This House would create a system of covenant marriage

Currently in the USA, there are 3 states (Louisiana, Arizona and Arkansas) that have more than one system of marriage contracts in place. One is the conventional marriage contract, where couples marry under the current “no fault” system in which either party can, at any time, dissolve the marriage. The other is a covenant marriage, where the couple wants a partnership that is more difficult to dissolve.

Next to the normal regulations for marriage, a couple that has decided to go through the process of covenant marriage signs a declaration, stating: “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.”[1]

This concept has been established by activists in the United States, which were concerned about the divorce rates. Divorce is an unfortunate reality of American life. Recent statistics compiled by the US Census Bureau show that between 40% and 50% of marriages end in divorce[2]. Many believe divorce can have a negative effect on society; accordingly, advocates of divorce reform have suggested giving couples the choice of covenant marriage.

This mainly Southern US movement is headquartered in Nashville, was established in May, 1999, by a group of religious leaders, politicians, educators, and counselors. The organization's goal is, “to bring God deeper into marriage and re-establish marriage as a lifelong bond”. The movement is supported by dozens of groups across the US, including the American Association of Christian Counselors, Family Foundations International, and Masterful Living.

The first laws recognizing covenant marriage were passed by the state of Louisiana in 1997. Arizona followed in 1998 and Arkansas in 2001; advocates are lobbying other state assemblies to pass similar legislation. The movement received considerable publicity on Valentine’s Day 2005, when Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee and his wife renewed their marriage vows of thirty years with a ceremonial signing of covenant marriage documents, along with a thousand other couples. Governor Huckabee (an ordained Southern Baptist minister) is publicly campaigning to halve Arkansas’ high divorce rate over ten years, and sees promoting covenant marriage as an important part of achieving that aim.

[3] Cottrill J., Covenant Marriage, http://www.divorcemag.com/articles/Relationships/covenant.html, accessed 09/02/2011