As a service that specializes in helping couples learn how to file for divorce at minimal cost and inconvenience, we here at MyDivorcePapers.com make it our job to notice trends in users looking for a divorce and the issues that bring them to our site.
One issue, in particular, that can play a role in the decision to divorce is faith. While some marriages treat this as more of an afterthought, religious people can use their faith as a deciding factor in whether a potential spouse is “marriage material.” Many religions also have their own way of handling divorce as detailed in this article covering former Blossom star Mayim Bialik’s Jewish divorce proceedings.
But one of the trickier faiths to lock down statistically (and emotionally) is that of the Christian faith.
Why Is It So Difficult?
Christians are diverse in their beliefs with too many sects and denominations to count. There isn’t one set way of practicing Christianity. There isn’t an easy way to determine the religion’s role in holding marriages together (or tearing them apart). And with so many believers all over the board on their level of commitment, it’s not fair to pigeonhole stats in an all-encompassing sweep.
With all these issues making it more difficult, it’s important to look deeper into what the rate of divorce is, and what the circumstances are of the people who are filing.
Christian Divorces Happen At About The Same Rate As Everyone Else, But…
An article in USA Today highlights the trickiness of measuring Christianity and its influence on a marriage. While it was found that Christians divorce at about the same rate as everyone else (42 percent), the numbers fluctuate broadly on how faith is practiced.
Brad Wilcox, director of the National Marriage Project at the University of Virginia, pointed out that Americans who attend religious ceremonies “several times” each month are 35 percent less likely to end up going the do it yourself divorce route or fighting it out in court than those with no religious affiliation at all.
“You do hear, both in Christian and non-Christian circles, that Christians are no different from anyone else when it comes to divorce and that is not true if you are focusing on Christians who are regular church attendees,” Wilcox said.
You’ll also hear a lot of debate in Christian circles as to what makes a Christian an actual Christian. Can one simply call themselves that if they no longer practice the tenets of the faith? Many Christians would say no.
Is/was faith an important part of your marriage? If you had to undergo a combative or uncontested, cheap divorce, do you think a deeper commitment to faith on one side or the other would have made a difference in the end result? Share your experiences with us in the comments section.