This article attempts to summarize these viewpoints of major world religions and some important traditions regarding divorce in each faith.
The great majority of Christian denominations affirm that marriage is intended as a lifelong covenant, but vary in their response to its dissolubility through divorce.
[1] In order for a Catholic marriage to be considered valid - and therefore confirmed as a lifelong covenant and not subject to an annulment - there are some grounds that have to be met.
[3] Couples who wish to gain a better understanding of the legitimacy of their marriage are often encouraged to seek counsel within their parish or diocese.
For example, the Allegheny Wesleyan Methodist Connection, in its 2014 Discipline, teaches:[5] We believe that the only legitimate marriage is the joining of one man and one woman (Gen. 2:24; Rom.
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.
"[1][6] Bible commentary on divorce comes primarily from the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and the epistles of Paul.
[8] Historically, the rules of divorce were governed by sharia, as interpreted by traditional Islamic jurisprudence, and they differed depending on the legal school.
Although the get is mainly used as proof of the divorce, sometimes the wife will tear the get to signal the end of the marriage and to ensure it is not reused.
[13] In halakha (Jewish law), divorce is an act of the parties to the marriage, which is different from the approach adopted by many other legal systems.
The function of the court, in the absence of agreement between the parties, is to decide whether the husband should be compelled to give the get or for the wife to accept the get.
If both parties agree to a divorce and follow the prescribed procedure, then the court would not need to establish responsibility for the marriage break-down.
[14] A wife can initiate a divorce process on several grounds (including lack of satisfaction in her sexual life).
The get is crafted with great care and responsibility in order to ensure that no mistakes create consequences in the future.
For example, exactly twelve lines are written in permanent ink telling the names of both parties, place, and time of the divorce.
[16] In Unitarian Universalism, because they affirm the "right of conscience", divorce is allowed and should be a decision by the individual person and is seen as ending a rite of passage.
If a man, apprehending danger from his wife desires divorce (mokshamichhet), he shall return to her whatever she was given (on the occasion of her marriage).