Religion and Theology

I. Historical Overview of Divorce in Christian History
From the very start of civilization, divorce was not accepted due to its ethical, social and theological predicament. One of the most historic divorces is the one ordered by King Henry VIII of England (1491-1547) choosing to divorce his barren wife, Queen Catherine of Aragon and at the same time, severing ties between England and the Roman Catholic Church. Desperate to have a son to continue the royal dynasty, Henry VII sought a divorce however the Pope Clement VII denied him a divorce based on religio-political grounds. This only shows that divorce is indeed not morally, ethically and socially upright even if the reason is for irreconcilable differences (Great-Britain.com, 2010).
 
II. Ethical, Theological and Social Dimensions of Divorce
Theological
Divorce is not allowable for any reason. A man who divorces his wife and remarries another woman is considered to commit adultery (Mark 102-12 and Luke 1618).

Jesus wants a lifetime marriage. The couples will leave their fathers and mothers and they will become one flesh. This means that they are going to be together for the rest of their life and no one should separate them (Mathew 195).

The Lord Himself said that he hates divorce (Malachi 216).
The Bible says that marriage is a lifetime commitment. Marriage makes the two individuals as one entity. And through this sacrament, God joined them together and no man shall separate them (Matthew 196).

Ethical
Strong, ethical reasons can be brought forward to support the argument against divorce. Marriage is the cornerstone of the family structure. A home is built on the union of man and wife. Divorces do not only destroy a couples relationship but the entire family suffers (Sanders, 1997).
Healthy families are founded on a couple who love, respect, and remain committed to one anothers welfare  till death does them part. Marriage forges an emotional bond which is hard to break even though it says so in paper. The very fabric of society is threatened when divorces run rampant with no control or accountability. Children have no authority figure since both parents are not in agreement and most times divorce passes on a legacy of broken relationships, hearts, and homes (Witherington  Witherington III, 2010).

Social
Marriage is ratified legally by the State but sadly, marriage has descended to a purely legal contract which can be entered into and broken at any given moment. Whenever one views marriage and divorce as only legal transactions  selfish desire comes into play. Marriage is used as a means to an end these days. In order to secure property, convenience, and child custody, one marries. Some people even draft prenuptial agreements to protect themselves from the wiles of their greedy spouses.

Irreconcilable differences is a legal term which legalizes a divorce where there is no evidence brought forward on either side to justify the divorce, otherwise called a no-fault divorce (Lawyers.com 2010).
The first and historic no-fault divorce occurred in 1969 in California today, millions of marriages have crashed due to irreconcilable differences.  This easy loophole is simply a way of escape for most people trying to shun responsibility and accountability in marriage. Proponents of free divorce assert that because we are beings governed by free will, it is difficult to legally constrain someone to be married even if he or she knows that divorce is not a first resort. In a democratic society such as America, it is true however thinking about the implications of divorce and seeking counsel of divorce are preferred steps to be taken before such a grave decision is reached (FocusontheFamily.com 2010).

III. Conclusion
Family and marriage are indispensable tools in Gods hands to promote mans happiness, welfare, and relationships. Divorce can never be taken lightly especially when God has invested such energy in trying to preserve eternal harmony between Himself and His Church. In the end, theological, ethical, and social reasons all confirm what has been known all along  faithfulness to the marriage vows benefit the individual and society and enhances his spiritual relationship with the Lord. Hence, divorce, for whatever reason, should not be considered and accepted in the society.