Portsmouth bishop opposes proposed changes to divorce laws

THE Bishop of Portsmouth has publicly criticised a proposed overhaul of divorce legislation, saying it destroys any chance of marriage reconciliation.
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In the House of Lords yesterday, peers debated a shake-up to the 50-year-old divorce laws – which would allow ‘irretrievable breakdown’ of marriage to be the sole grounds for divorce.

The ability of a husband or wife to contest a divorce, used in fewer than two per cent of cases, will be scrapped under the overhaul.

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Bishop of Portsmouth the Rt Rev Christopher Foster. Picture: Paul Jacobs (160241-4)Bishop of Portsmouth the Rt Rev Christopher Foster. Picture: Paul Jacobs (160241-4)
Bishop of Portsmouth the Rt Rev Christopher Foster. Picture: Paul Jacobs (160241-4)
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But while the government says this will end the ongoing ‘blame game’ between couples, church leaders believe it would undermine marriage and increase the divorce rate.

Speaking in the House of Lords the Lord Bishop of Portsmouth, the Rt Rev Christopher Foster, fiercely opposed the changes.

He said: ‘The possibility – even the probability – that a marriage has broken down is best explored by the couple together with the support and guidance of others before any definitive conclusion is reached.

‘Reducing the process of divorce to a single simple statement by one party risks squeezing out such exploration. In seeking to minimise pain, the bill also risks removing the opportunity for reflection and the chance of reconciliation.

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‘My concern is that the Bill before the House discourages reflection and hence the possibility of reconciliation – it represents a missed opportunity for wider and vital reforms.’

The bishop’s concerns were echoed by other senior Anglicans in the house.

The Bishop of Carlisle, the Rt Rev James Newcome, said: ‘Reducing divorce to a statement made by one party that the marriage has broken down, in my view undermines the seriousness with which marriage and divorce are regarded.

‘To suggest that divorce can go ahead when only one party wants it does seem perverse.’

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Under the reforms, divorcing spouses will only be required to make a statement that the marriage has broken down, followed by a a six-month minimum period before the divorce takes place.

It is hoped that the bill could take the ‘legal sting’ out of divorce.

Tory frontbencher Lord Keen of Elie said: ‘Removing unnecessary conflict from the legal process of divorce will create a more amicable environment.’

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