IN THEORY:Finding faith after divorce

Researchers Elizabeth Marquardt and Norval Glenn at the Institute for American Values studied how divorce affects a person's faith. Their four-year survey studied 1,500 young adults between 18 and 35, whose parents divorced. They found, among other things, that children of divorced parents are less religious than their peers, though many of them turned to God as a father figure in life.

From your experience, how does divorce affect the faith of a child whose parents divorced? What does this mean for the faith community?

From my perspective, I have to say that, in theory, no divorce is ever a good thing. However, in practice is it fair to make two people stay together all of their lives simply because they said, "I do," at a younger age?

I must confess that I am a divorced man, happily married now to my second wife.

As for answering today's questions, there are lots of variables; for example, how long were the child's parents married, and how old was the child when the parents divorced? So I find it impossible to answer the question of how the divorce affected the child. However, as far as the faith community's response is concerned, I'd like to think that my church accepts as true that all have sinned and "fallen short of the glory of God," to quote St. Paul. So I'd like to think that in the faith community there is an acceptance of those who have fallen (i.e., gotten divorced).

For those who have trouble accepting divorce and remarriage, I'd have to ask: What is your sin? Mine is getting divorced; what is yours?

This faith is a tricky business, because we all accept that marriage is a serious thing, and we all like to adhere to the Ten Commandments. But what happens when we stumble? What happens when we make a mistake?

Christians believe that we are saved by the grace and faithfulness of God, not by any of our good works, lest any man should boast. So the question remains: what happens when we strive to live a sober and righteous life, but then stumble and fall? That's what's so wonderful about a church: it's not filled with perfect folks, only forgiven ones. Thanks be to God.

THE REV. C.L.

"SKIP" LINDEMAN

Congregational Church

of the Lighted Window

United Church of Christ

La Ca"ada Flintridge