Sacred Divorce: Religion, Therapeutic Culture, and Ending Life Partnerships

By Kathleen E. Jenkins

Book Description

When marriages end, couples often find themselves navigating uncharted spiritual territory. While religious ceremonies traditionally celebrate the beginning of sacred partnerships, what happens when those same spiritual communities must address their dissolution?

Sociologist Kathleen Jenkins explores this profound question through an intimate examination of how faith communities respond to divorce. Drawing from over five years of fieldwork, she observed religious support groups, interviewed divorced practitioners across various traditions, and spoke with clergy members who guide congregants through marital endings.

The book reveals how religious leaders from Protestant denominations to Baptist churches, Jewish congregations, Unitarian fellowships, and Catholic parishes confront the often hidden reality of divorce within their communities. Jenkins documents their thoughtful efforts to create meaningful support systems, from compassionate listening and carefully crafted sermons to adapting traditional practices like Catholic annulments and Jewish divorce documents.

Through compelling personal stories, readers discover how individuals transform the painful experience of divorce into something spiritually meaningful. The research spans diverse religious, ethnic, and class backgrounds, following people from their early thirties to mid-sixties as they navigate separations ranging from months to decades.

This work offers both sociological insight and practical guidance for those seeking to understand how faith intersects with life's most challenging transitions. Jenkins demonstrates how spiritual communities can become sources of healing and renewal, even in the midst of profound loss and change.