Church Divorce Reduction Dynamics: A Case of the Anglican Church, Siaya County, Kenya

Abstract

Divorce is a critical matter that affects society today including the church membership, particularly the Anglican Church members in Bondo Siaya County. This happens notwithstanding the church's teaching and policies on marriage as a permanent union. This necessitated the study on church divorce reduction dynamics that was carried out with a sample size of 450 respondents. The study was anchored on the functional theory of religion by Emile Durkheim, which helps to look at the role of the church in enhancing marital stability, and critical theory, which critically relooked, and church reduction divorce dynamics. Questionnaires and interview schedules were used to collect data that was later analyzed using content and thematic analysis. The study advocated for the stability of marriage and family union founded upon Christian values and principles. The findings revealed that the church was averagely involved in two dynamic areas; conducting pastoral and family ministry marital programs and comprehensive community marriage services and pre-marital and post-marital counseling to Christian families and lowly involved in the organization of marital seminars, training, and workshops and initiating marriage fellowships and provision of marriage and family journals newsletters and other reading materials to the couples and Christian community.