Covenant Marriage

Question: Covenant Marriage? Does anyone know about covenant marriages, and if they do them in Texas? If not, what is the closest state that does them? I am a very firm believer that marriage is forever, and even thought I know I will end up with him forever, I want to show the world that I am just that sure! Please help, any (good) advice would be appreciated. And where is a good place to get a dress in Houston?

Answer: Have you checked out these sites? http://www.covenantmarriage.com/ http://www.divorcereform.org/cov.html According to wikipedia, they don't them in Texas but legistlation has been proposed. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Covenant_ma… According to Americans for Divorce Reform, by mid 2006, covenant marriages are only available in Arizona, Arkansas and Louisiana. However, the Arizona law does not define a "true" covenant marriage because it allows divorce if "the husband and wife both agree..." http://www.religioustolerance.org/mar_co… http://www.woai.com/news/local/story.asp…

Question: covenant marriage? what is a covenant marriage? detailed answers please.

Answer: a covenant marriage dates back to Old Testament days when marriages were arranged. the covenant was between the families and the symbol was usually salt but could be sand or dirt and each family placed a small amount of the salt, sand or dirt in a vessel and mixed them together. the dissolution of the marriage was based on the premise that it if each party could remove their salt, sand or dirt then the couple could end the marriage

Question: What are the chances of a divorce with a Covenant Marriage? Heres the details. We've been married for almost two and a half years. We have a beautiful two week old son. Im nineteen and he is twenty-two. Grounds for divorce is adultry. He cheated on me, I got pissed and cheated on him. Immature and definetely the wrong decision, I know. So what are the chances for a granted divorce with a covenant marriage, even with a really good lawyer. Im in Arkansas

Answer: What state are you in? In Arizona, at least, adultery is grounds for divorce in a covenant marriage. The way I read this: http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/ftproot/bi… adultery is still grounds but you have to go to counseling first. That's probably a good idea given that there is a child involved. Good Luck!

Question: How is the "optional" Sharia law the Archbishop of Canterbury proposed different from "covenant marriage"? Google "covenant marriage" if you don't know what it is. The short version is that it's optional sharia law, except instead of Muslim theocratic law, it's Christian theocratic law. guardian.co.uk/religion/ Story/0,,2254075,00.html Remove the line break, because Yahoo's URLs are broken.

Answer: As far as I can tell, it's basically the same thing. What I don't understand is why, if people want to live by a set of rules, they feel that those rules should be recognized as laws. I don't get why they don't just agree to live under the rules of sharia law or covenant marriage without asking the government to recognize them as laws.

Question: Can a man be legally separated if he has a Louisiana Covenant Marriage? I only got one bad answer when I asked about the marriage law in Laws and Ethics.

Answer: Louisiana no longer has "legal separation" status: http://www.divorceinfo.com/lafaqsmiscell…

Question: If you have a covenant marriage in louisiana and move to florida is the covenant marriage still recognized? My wife and I got married in Louisiana under a covenant marriage. Now we live in florida and she wants to file for divorce, just because she doesnt want to be tied down. Do we still abide by the laws of our covenant marriage? if your not sure what a covenant marriage is please look it up before you answer.

Answer: Are you legally married or not? A covenant is a verbal agreement. If you're marriage is based on a verbal agreement you aren't legally married.. Covenant marriage isn't recognised in Florida. Your wife is free to file for divorce.

Question: Who would support the covenant marriage law? This is something that has been implemented in 3 states. It is an optional marriage license couples can sign that states if they want to get a divorce they must first, get marital counseling, wait 2 years, and either prove abuse, affair or neglect. What do you think. It has saved many marriages already

Answer: Yes, I would support that. Marriage is taken too lightly.

Question: Converting our marriage to Covenant Marriage? We are in our process to convert our marriage to Covenant Marriage as we believe that Married is for life and taking care of our little family. We both have strong family values and we love each other very much and believe in faith. How long does it take to convert our marriage to Covenant Marriage?

Answer: Talk to the authorities there in your country about what you want to do, the procedure to follow, and how long it will take to accomplish!

Question: Is Covenant Marriage a Conservative Christian version of Sharia law?

