Happily Ever After? Avoiding the pains of divorce

In a frank and often hard-hitting book MARTIN HOLDT tackles an issue that is a symptom of the moral and spiritual decay of modern society. Early in the book he states, ‘Divorce is serious and sad. It grieves the Holy Spirit. It is contrary to God’s original plan for man. It breaches two fundamental commandments, namely love for God and love for one’s neighbour’. But, having established his view of the issue, the writer seeks to offer guidance to those experiencing marital difficulties and to those who may have a pastoral responsibility in counselling such couples or individuals.

HOLDT summarizes the reasons for divorce as: temptation, impatience, and godlessness. His exhortation is, ‘avoid all forms of temptation, work patiently at the problems … and, above all, learn to be godly together with your partner’. However, as we live in a world that sanctions ‘no-fault divorce’, the author offers solid advice to those coping with partners who have left.

It is unfortunate that in dealing with the relationships of those divorced the writer mentions the issue of remarriage without qualification or biblical reference. However, apart from this disappointing feature, the book has much to commend it and the last three chapters, dealing with the church’s ministry to the divorced person, the children of a divorce and the scars of divorce, would be worthwhile reading for any who have a concern for the shepherd care of those caught up in such trauma.