What Does the Bible Say About Divorce?
by CAPP-USA
What is the Purpose of Marriage?
Before understanding biblical teaching on divorce, we need to understand what marriage is: an unconditional gift of self.
The Bible and the Church teach that divorce is not the answer.
“Marriage…transcends the feelings and momentary needs of the couple…it is not born ‘of loving sentiment, ephemeral by definition, but from the depth of the obligation assumed by the spouses who accept to enter a total communion of life’.” (Pope Francis, 66)
Just as the family is “the fundamental cell of society” (Pope Francis, 66), “[t]he family is based upon a marriage”. (Pope St. John XXIII, 193)
What Does the Bible Say About Divorce?
While Moses allowed divorce – due to hardness of our hearts (Matthew 19:8) that didn’t mean God was fine with it! “I hate divorce, says the Lord“. (Malachi 2:16).
As Jesus made clear, “a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife…So, they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, no human being must separate.” (Matthew 19:4-6)
The bottom, hard line remains: “I say to you, whoever divorces his wife (unless the marriage is unlawful) and marries another commits adultery.” (Matthew 19:9)
This was reiterated by Saint Paul: “A wife should not separate from her husband – and a husband should not divorce his wife.” (1 Corinthians 7:10-11)
What Does Catholic Teaching Say About Divorce?
“Marriage based on exclusive and definitive love becomes the icon of the relationship between God and his people and vice versa.” (Pope Benedict XVI, 11)
Therefore, “it is hardly possible to describe how great are the evils that flow from divorce.” (Pope Leo XIII, 29)
“Divorce is an evil and the increasing number of divorces is very troubling.” (Pope Francis, 246)
The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that, “Divorce is a grave offense against the natural law.” (CCC, 2384-85)
HOWEVER
The Church does not abandon the divorced. On the contrary, she seeks them out, calling “upon pastors and the whole community of the faithful to help the divorced, and with solicitous care to make sure that they do not consider themselves as separated from the Church”. (Pope St. John Paul II, 84)
The Effect of Divorce on Children
“Divorce is immoral also because it introduces disorder into the family and into society.” (CCC, 2384-85)
There is countless evidence of the benefits of married parents raising children and the difficulties and tragedies that arise when children grow up with divorced parents.
“The Church, while appreciating the situations of conflict that are part of marriage, cannot fail to speak out on behalf of those who are most vulnerable: the children who often suffer in silence.” (Pope Francis, 246)
“Apart from every other consideration, the good of children should be the primary concern… Never ever, take your child hostage! Life gave you a trial, but your children should not have to bear the burden of this separation”. (Pope Francis, 245)
Marriage is Irreplaceable
The family is the image of God who “in his deepest mystery is not all by himself, but a family, since he has in himself fatherhood, sonship and the essence of the family, which is love”. (Pope St. John Paul II)
Catholic social teaching urges that marriage be promoted as central to society’s flourishing and warns of the consequences of legalizing divorce.
“The family constitutes…a community of love and solidarity, which is uniquely suited to teach and transmit cultural, ethical, social, spiritual and religious values, essential for the development and well-being of its own members and of society.” (Preamble, E., Charter of the Rights of the Family)
“Christians…should actively promote the values of marriage and the family, both by the examples of their own lives and by cooperation with other men of good will.” (Gaudium et Spes, 52)
The Divorce Rate in the U.S.
“The communion of life and love which is marriage thus emerges as an authentic good for society.” (Pope Benedict XVI)
Despite this, the American Psychological Association (APA) notes that the percentage of first marriages that end in divorce is 40–50%! This rises to 60–67% for second marriages and 73% for third.
At the same time marriage rates have also dropped significantly. (U.S. Census Bureau)
Catholic insights often prove prescient. This may never be clearer than reflecting on this Papal statement from 1880: “So soon as the road to divorce began to be made smooth by law, at once quarrels, jealousies, and judicial separations largely increased”. (Pope Leo XIII, 30)