Answer: In some parts of the United States, a covenant marriage is a legally distinct kind of marriage, in which the marrying couple agree to obtain pre-marital counseling and accept more limited grounds for divorce. The covenant marriage laws emphasize the belief that marriage is more than just a mere contract between two individuals, contending that without marriage, there would be no foundation of family in society and, in turn, no civilization or progress to follow. The movement sets out to promote and strengthen marriages, reduce the rate of divorce, lessen the number of children born out of wedlock, discourage cohabitation, and frame marriage as an honorable and desirable institution.[1] As a law, covenant marriage is technically written neutrally with respect to religion, however it quickly became marked as a religious form of marriage, due to its historical background. Sharia (شريعة Šarīʿa; [ʃaˈriːʕa], "way" or "path") is the sacred law of Islam. All Muslims believe Sharia is God's law, but they have differences among themselves as to exactly what it entails.[1] Modernists, traditionalists and fundamentalists all hold different views of Sharia, as do adherents to different schools of Islamic thought and scholarship. Different countries and cultures have varying interpretations of Sharia as well. Muslims believe all Sharia is derived from two primary sources, the divine revelations set forth in the Qur'an, and the sayings and example set by the Islamic Prophet Muhammad in the Sunnah. Fiqh, or "jurisprudence," interprets and extends the application of Sharia to questions not directly addressed in the primary sources, by including secondary sources. These secondary sources usually include the consensus of the religious scholars embodied in ijma, and analogy from the Qur'an and Sunnah through qiyas. Shia jurists replace qiyas analogy with 'aql, or "reason". Where it enjoys official status, Sharia is applied by Islamic judges, or qadis. The imam has varying responsibilities depending on the interpretation of Sharia. While the term is commonly used to refer to the leader of communal prayers, the imam may also be a scholar, religious leader or political leader. Sharia deals with many topics addressed by secular law, including crime, politics and economics, as well as personal matters such as sexuality, hygiene, diet, prayer, and fasting.

Question: why does a christian marriage need to be viewed as a covenant rather than a contract? also how does such a covenant tie into the purpose of christian marriage?

Answer: Because when you enter into a marriage it is a Covenant with God. God has ordained a marriage between a man and a woman to be blessed thur Him and His Covenant. It is a sacred promise between man, woman and God. In Christian living this is a must in order to find a peaceful relationship between man, woman and God. God will bless you and your children, but living together as boyfriend and girlfriend is a sin and God will not Bless this arrangement.

Question: What's the difference between marriage and Covenant Marriage? And how do you expect the world to know the difference? Thanks, seth...but how do you expect the world to know the difference, if there's nothing to compare to... As in, right now, the world only knows "marriage," and not even sure what THAT means. marriage is now easy to undo...no fault divorces, etc... seth, don't you think if the world knew the difference, that MANY would choose Covenant Marriage as opposed to simply "marriage?" Thanks max...but how do you expect the world to know the difference?

Answer: According to dictionary.com, this is a covenant: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/c… All marriages are covenants, the difference being is that with practicing Christians, there is emphasis on God being the Binding Tie in that marriage: it's "for richer or for poorer, in sickness & in health, in good times & bad times, etc, til death do us part..." I think that many have deluded themselves into thinking that marriage is just about a wedding ceremony that allows people to live together & have sex legally, & then when they get tired of being with someone or decide that marriage is too hard, they end it. Marriage was intended to be a lifelong commitment, & when people marry, they will take steps to legally identify themselves as a newly-formed couple, a unique united entity from which they can start a family & add to the societal structure. Marriage, no matter what faith (or absence of it), or the country of origin, when it's performed between a consenting male & a consenting female who enter into it carefully is considered legitimate. Marriage in the Bible is to be honored, & the marriage bed is to remain pure.

Question: Would you support the covenant marriage law? This is something that has been implemented in 3 states. It is an optional marriage license couples can sign that states if they want to get a divorce they must first, get marital counseling, wait 2 years, and either prove abuse, affair or neglect. What do you think. It has saved many marriages already

Answer: Yes. I'm trying to convert mine now. A covenant marriage is an extended commitment between the couple. BTW, the 2 years is for living separate and apart. You can leave the marriage and just wait two years for the divorce.

Question: favor of and against covenant marriage? describe the arguments on favor of and against covenant marriage. which side do you agree with? covenant marriage--> a fairly new type of legal marriage in which the bride and groom agree to be bound by a marriage covenant that makes divorce difficult. i need what you think...thanks

