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Summary
- Most churches will marry a divorced person in some circumstances, and they part over which circumstances and who has the right to decide.
- The Catholic Church holds that a valid marriage between baptized Christians ends only at death, so a divorced Catholic ordinarily marries again in church only after a tribunal declares the first marriage null.
- The Orthodox Church grants a church divorce through the bishop and allows up to three marriages, with a quieter, penitential service when both partners are marrying again.
- Many Protestant churches read Matthew 19:9 and 1 Corinthians 7:15 together and allow divorce and remarriage after adultery or desertion, and the Assemblies of God adds domestic violence.
- Amish churches forbid their members to divorce or to remarry while a husband or wife is living.
- The Latter-day Saints allow remarriage, but a woman sealed in the temple must have that sealing cancelled before she can be sealed to another husband.
- The Catholic, United Methodist, Assemblies of God and Adventist churches all make room for a spouse to leave a dangerous marriage, and only some of them allow remarriage afterwards.
Bibliography (Click to show)
- Scripture is quoted from the King James Version: Deuteronomy 24:1–4; Psalm 34:18; Matthew 5:31–32; Matthew 19:3–9; Mark 10:2–12; Luke 16:18; Romans 7:2–3; 1 Corinthians 7:10–15, 39.
- Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraphs 1601–1666 and paragraphs 2331–2400.
- Code of Canon Law, canons 1061, 1137, 1141–1143 and 1153.
- Pope Francis, Amoris Laetitia (2016), paragraphs 243 and 305, note 351.
- Council of Trent, Session 24 (1563), Waterworth translation.
- The Shepherd of Hermas, Book 2, Commandment 4 and Origen, Commentary on Matthew, Book 14; Catholic Encyclopedia, “Origen and Origenism”.
- The Stand of the Orthodox Church on Controversial Issues (Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, hosted by the American Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Diocese).
- St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church, Seattle, Ecclesiastical Divorce.
- Saint John the Evangelist Orthodox Church, Remarriage after Divorce.
- Grounds for Divorce in the Orthodox Church: A Canonical Approach (2021).
- The Sacrament of Matrimony (copticchurch.net); Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States, Remarriage.
- Church of England, Marriage in church after divorce; Diocese of St Albans, Ad Clerum 3b.2.
- The Episcopal Church, Constitution and Canons, Canon I.19.
- Westminster Confession of Faith, chapter 24 (Orthodox Presbyterian Church text); Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), The Book of Confessions; Presbyterian Church in America, Report on Divorce and Remarriage.
- Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, FAQ on divorce; Divorce and Remarriage: An Exegetical Study (1987).
- Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Human Sexuality: Gift and Trust (2009).
- United Methodist Social Principles, The Social Community.
- Church of the Nazarene, Manual 2023.
- The Salvation Army UK and Ireland, positional statement on marriage.
- The Baptist Faith and Message (2000); Southern Baptist Convention, On the Scandal of Southern Baptist Divorce (2010).
- National Association of Evangelicals, For the Health of the Nation.
- United Church of Christ, What We Believe.
- Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Seeking to Be Disciples of Christ; General Assembly resolution GA-1327 (2013).
- Christian Courier, Divorce and Marriage; Who are the churches of Christ and what do they believe in?
- Assemblies of God, Constitution and Bylaws (2023); Divorce and Remarriage position paper (2024).
- United Pentecostal Church International, Articles of Faith (2023).
- Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online, Divorce and Remarriage; Mennonite Church USA, Confession of Faith, Article 19; Skyline Mennonite Church, Divorce and Remarriage.
- Evangelical Friends Church Mid-America Yearly Meeting, Faith and Practice (2022).
- Seventh-day Adventist Church Manual, chapter on Marriage, Divorce, and Remarriage.
- The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Gospel Topics: Divorce; General Handbook, 38.4.1.
- How Do Jehovah’s Witnesses View Divorce?
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