According to a Barna research report, Baptist lead the denominations when it comes to divorce. Please understand, this post is not meant to put down those who have went through a divorce. To reform an old phrase, "Divorce Happens". There are biblically warranted reasons for divorce, and forgiveness for unwarranted divorces.All that aside, it still seems strange that Baptists lead the denominations in divorce. The only group higher in the divorce rate was the nebulous "Non-denominational" tribe. Oddly, Baptist pride themselves as being a "People of the Book", but it seems they don't live according to Scripture anymore than any other group.
To my great amusement, all the groups Baptist' hate (at least the Fundamentalist Baptists--non-fundemantalist Baptists are much more irenic) were more faithful to Scripture on the divorce issue.
Statistically, the best way to protect your marriage is to become a Lutheran!
Actually, just be a Baptist who joyfully lives according to Scripture.
I wonder if the Catholic statistics are skewed... After all, when a marriage is annulled, does that count as a divorce for the chart?
ReplyDelete;o)
Also, fornication is often tolerated or not as taboo in other denominations. If couples are just shacking up and never even get married, of course divorce rates would differ!
ReplyDeleteThis highlights a problem among Baptist (one I am guilty of as well) We spend so much time beliving IN the Bible that we fail to believe WHAT is in the Bible. For people that have such a high regard for the Bible, as a whole we are woefully ignorant of it's contents.
ReplyDeleteAn annullment is not a divorce. An annullment means that no marriage ever took place. No divorce is even possible.
ReplyDeleteAlso, these are not self-reported statistics which are often skewed, but according to Barna:
"The data described in this report are based on nationwide telephone interviews conducted by The Barna Group with a random sample of 3614 adults, age 18 or older, between January and August 2004."
The lower numbers for Catholics and Lutherans are more likely due to their mutual belief that marriage is a life-long covenant.
What was it Christ said regarding divore? Ah, yes:
"He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so." - Matthew 19:8
As Christians, should we not practice marrriage as it was from the beginning?
God bless...
Timothy,
ReplyDeleteI agree with you. Anullments are sometimes necessary, but many times abused. I personally know a man who was married for almost 20 years, has two (now adult) kids, and was still granted an anullment by the Catholic church. Anullments are horrendously abused, but I doubt if this happens enough to skew the statistics.
All Christian groups would agree that marriage is a life long covenant (though with varying degrees of consistency). Also, we should keep in mind that, statistically speaking, there is really no difference between the Luther 21% and the Baptist 26%. That would fall within the built in margin of error. All the report can really tell us is that there is no difference between Christians (of any variety) and the non-christian world. The report does not have the statistical capability of making assessments of the individual denominations.
Anullments are horrendously abused, but I doubt if this happens enough to skew the statistics.
ReplyDeleteI dunno about that... I grew up in an insignificant family that converted to Catholicism , and my mother "had" to get an annulment in order to be a part of the church. It seemed more like the purpose was to skew things like this report.
I'm uncomfortable with the idea of a mulligan for marriage. I'd much rather face sin, and allow it to remind me of my need for Christ.
Yes, I'm a bitter Ex-Catholic. I realize that skews my perception a bit. :)