Law, p. 125, n. 1 (14th ed. 1896).
  21. ^ Pius XI, Dilectissima Nobis, 1933
  22. ^ W. Blackstone, Commentaries on the Laws of England, 428 (Legal Classics Library spec. ed. 1984).
  23. ^ Kent's Commentaries on American Law, p. 1225, n. 1.
  24. ^ E.Coke, Institutes of the Laws of England, 235 (Legal Classics Library spec. ed. 1985).
  25. ^ Catechism of the Catholic Church, 7:1606
  26. ^ Mgr. Athenagoras Peckstadt, Bishop of Sinope (2005-05-18). "Marriage, Divorce and Remarriage in the Orthodox Church: Economia and Pastoral Guidance". The Orthodox Research Institute. Retrieved 2008-11-19.
  27. ^ "A Perspective on Divorce Among Greek Orthodox Couples". Retrieved 2008-02-12.
  28. ^ "Marriage, politics and Jerusalem". Archived from the original on 2009-03-13. Retrieved 2009-04-01.
  29. ^ Catholicos Karekin I : Statement on Women Archived June 14, 2001, at archive.today
  30. ^ Jump up to: a b c d Cole, William Graham (6 November 2015). Sex in Christianity and Psychoanalysis. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-317-35977-7.
  31. ^   CAPP, BERNARD. 2009. “BIGAMOUS MARRIAGE IN EARLY MODERN ENGLAND.” The Historical Journal 52 (3): 537–56. doi:10.1017/S0018246X09990021
  32. ^ Arthur Robert Winnett, Divorce and Remarriage in Anglicanism (London: MacMillan, 1958), 135-42
  33. ^ John Raynolds, A defence of the iudgment of the Reformed churches ([Dordrecht], 1609), p. 18 and passim; cf. R. G. Usher, ed., The Presbyterian movement in the reign of Queen Elizabeth as illustrated by the minute book of the Dedham classis, 1582–1589 (Camden Third Series, 8, London, 1905), pp. 27–8, 36.
  34. ^ Edmund Bunny, Of divorce for adulterie (Oxford, 1610), sig. **2v–***.
  35. ^ John Dove, Of diuorcement (London, 1601)
  36. ^ John Howson, Uxore dismissa propter fornicationem (Oxford, 1602)
  37. ^ John Raynolds, A defence of the iudgment of the Reformed churches ([Dordrecht], 1609), p. 18 and passim
  38. ^ William Whately, A bride-bush (London, 1619), pp. 25–8; William Whately, A care-cloth (London, 1624), sig. A8–v.
  39. ^ "Divorce and Remarriage". Anglican Church of Canada. Retrieved 10 June 2021.
  40. ^ Westminster Confession of Faith
  41. ^ Nash, D., Christian Ideals in British Culture: Stories of Belief in the Twentieth Century, Palgrave Macmillan, 2013, p. 139.[2]
  42. ^ Humphrey, J. M. "A Preacher's Repentance From Adulterous Remarriage – The Testimony of J. M. Humphrey". cadz.net. Retrieved 17 June 2020.
  43. ^ The Doctrines and Discipline of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Phillips & Hunt. 1884. p. 33.
  44. ^ Jump up to: a b The Discipline of the Allegheny Wesleyan Methodist Connection (Original Allegheny Conference). Salem: Allegheny Wesleyan Methodist Connection. 2014. p. 21.
  45. ^ Jump up to: a b Guidebook of the Emmanuel Association of Churches. Logansport: Emmanuel Association. 2002. p. 18.
  46. ^ Jump up to: a b Discipline of the Bible Methodist Connection of Churches. Bible Methodist Connection of Churches. 2018. p. 45.
  47. ^ https://www.sbts.edu/family/2013/04/15/baptist-marriage-in-the-seventeenth-and-eighteenth-centuries/ quoting, (33) John Gill, An Exposition of the New Testament Both Doctrinal and Practical (London: George Keith, 1774), 1:274. Comment on Matthew 19:6. (34) John Gill, An Exposition of the New Testament Both Doctrinal and Practical (London: George Keith, 1775), 3:461. (35) Gill, Exposition of the New Testament, 1:62.
  48. ^ https://www.sbc.net/about/what-we-do/faq/ see question "Can a divorced person serve as a pastor of deacon, conduct baptisms, or serve the Lord's Supper in a Southern Baptist church?"
  49. ^ 5“The Christian, The Church, and Divorce,” 1964, AR 140: Christian Life Commission/Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission Publication and Promotional Materials Collection, box 18, folder 1, SBHLA. See also Jerrel Dee Gaddy, “Is Divorce Ever Justified?,” sermon, 17 August 1958, AR 138-2: Christian Life Commission Resource Files, box 81, folder 6, SBHLA
  50. ^ Jump up to: a b Foy Valentine, “One Marriage: Material for Study,” Baptist Adults, Spring 1965, 11.
  51. ^ DIVORCE AND REMARRIAGE (ADOPTED BY THE GENERAL PRESBYTERY IN SESSION AUGUST 1973. REVISED BY THE GENERAL PRESBYTERY IN SESSION IN AUGUST 2008.) https://ag.org/Beliefs/Position-Papers/Divorce-and-Remarriage
  52. ^ "Statement of Position on Divorce and Remarriage".
  53. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f Heaton, Tim B. and Kristen L. Goodman “Religion and Family Formation.” Review of Religious Research, Vol 26, No. 4 (June, 1985) Print
  54. ^ Haight, David B. “Marriage and Divorce”. Ensign (May 1984)
  55. ^ Thornton, Arland, "Religion and Fertility: The Case of Mormonism" Journal of Marriage and Family, Vol. 41, No. 1 (Feb., 1979), pp. 131-142
  56. ^ (Quoted from J. E. McCullough, Home: The Savior of Civilization [1924], 42; Conference Report, Apr. 1935, p. 116
  57. ^ "LDS Donate Millions to Fight Gay Marriage" Archived September 18, 2008, at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 2011-11-28
  58. ^ David O. McKay, in Conference Report, Apr. 1969, 8–9; or “Structure of the Home Threatened by Irresponsibility and Divorce", Improvement Era, June 1969, 5.