Answer: The arguments for and against covenant marriage are found also at http://www.divorcereform.org/cov.html And reproduced further down below. If it appears garbled, drop me a line at [email protected] and I can email it to you. The listed pros and cons have some points but this con “As covenant marriage is essentially a religious concept, this proposal infringes the separation of church and state” is wrong. An analysis of the modern need for modern covenant marriage is obtained at http://marriageandfamilies.byu.edu/issues/2000/August/consumer.aspx by William J. Doherty is a professor of family social science and Director of the Marriage and Family Therapy Program at the University of Minnesota. …. “We need a new ideal of marriage that re-emphasizes the commitment and responsibility of the Institutional Marriage while embracing emotional satisfaction elements of the Psychological Marriage and the self-advocacy elements of the Consumer Marriage. We need an ideal of marriage that fosters commitment and individual well-being, both permanence and equality between men and women. An ideal that accepts divorce but sees it as the tragic exception and not the norm. I call this Modern Covenant Marriage "covenant" to connote the religious sense that marriage is a powerful, sacred commitment, and "modern" to suggest that we need a new way to be in committed marriages in the twenty-first century. This form of marriage is similar to, but more than, Covenant Marriage legislation passed in Louisiana and Arizona and proposed in other states.” I think marriage is a lifelong commitment and only then, can parties singly and jointly delve into the deeper meaning of life and purpose of life, and more importantly, it has a social imperative of securing social order and enhancing it, for the advancement of the people. Back to http://www.divorcereform.org/cov.html Pros Cons Covenant marriage might reduce the number of domestic violence cases. A 1991 Justice Department study concluded that current husbands/fathers account for only 9% of the cases of domestic abuse. The rest of the abuse was perpetrated by former husbands, boyfriends or transient partners. Without divorce, women may be less likely to be involved with abusive men. In a covenant marriage, a partner must prove that abuse actually occurred to be permitted to end the marriage. This especially worries advocates for battered women who say that proving domestic abuse can be difficult and the waiting period makes women stay in abusive relationships longer. In addition, mental abuse is not seen as a legitimate reason to end a marriage. In a covenant marriage, the offended spouse is the only one who can ask for the divorce. This gives the offended spouse many benefits in negotiating the end of the marriage. A women clearly has more to lose in assuming a marriage will last forever, especially if she puts her career on hold to care for children. A covenant marriage is a way for women to have more security in marriage. Religious belief is only one reason to want marriages to succeed; society as a while has an interest in stable families. Advocates for covenant marriage, Amitai Etzioni, founder and director of the Washington-based Communitarian Network, says, “One can be deeply concerned with strengthening the commitment of marriage without favouring traditional or hierarchical forms of marriages or denying women full equal standing.” Some feminists feel initiatives for covenant marriage simply conceal the hidden agenda of the antifeminist Moral Majority. Liberal commentator Katha Pollitt, a columnist for The Nation, says covenant marriages “enforce a narrow and moralistic vision of marriage by rendering divorce more painful and more punitive.” Many advocates of covenant marriage laws are self-described conservative Christians; religious groups are major supporters of covenant marriage laws. Louisiana NOW President Terry O’Neill points out that “’Covenant’ and ‘covenant marriage’ are terms with a very specific meaning in the Christian community.” Conflating religious values with secular laws on marriage is wrong. The premarital counselling by a trained counsellor that is a requirement of covenant marriage enables the future husband and wife to get to know each other well. Issues such as how to raise children, how to split housework, and financial matters are discussed and explored with the counsellor. Covenant marriage are more restrictive but allows for divorce in specific circumstances: adultery; physical or sexual abuse of a spouse or child; abandonment of at least one year; incarceration of a spouse for a felony conviction; spouses living separate and apart for two years; and a legal separation of one year, or 18 months if a minor child is involved. If partners enter a covenant marriage, they would not be able to divorce until they are separated for at least two years. People could get stuck in marriages and be unable to contin

Question: covenant marriage--> help need some info? describe the arguments on favor of and against covenant marriage. which side do you agree with? covenant marriage--> a fairly new type of legal marriage in which the bride and groom agree to be bound by a marriage covenant that makes divorce difficult. i need what you think...thanks

Answer: Here's some links: http://marriage.about.com/cs/covenantmar… http://www.divorcehope.com/marriagevowsc… http://covenantmarriages.com/

Question: How are no fault, covenant marriage and blended families divorce controversial?

Answer: Some people don't agree with them and some do.

Question: HELP please!! Difference between regular/covenant marriage license? What is the difference between a regular marriage license and a covenant marriage license?

