Unit 1 - Christian responses to: Divorce, Annulment and Remarriage

Question 1

What does the organisation Relate do?

Answer 1

• Help couples when marriages get into difficulty
• Help to change their relationship for the better
• Try and stop divorce from happening

Question 2

What does the Catholic Church believe about divorce?

Answer 2

• Believes that marriage is permanent
• Marriage is a sacrament
• Don’t accept divorce
• Marriage can’t be broken by humans
• The Catholic Church teaches that while a divorce breaks the legal agreement made in marriage, it doesn’t break the holy agreement made with God

Question 3

What does the Catholic Church believe should happen to couples experiencing difficulties?

Answer 3

The couple may separate, should try to work on restoring the marriage and may not enter any other sexual relationships.

Question 4

What is annulment?

Answer 4

The Catholic belief where marriage is completely dissolved, as though it never existed. After an annulment, they are free to marry someone else.

Question 5

What does the COE believe about divorce?

Answer 5

• Couples should work hard to keep their vow of a lifelong commitment to each other in marriage
• However, sometimes it may be impossible for a couple to remain together and divorce is inevitable
• E.g. an abusive marriage or in the case of adultery
• ‘whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality’
• If divorce does occur, the COE will prioritise on caring for the couple
• Divorcees are free to remarry