• Divorce breaks promises made before God – ‘Until death do us part.’
• Divorce always wrong – ‘God hates divorce’ (Malachi)
• ‘Whenever anyone divorces his first wife even the altar (God) in the Temple sheds tears’ (Talmud)
• Divorce permitted as a last resort
• may be seen as the right thing to do if it prevents suffering
• Two people staying together may cause themselves and others great suffering,

Christianity

• The ideal is that marriage is a life-long commitment, ‘To have and to hold from this day forward…till death do us part.’ (Anglican wedding service.)
• Churches have to uphold the sanctity of marriage but need care and compassion for those who divorce.
• Teaching on forgiveness often cited to support those who divorce.
• Recognition that sometimes divorce is the lesser of two evils or is a necessary evil.
• Roman Catholics do not believe in divorce and do not recognise civil divorce.
• Church of England do reluctantly accept divorce and will allow remarriage in church at the vicar’s discretion.
• Eastern Orthodox church has the authority to end marriages and does grant divorces and allows remarriage but not usually for a third time.
• Protestant churches do allow divorce and allow remarriage in church provided the couple take the vows seriously. ‘Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery…’ (Mark 10:11). ‘And a husband must not divorce his wife…she must not divorce him.’ (1 Corinthians 7:11 & 13), etc.

Judaism

• ‘I hate divorce,’ says the Lord’ (Malachi 2:16). Deuteronomy 24:10 gives ‘shameful conduct’ of the woman as a reason for divorce but today divorce is often allowed by mutual consent since marriage is a voluntary agreement between two people. Civil divorce is not sufficient and so a husband must begin a religious divorce (get) to break the marriage contract by contacting the bet din. The wife can divorce her husband for infidelity, impotence, financial deprivation, cruelty, irreligiousness. There has to be a three month wait after the divorce before remarriage is permitted to ensure the woman is not pregnant. Jews regret divorce but do encourage people to remarry, etc.

Arguments in support

• religious couples have made vows to be faithful to stay together no matter what the circumstances. eg ‘till death do us part’
• bring up children together
• it is wrong to break those vows
• children are badly affected by divorce
• parents have a duty to the children this argument may be presented from a religious or utilitarian perspective
• marriage is a contract / sacrament / sacred bond.
• Divorce goes against religious teaching.

Arguments in support of other views

• some religious believers, as well as many atheists and humanists,
  would argue that in cases of abuse, the harm to children is greater
  than the harm done by separation eg continual fighting disrupts the
  peace of family life, drug addiction, alcohol problems and infidelity
  can be detrimental to family life.
• Many atheists and humanists would argue for utilitarian principles to operate/ie whatever causes the greatest happiness and least pain for human beings
• humans make mistakes, marriages fail, and for some religious believers, it is more compassionate to allow divorce when people have irreconcilable differences and the most compassionate act is the right act.
• atheists and humanists do not believe that marriage vows are made before God, so they would generally support a couple’s right to divorce, decide for themselves about the future of their relationship.
• Divorce is legal so people are allowed to divorce.

Christianity

• Teaching on divorce in Mark 10:2-12; ‘Man must not separate what
  God has joined together’ (Matthew 19:6)
• Ideal: marriage is for life, a view supported by Biblical teaching. Churches must uphold sanctity of marriage.
• Roman Catholics believe marriage cannot be dissolved/revoked. Civil divorce not recognised – couple not free to remarry.
• Eastern Orthodox church has the authority to end marriages: church itself grants divorce and remarries, but usually not for the third time.
• Protestant churches accept civil divorce as end to marriage and allow remarriage in church.

Judaism

• Torah says a man can divorce his wife if ‘he finds something indecent
  about her’ – ‘shameful conduct’ (Deuteronomy 24:10) but today divorce (get) is allowed by mutual consent since marriage is a voluntary agreement. ‘Tears fall on God’s altar for whoever divorces his first wife.’
• Reform Jews have their own get which treats men and women equally. Liberal Jews now accept civil divorce alone. Divorce regarded as unfortunate but has no stigma attached – people are encouraged to remarry, but not to previous husband (Deuteronomy 24:1–4).

Arguments in support
• It is seen by some as wrong.
• Religious couples have made vows before God eg ‘till death us do part’, wrong to break them.
• Marriage is a sacrament / sacred bond.
• Divorce goes against religious teachings.
• Children may be badly affected by divorce.
• They should try to make their marriage work, etc.

Arguments in support of other views
• Couples may drift apart and find they no longer love each other.
• Mistakes are made and marriages do fail.
• Couples may have irreconcilable differences so it is better to part.
• Better for a marriage to end than for an abusive relationship to continue.
• Children may benefit from the couple splitting as greater harm may be done by them remaining in the situation eg experiencing domestic violence / drug addiction / alcoholism.
• Divorce is legal so religious believers should be allowed to do it, etc.

Christianity

• Sees divorce as breaking the promises made before God / ‘God hates divorce’ (Malachi 2:16 )
• ideal is for marriage to be for life
• Roman Catholics and some Protestants generally see divorce as
  always wrong / ‘Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate.’ (Matthew 19:6)
• Roman Catholics believe marriage cannot be dissolved / do not recognise civil divorce so couples are not free to remarry
• Eastern Orthodox Church can end marriages and will perform remarriages but not usually for a third time
• Protestant Churches recognise civil divorce and might allow remarriage in church, etc.

Judaism

• Permits divorce if a couple no longer love each other as ‘one flesh’ and attempts at reconciliation have failed / the Torah says a man can divorce his wife if ‘he finds something indecent about her’
• ‘shameful conduct’ (Deuteronomy 24:10) / ‘Whenever anyone divorces his first wife even the altar (God) in the Temple sheds tears’ (Talmud) / divorce is allowed by mutual consent as marriage is a voluntary agreement
• reasonable ground for divorce include infidelity / impotence / financial deprivation / cruelty / irreligiousness
• Reform Jews have their own get which treats men and women equally / Liberal Jews accept civil divorce alone / divorce is seen as unfortunate but does not have any stigma attached to it, etc.