The Law of Divorce and the Problem of Marriage Stability

In the mind of the American public, the topic of divorce has come to play a conspicuous role. The present symposium constitutes a part of an extensive debate which is carried on not only among experts but in which the general public also has shown a lively interest. The matter touches upon the lives of large numbers of people and it excites widespread curiosity and emotional reactions. The common attitude is one of uneasiness.

The feeling is widespread that there are too many divorces, that the stability of family life has seriously declined, and that something ought to be done about it. The steady rise of the divorce rate, which appeared to be spectacular especially in the periods immediately following the cessation of hostilities in the two World Wars, has induced many people to view the situation with alarm. In this country this uneasiness has resulted not only in the extensive public preoccupation with the topic, but also in legislative plans and reforms in resolutions and actions of ecclesiastical bodies, and in a vigorous growth of marriage counseling and services for education in family living.