Interfaith Marriage
The number of couples marrying outside their religion in the United States has grown in recent years. Interfaith relationships come with special challenges, such as merging different beliefs for a wedding ceremony and deciding which religion children will follow. Use the Interfaith Marriage Web Guide to prepare for and cope with the difficulties that may face an interfaith couple.
Expand All Guide SectionsReligions
To explore matters of religion more thoroughly, see the findingDulcinea Religion and Spirituality Web Guide. FindingDulcinea also offers Web guides to specific faiths, such as Buddhism, Catholicism, Protestantism and more.
Preparing for Interfaith Marriage
Discussing some of the important matters surrounding interfaith marriage beforehand can help you prepare for life as a married couple. The following Web sites suggest some useful talking points for preparing for interfaith marriage.
Insights for Preparing for Interfaith Marriage
- The National Association for InterChurch and Interfaith Families describes an InterChurch couple as two Christians coming from different traditions. An Interfaith couple comes from two different faiths, such as Christian and Jewish.
Top Sites for Preparing for Interfaith Marriage
Religious Tolerance
offers a variety of facts about interfaith marriages, including divorce rates, how couples handle religious differences, what the Bible says about interfaith marriage and more.
For Your Marriage
is largely directed toward interfaith couples who have one partner belonging to the Catholic church, but it has some questions about preparing for an interfaith marriage that members of any religion should find useful.
Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations
provides a helpful pamphlet that discusses interfaith families and provides thought-provoking questions for consideration. Tools for creating a happy interfaith family are also recommended.
The Inter-faith Marriage Network
is an organization based in the United Kingdom that has an article focusing on developing a child’s “faith identity” and teaching children about both parents’ faiths.
The Challenges of Interfaith Marriage
Like any relationship, interfaith marriages can have their stressful moments. If you need advice on coping with the challenges of interfaith marriage, the Web sites recommended below can help.
Insights for the Challenges of Interfaith Marriage
- For more information on meeting the challenges of marriage, and where to turn if you need marriage counseling, see the findingDulcinea Marriage Web Guide.
Top Sites for the Challenges of Interfaith Marriage
Psych Central
hosts an article about the challenges of interfaith marriage, discussing issues such as religious identity, building intimacy and how to embrace two religions in one relationship.
Interfaith Voices
offers a radio show recording featuring two couples in interfaith relationships. They discuss the challenges in their marriages and techniques they’ve used to overcome the hurdles.
Mayo Clinic
has an article that discusses the emotional strain of marital problems. Get a basic overview of what marriage counseling entails and when to visit a counselor.
American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy
helps locate therapists in the United States, Canada and abroad. Search for information on very specific family and marriage-related issues such as marriage preparation and marriage distress.
Planning an Interfaith Wedding
Interfaith marriages provide an opportunity to create a wedding ceremony that’s distinctly yours as you merge your religious traditions with your future spouse. Get help planning an interfaith wedding with the sites below.
Insights for Planning an Interfaith Wedding
- The findingDulcinea Web Guide to Weddings can aid you in ironing out the details of your wedding ceremony, including sending out invitations, finding the perfect wedding dress and more.
Top Sites for Planning an Interfaith Wedding
The Knot
walks you through the process of planning an interfaith wedding ceremony that incorporates beliefs from both partners getting married, dealing with family issues and finding someone to officiate at the ceremony.
Brides.com
offers some suggestions for couples planning to marry outside their religions, including tips on finding an officiant and a location, and how to deal with issues down the road.
Bridal Guide
supplies couples with ideas for writing marriage vows that embrace more than one set of religious traditions.
Wedding Officiants
matches interfaith couples with an individual who has been pre-screened to perform a wedding ceremony for couples of any religion. Note that the site is somewhat limiting because matches are only made in 25 metro areas in the United States.
Finding Support in Interfaith Marriage
Whether your family is having a hard time with your decision to marry outside your faith, or you need to talk about your own fears, finding support in interfaith marriage is easy with the Web sites below.
Top Sites for Finding Support in Interfaith Marriage
Beliefnet
has online communities discussing a multitude of issues related to marriage, such as “How Important is Religion to a Relationship?” and “Can Counseling Save a Marriage?”
Dovetail Institute for Interfaith Family Resources
offers stories and advice from people who have struggled in interfaith relationships.
Families.com
brings together blogs on a variety of topics, including marriage and interfaith marriage. Browse through entries about interfaith parenting, navigating the challenges of interfaith marriage and more.
Unkosher Jesus
is a blog about a little bit of everything, but it primarily discusses interfaith relationships. Check here for some thoughtful comments about religion.
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