01/02/23 Please write down the date and

title and then complete the

Divorce and Remarriage starter activities

WALT: understand different religious views on divorce and what the

importance of remarriage is.

1. Give reasons to why

people divorce.

2. Why do you think a

person may remarry?
Challenge: Explain if you think there can ever be a perfect relationship?

WALT: understand different religious views on divorce and what the importance of remarriage is.
 Please copy down the
key terms

• Divorce: is known as dissolution of marriage, is the process of

terminating a marriage or marital union (legal ending of a
marriage)

• Remarriage: is a marriage that takes place after a previous

marital union has ended, as through divorce or widowhood.

• Annulment: is a Catholic Church ruling that a marriage was

never valid.
 Essential information
• Divorce is allowed after one year if a marriage cannot be saved. Reasons for
divorce may include: adultery, domestic abuse, addiction, illness or disability,
work or financial pressures, falling out of love, inability to have children, etc.
• Remarriage is when someone marries again while their former husband or
wife is still alive.
• An annulment is a Catholic Church ruling that a marriage was never valid.
• Religions try to balance ethical arguments between the sanctity of marriage
vows made before God and compassion for people whose marriage has broken
down.

Please take notes from this

 Christianity: divorce and remarriage
• ln cases of marriage breakdown, Christian clergy offer counselling, prayer and sacraments,
and may refer couples to outside agencies such as Relate and Accord.
• Vows made in God's presence must be kept.
• The Catholic Church teaches that marriage is a sacrament that is permanent and cannot
be dissolved between two baptised people by civil divorce. Catholics can separate but not
remarry while their partner is still alive, or they can obtain an annulment if there was
never a true marriage.
• Other Christians believe marriage is for life, but sometimes divorce is the lesser of two
evils. They think the Church should reflect God’s forgiveness and allow couples a second
chance for happiness.
• Most Anglican, Protestant and Orthodox churches allow divorce and remarriage in church
as long as couples take the vows seriously.
Please take notes from this
 Christianity: divorce and remarriage

• Jesus taught that anyone who divorced and remarried was committing
adultery:

“He answered, "Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another
woman commits adultery against her. And if she divorces her
husband and marries another man, she commits adultery.’
Mark 10:11-2 [NIV]

• Matthew 5:32 adds ‘If a man divorces his wife for any cause other than
unchastity (unfaithfulness) he involves her in adultery.’ [NIV]

Please write down the religious teaching and annotate it, explaining what it means
Discussion Point

“In modern society, it is too easy to get

a divorce.’

Agree Disagree
Class discussion
 Islam: divorce and remarriage
• A wife can apply for divorce, but if her husband is not at fault he
does not have to support her and she must repay the marriage
gift.
• The husband must support his children in all cases.
• Legally, Muslims in the UK require a British civil divorce. Religious
divorces are granted through the Muslim Law (Shari'ah) Council in
Wembley, Middlesex or through their local mosque.
• After divorce, Muslims can remarry, and it may be considered
beneficial to do so particularly if there are children. Please take notes
 Islam: divorce and remarriage
• The Qur'an encourages the couple to try to reconcile their differences by allowing a
member of each partner's family to help bring them back together, if God wills (Qur'an
4:35).
• The Qur'an guarantees rights of both men and women to divorce, but divorce is hateful
to Allah'(Hadith).
• For a religious divorce, the husband must declare it to his wife verbally or in writing,
followed by a three month waiting period (iddah) to see whether his wife is pregnant. If
so, they must wait until the baby is born:

“...when any of you intend to divorce women, do so at a Please take notes,

write down the
time when their prescribed waiting period can properly religious teaching
start... if you are in doubt, the period of waiting shall be and annotate it –
what does it mean
three months.” for Muslims?
Qur'an 65:l & 4
Discussion Point

‘Couples should stay together if there are

children in the family’

Agree Disagree
Discuss with the person sat next to you
– try to think of arguments for agree
and disagree and write a couple down
Task:

Research statistics about divorce in the UK

In your research include:
- Divorce 100 years ago – what were the rights of each party?
- When did divorce rates rise - suggest why this may have happened
- How is societies idea of divorce changing over time?
 Exam Question

‘Divorce is never right.’ [12 Marks]

Evaluate this statement. In your answer you should:

• Refer to Christian teachings, scriptures and writings

• Give 3 developed arguments to support this statement
• Give 3 developed arguments to support a different point of view
• Reach a justified conclusion Complete the exam
question