“Covenant Marriages” in Texas?

By Jeff Schaible

Published on December 15, 2006

To divorce, spouses would have to break one of the “covenants.” These include being convicted of a felony, going to prison for a year, being abusive, or infidelity.

Under Zedler’s bill, covenant marriages would be optional. Couples could choose between traditional or covenant marriages. Three states – Arkansas, Arizona, and Louisiana – currently offer covenant marriages. Participation is limited to between just one and two percent of all marriages in those states.

Covenant marriages would also necessitate a change to the existing marriage oath. It would state, “We declare our intent to contract a covenant marriage. We do hereby declare that our marriage will be bound by Texas law on covenant marriage and we promise to love, honor, and care for one another, as husband and wife, for the rest of our lives."

Critics of Zedler’s bill argue that marriages are essentially religious. Government intervention would be an unwarranted break down in the separation between church and state.

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