To divorce or not to divorce? Church leaders opine on Christian Divorce Act

Pre-marriage counselling suggested

LAHORE: Couples who no longer want to stay married frequently end up having to rely on lying before a court to obtain a divorce, Bishop Samuel Azariah said at a consultation on the Christian Divorce Act on Monday. “In this case, the church is responsible for perpetuating a lie.”

The consultation was held at the Naulakha Presbyterian Church. Church leaders of various denominations shared their views on the matter of divorce according to Biblical perspectives. Azariah’s views were not echoed by many. Several of the church leaders said that marriage was a sacrament, while others called it a contract. Many were of the view that there was no room for divorce according to the Bible, while others called out the law for being inflexible.

Azariah suggested that every divorce case be examined in the context of the circumstances leading to it. “We have been discussing this issue since 1991 and it’s about time we settled it.”



He said Christianity did not encourage divorce. “It talks about love, respect and care.” In the event that this love, respect and care no longer existed, couples should have room for recourse, he said.

These views were slammed by Pastor Sharif Haroon from Gujranwala. He said no court of law had the right to intervene in Biblical law regarding divorce. Referring to the petitioner, who had requested Lahore High Court to create leeway in the Christian Divorce Act, Haroon said whoever challenged Biblical edicts should be challenged.

Haroon criticised a recent ruling by the Federal Shariat Court in which it had held that if a Christian converted to Islam, his or her previous marriage would be considered void.

He said according to Biblical law, a Christian would have to dissolve his or her marriage before converting. “This judgement has created a host of problems for Christians…it leaves a Christian partner without room for recourse in the event that his or her partner converts to Islam.” He said if a Christian embraced Islam, there should be no return for that person to convert back to Christianity. “The church would just not accept such a person.”



Haroon went further to condemn homosexuality and said there was no room for gay marriage in Biblical law.

Ayra Inderyas of the Church of Pakistan, Lahore Diocese, did not agree with Haroon’s views on divorce. “I come across Christians from every walk of life…the ground reality is quite bitter.” She posited a question to the participants asking them what they would suggest if their daughter’s husband was violent towards her but was not an adulterer. “Would you continue to recommend against a divorce?” She said in the event that parents or the church did not intervene, a woman would have no option but to move a court for remedy.

“There has to be some way for women to lead their lives in a respectable manner.” Inderyas said if church leaders continued to interpret the Bible in a rigid manner, many women would be condemned to a life of humiliation and suffering. “There must be room for reconciliation, but if that fails, then divorce should be an option available to a couple.”

Dr Arthur James seconded Azariah’s suggestion of examining the circumstances around a divorce case. He said there was no provision for divorce in the Bible. “However, according to the Presbyterian school of thought, God did not abandon those who had left their marriages.” He said the Presbyterian school allowed for couples to be separated and to remarry.

Father Moris Jalal said Catholicism did not offer any room for divorce. He condemned Lahore High Court’s judgment on the matter and said Christian couples could separate but they could never remarry.

Saleem Yousaf of the Salvation Army said according to the Bible, marriage was a sacrament which could never be dissolved. He said there was no room for divorce in Christianity. “Couples who want to separate should seek counselling.”

Dr Majid Abel, who was chairing the consultation, said in his concluding remarks that there was such a wide range of views on the subject that they could not reach consensus. He said it appeared as if there was no provision for divorce and yet divorces were taking place. “In such a situation, the church must take decisive steps.”

He suggested that churches set up counselling centres to provide pre-marriage counselling.

He said they would hold more consultations in this regard. The next consultation would be on October 15.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 14^th, 2016.