  59. ^ Jump up to: a b Oaks, Dallin H. (May 2007), "Divorce", Ensign, LDS Church
  60. ^ Goodman, Kristen L. “Divorce” Encyclopedia of Mormonism. Ed. Daniel H. Ludlow. New York: Macmillan, 1992 391-93. Print
  61. ^ Thornton, Arland, "Religion and Fertility: The Case of Mormonism" Journal of Marriage and Family, Vol. 41, No. 1 (Feb., 1979), pp. 132
  62. ^ Jump up to: a b c Kunz, Phillip R. "Mormon and non-Mormon Divorce Patterns", Journal of Marriage and the Family, Vol. 26, No. 2 (May, 1964) pp. 211
  63. ^ Duke, James T. “Latter-Day Saint Social Life: Social Research on the LDS Church and its Members." Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, C. 1998 pp. 277
  64. ^ Goodman, Kristen L. “Divorce” Encyclopedia of Mormonism. Ed. Daniel H. Ludlow. New York: Macmillan, 1992 391-93. Print
  65. ^ Christensen, T. Harold, Kenneth L. Cannon. “Temple Versus Non-temple Marriage in Utah: Some Demographic Considerations", Social Science, 39 (January, 1964) 26-33. Figures from Table 5, page 31
  66. ^ Duke, James T. “Latter-Day Saint Social Life: Social Research on the LDS Church and its Members." Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, C. 1998 pp. 488
  67. ^ "More Than 6% of Temple-Married Mormons Divorce" Retrieved 11/28/2011
  68. ^ "LDS Rank High In Marriage, Low in Divorce", News of the Church, Ensign, July 1984
  69. ^ Christensen, Harold T. “Stress Points in Mormon Family Culture", Dialogue 7 No. 4 (Winter 1972) page 22
  70. ^ Kahn, Joan R., Kathryn A. London. “Pre-Marital Sex and the Risk of Divorce.” Journal of Marriage and Family 53.4 (1991) Web, Retrieved 9/29/2011
  71. ^ Kunz, Phillip R. "Mormon and non-Mormon Divorce Patterns", Journal of Marriage and the Family, Vol 26, No. 2 (May, 1964) pp. 212
  72. ^ Hoopes, Margaret H. (November 1972), "Alone through Divorce", Ensign, LDS Church
  73. ^ Shephered of Hammas, Book 2, Commandment 4, Chapter 1 https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/02012.htm
  74. ^ Athenagoras, A Plea for the Christians, see Chapter 33. Chastity of the Christians with Respect to Marriage, https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0205.htm
  75. ^ Jerome, Letter 55 To Amandus, Paragraph 3https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/3001055.htm
  76. ^ Jerome, Letter 55 to Amandus, Paragraph 4, https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/3001055.htm
  77. ^ Augustine, Our Lord's Sermon on the Mount, Book 1, Chapter 14, https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/16011.htm
  78. ^ Christopher Wordsworth, Occasional Sermons, ser. V, 203-04, as quoted by Winnett, 148-49. See his sermons "On Divorce" and "On Marriage with a Divorced Person."

Further reading[]

  • Ewing, C. Clair.; Ewing, Charles Wesley (1993). Divorce-Remarriage: Re-examined Scripturally. Indianapolis: Evangelist of Truth.
  • Gallagher, Maggie. The Abolition of Marriage. Regnery Publishing, 1996. ISBN 0-89526-464-1.
  • Haltzman, Scott. Secrets of Happily Married Men: Eight Ways to Win Your Wife's Heart Forever. John Wiley & Sons Inc., 2005 ISBN 0-7879-7959-7.
  • Jerry Miles Humphrey (1991). A Word Of Warning On Divorce-Marriage (PDF). Minerva: Christian Printing Mission.
  • Lester, David. "Time-Series Versus Regional Correlates of Rates of Personal Violence". Death Studies 1993: 529–534.
  • McLanahan, Sara and Gary Sandefur. Growing Up with a Single Parent; What Hurts, What Helps. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1994: 82.
  • Mercer, Diana and Marsha Kline Pruett. Your Divorce Advisor: A Lawyer and Psychologist Guide You Through the Legal and Emotional Landscape of Divorce. Fireside, 2001. ISBN 0-684-87068-1 and ISBN 978-0-684-87068-7.
  • Morowitz, Harold J. "Hiding in the Hammond Report". Hospital Practice August 1975; 39.
  • Office for National Statistics (UK). Mortality Statistics: Childhood, Infant and Perinatal, Review of the Registrar General on Deaths in England and Wales, 2000, Series DH3 33, 2002.
  • U.S. Bureau of the Census. Marriage and Divorce. General US survey information.
  • Smith, David. 2000. “Divorce and Remarriage in Church History.” Didaskalia (Otterburne) 11 (2): 59–. (Smith's work displays a trend for marital indissolubility pervading the life of the church, which shifts in the reformation, but continues in the Anglican church).
  • Cornes, Andrew. Divorce and Remarriage : Biblical Principles and Pastoral Practice  Grand Rapids, Mich: W.B. Eerdmans, 1993. (Cornes argues that remarriage is adulterous)
  • Wenham, Gordon J., and William A. Heth. Jesus and Divorce  Updated ed. Carlisle: Paternoster, 2002. (Wenham argues that divorce and remarriage is adulterous, but do not advocate for excommunication)
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