Report: California Church-Goers Want Marriage Help
Although traditional marriage is under attack in California, there is still plenty of room for the faith community to offer a helping hand to engaged and married couples looking for answers. So says a report from the California Healthy Marriages Coalition (CHMC).
The report reveals that a majority of church-goers—whether frequently, regular, occasional or rare—believe that religious organizations should offer pre-marital counseling, marriage enrichment programs, and help to couples with marriage problems.
But the good news was followed by bad news.
The report also discovered that 32 percent of “regular” church-goers agree that “marriage is too risky” due to the high chances of divorce, and 20 percent of married “frequent” church-goes have “discussed the idea of divorce” with their spouse.
“This report makes it real clear. People need help in their marriages and families, want help with their relationships, and they are looking to churches and houses of worship to provide that help,” says K. Jason Krafsky, CHMC Director of Communications and Marketing.
The Pews and Public Squares report provides findings on topics such as “Faith Habits of Couples,” “Does Attending Religious Services Affect How People Rate Their Own Marriage?” and “Do the Church and Unchurched Find Common Ground on Marriage?” The study provides information that CHMC believes will help faith leaders speak more accurately to the topic of marriage and divorce, develop strategic plans for relationship related programming, and expand their expertise in serving their community’s families.
Do you seek help from your pastor for marital trouble? Or do you turn to friends? Or go it alone?