Answer: This is what I found for the state Arizona about covenant marriages. I'm assuming it means about the same in other states that have it. What is a Covenant Marriage? The State Legislature has created a type of marriage in Arizona called "covenant marriage." It does not replace the kind of marriage already available. Instead it offers an additional option to couples who wish to marry. The covenant marriage differs both in the steps necessary to get married and the reasons why a legal separation or divorce may be granted by the court. To enter into a covenant marriage, the couple first must have counseling (called "premarital counseling") from a member of the clergy or a marriage counselor. Then, when applying for a license to be married, both persons must show their intention to enter into a covenant marriage by signing a special statement (or "declaration") on the application form. In a covenant marriage, legal separation or divorce (in Arizona, a "dissolution of marriage") may be granted by the court only for specific reasons listed in state law. These are explained in the following pages. ENTERING INTO A COVENANT MARRIAGE To be married in Arizona, a woman and man legally qualified to marry must first get a marriage license. (Sections 25-101 and 25-102 of the Arizona Revised Statutes indicate who may legally marry.) To get a license, a written application must be filed with the Clerk of the Superior Court in any county of the state or with some justices of the peace, city clerks or town clerks. Call the Clerk of the Superior Court in your county for information on where to apply for a marriage license. For a covenant marriage, certain information must be included in the marriage license application. By law (Section 25-901 of the Arizona Revised Statutes) a person must state their intention to enter into a covenant marriage. This statement (or "declaration:) must contain three things: A written statement, printed exactly as follows: A Covenant Marriage We solemnly declare that marriage is a covenant between a man and a woman who agree to live together as husband and wife for as long as they both live. We have chosen each other carefully and have received premarital counseling on the nature, purposes and responsibilities of marriage. We understand that a covenant marriage is for life. If we experience marital difficulties, we commit ourselves to take all reasonable efforts to preserve our marriage, including marital counseling. With full knowledge of what this commitment means, we do declare that our marriage will be bound by Arizona law on covenant marriages and we promise to love, honor and care for one another as husband and wife for the rest of our lives. The signed and sworn statement of both people that they have received premarital counseling from a member of the clergy or from a marriage counselor. In premarital counseling, both people must be advised that a covenant marriage is a commitment for life. Premarital counseling also must include a discussion of the seriousness of covenant marriage, the requirement to seek marriage counseling if marital difficulties develop and the limited legal reasons available for ending the marriage by legal separation or divorce. The couple also must receive a copy of this pamphlet. The signatures of both parties witnessed by a court clerk. The parties must submit with the license application a sworn, notarized statement from the member of the clergy or marriage counselor who provided the premarital counseling. This statement must confirm that the parties were advised about the nature and purpose of a covenant marriage and the limited reasons for ending the marriage by legal separation or divorce. The counselor’s statement also must show that a copy of this informational pamphlet was given to each person. Sounds like that if you enter into a covenant marriage, divorce is extremely difficult.

Question: What is a "covenant marriage"? is this a waaaay dumber form of marriage? I mean marriage by defaut kinda sucks...but "covenant marriage"...c'mon now ladies! Even you guys aren't lethargic enough to fall for that one. Thanks, Flavio

Answer: lol AGAIN!! You sound bitter!

Question: non-covenant marriage? what is a non-covenant marriage?

Answer: Google "non-covenant marriages" and check out the websites for the correct answer to this is what I would do!

Question: What is your opinion of "covenant marriage"

Answer: Weirdly, a reasearch article I read showed that the divorce rate of "covenant marriages" was the same as all other marriages. That says something, given how tough divorce can be in a covenant marriage. I think it goes back to a paradox of marriages - too much security can be a bad thing. If a person believes that their spouse simply can't or won't leave them no matter what, it has the effect of making them a less attentive partner.

Question: Getting out of a Covenant Marriage? I've been researching ways for my close friend to get out of her covenant marriage... when she got married she was 18 and she feels as though her husband took advantage of her at a young age. I have read that the only ways to get a divorce are to be abused, cheated on, your spouse is doing hard time, deceased or u have lived apart for several years and even then you must attend counseling for 2 years before getting the divorce. She was married in Arkansas(one of only 3 states that permit covenant marriage) but currently resides in Texas. I was wondering if there are any other ways of getting the divorce such as : since she lives in Texas now, is it no longer necessary to go through the same processes she would have to go through in the state that she got married in since Texas does not have covenant marriage? or can she claim that at such a young age she didn't fully understand what she was getting herself into and therefore get it annulled. Thank you for your time... and if u have a website that may be of use please post the links... any answers or opinions on the matter are greatly appreciated Her husband got the ideal from his family which is religious. As far as the thinking long and hard.....i believe at that age everything seems to be a life and death situation, so i don't think a person sits and thinks about the consequences of what they are about to do and instead they act purely on impulse and the fact that they "love" the person at that time. idea* it wouldn't let me go back and correct it so I did it here lol

Answer: I agree with Taylor completely on this issue. I knew nothing of the concept of a covenant marriage until I read your question, and now that I do, I'm glad I live in a state where such a thing is not recognized. "Hmmm...How can we strengthen marriage? I know...Let's make it nigh impossible for people to get divorced!" I honestly wonder if the spousal abuse and murder rates in Louisiana, Arkansas, and Arizona have spiked since this practice was established. Your friend must do the legal research and decide for herself if emancipation is the path she wishes to follow. The Wikipedia article I cite below mentions that the strict grounds for divorce in a covenant marriage do not apply if you file for divorce in a non-covenant-marriage state; as your friend lives in Texas now, she should be free of any unusual restraints.