divorce is never right

by 08levinsona (student)

GCSE Religious Studies (Philosophy & Ethics)

‘DIVORCE IS NEVER RIGHT’ DISCUSS.

There are many causes of divorce. A director of the Family studies centre, named Malcolm Wickes stated that ‘The causes of divorce spring from fundamental social, economic and psychological developments that are occurring world wide.’ Sometimes divorce cannot be prevented and the irreconcilable differences cannot be overlooked. This is a problem for many religions and ethnic communities as several believe that divorce is always iniquitous.

The law has a serious view on divorce and so if the couple wish to have a divorce they must prove that their marriage is completely beyond any repair. With these grounds for divorce they will then be given a decree nisi and the separation will take up to 6 months. The law is indifferent to where they may marry again, divorce is still viewed by the state as a serious affair and they recognise the broken relationship.

In the Bible, there are numerous views on divorce. These are extremely varied and the teachings of the church are equally divided. In the Old Testament a man was allowed to divorce his wife simply if he found ‘no favour’ in her. In the New Testament both proclamations contradict themselves: one is that ‘man must not separate …what God had joined together’ in Mark 10:9. For this particular reason, many traditional Christian churches refuse to remarry divorced people in a church, although they can marry in a registry office with the ‘blessing’ of the church. This is because divorce is seen as a misdemeanour in the eyes of God. However, in Matthew another statement declares that ‘If anyone divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness…” Some believe that there are these conflicting opinions about divorce perhaps because Mark saw marital unfaithfulness as such an obvious reason for divorce that he did not deem it worthy to mention.

The church of England does not completely agree with divorce , but recognises that the differences in a relation can sometimes not be reconciled, even if they have attended couceling. Therefore, divorce is the only option. The Roman Catholic Church however is stricter in its approach. Divorce is not even considered as marriage between two baptised people is a sacrament that should not be broken. However, a marriage where only one partner is baptised can be 'dissolved' but only under special circumstances in other words there is a just reason such as impotence.

The Catholic Church believes that divorce cannot ...

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The Catholic Church believes that divorce cannot merely be a legal contract. The marriage was conjoined in the eyes of god and so if the couple wishes to remarry in a Catholic Church the church much acknowledge that their marriage had been annulled, this is a statement that the marriage bond never existed due to an inability to carry out the duties of marriage, so that the couple may remarry in a Catholic Church. Otherwise, if they decide to remarry in any other way they would have committed adultery in the eyes of the Catholic Church and God. In addition there is also the condemnation of adultery in the Bible expressed by the quote:"A man can hire a prostitute for the price of a loaf of bread, but adultery will cost his all he has." Jesus agreed with this as he stated in matthew 5:28 that "everyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart." Therefore the breaking of a marriage bond is never right when adultery is concerned.

Subsequently, there are more conflicts of opinion for example in Genesis 2:24 the Bible states “[a husband] cleaved to his wife and become one flesh.” This is demonstrating the belief that the marriage relationship should be eternal and the love should be immutable (as embodied by the ring in the marriage service.) Pope John Paul once said that marriage is an ‘unbreakable alliance’ and not just a ‘passing emotion’ but a ‘free decision to bind oneself completely in the good times and the bad to one’s partner. It is a gift to oneself and to the other.’ The duty of Paul was to reflect the Churches view and he is explicidly saying that marriage is a sacrament a declaration that cannot be undone. Reiterating this opinion is Harold Loukes who said that marriage is not just a ‘pleasant arrangement…but a vocation into which we have been drawn by nature and god.’ Therefore, divorce would be seen as spiritually and religiously immoral. On the other hand, divorced Quakers are free to remarry and the Quaker faith and practice declared in 1994 that the ‘value [of marriage] is increasingly recognised’ but ‘whilst believeing that marriage is different and spcial, we recognise the value of other relationships and the single state.’ I believe that this is a more contemporary view on marriage divorce and relationships allowing autonomy where relationships are concerned

In the Christian faith, marriage is not only between man and women; it is also between Jesus and his followers. Therefore, divorce should not occur between the followers and Christ, let alone the couple. This is expressed by the quote in Revelation 19:7, ‘For the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready." This decries the intertwined relationship between them. This quote conveys that the church is not merely made up of a material building but the faith of its believers. Toady nuns discribed as the brides of Christ and are given wedding rings after their final vows. These rings have the same significance as they do amoung the couple, both the nun and the couple should honour their promise both to God and eachother. The relationship between the couple should embody the relationship of christ and his followers. Divorce may be seen as a declaration that the amalgamtion of two people via marriage does not have any significance as is can be easily dismissed by the means of divorce.

In conclusion, I believe that divorce can be right in particular circumstances. However, different faiths and ethnic groups all have their own outlook on divorce. Divorce is regarded as a highly controversial subject within christianity. However, the Quaker faith and The Church of England is perhaps more lenient in their allowance of divorce as they perhaps recognise the necessity of the joining and separation of a relationship. However a Catholic Church regards divorce as a sacrament that is forbidden to be broken, unless annulled and therefore the couple is declaring full ignorance to whether the marriage ever existed. Personally, it is my belief that love and marriage should be eternal ('till death do us part.') By breaking this sacred bond you are initially implying that you did not fully commit and that the symbolic acts performed in the marriage service had no physical and emotional effect on you. However, if there is a just reason for the marriage to be annulled and the irreconcilable difference cannot be overlooked than there is a just cause for divorce.