Introduce slowly
Wait until a relationship is serious before your children meet someone, and keep the first meeting short and relaxed.
Guides for Christian singles
Christian Dating After Divorce: Room to Hope Again
A gentle guide to healing, what churches teach, and meeting someone new with your faith intact.
Yes, you can hope for love again
Christian dating after divorce is possible, and many divorced Christians go on to marry again with their church's blessing. Christians do disagree about when remarriage is right, so the wise first step is to pray, understand what your own church teaches, and talk it through with your minister or priest. Then give yourself time to heal before you begin.
If you are reading this with some shame or fear, you are not alone. Divorce is part of many Christians' stories, including plenty of people sitting near you on a Sunday. God's grace did not run out when your marriage ended.
What the Bible says, and why Christians read it differently
Two passages sit at the centre of the conversation. In Matthew 19:3-9, Jesus calls marriage a lifelong union and says that whoever divorces and remarries commits adultery, except in the case of sexual immorality. In 1 Corinthians 7:10-16, Paul tells married believers not to separate, but says that if an unbelieving spouse leaves, the believer "is not bound in such circumstances" (1 Corinthians 7:15, NIV).
From those texts, three broad views have grown up.
Remarriage after adultery or desertion
Many Protestant and evangelical churches hold that where a marriage ended through a spouse's unfaithfulness or desertion, the other partner is free to remarry. This reads Matthew 19:9 and 1 Corinthians 7:15 as genuine exceptions.
No remarriage while a former spouse is living
The Catholic Church teaches that a valid marriage cannot be dissolved, so a divorced Catholic may not remarry in church unless a church tribunal has declared the first marriage null (an annulment). Some Protestants hold a similar view. If you are Catholic, your parish priest is the right person to ask, and our page on Catholic dating may help.
Grace and a new beginning
Other churches emphasise forgiveness and new life, and will remarry divorced people after careful conversation about what went wrong and what has changed. Often the decision rests with the minister.
We are not here to settle that debate. Pray about it, read the passages yourself, and talk to someone in your own church who knows you. Knowing where you stand will make dating far less anxious.
Healing comes before dating
There is no fixed waiting period, but there are good signs you are ready. You can talk about your former spouse without your stomach tightening. You are not looking for someone to fill a hole or prove a point. You have faced your own part in what happened, with God and perhaps with a counsellor or a trusted friend. You want a partner, not a rescuer.
If you are still in the middle of legal proceedings, or the grief is raw, wait. Lean on your church family, keep up friendships, and let the Lord rebuild you. Dating will still be there.
Parents dating again
Your children come first
If you have children, they are part of every decision, even when they never meet your date.
Respect the other parent
However the marriage ended, speak about your former spouse with care in front of the children.
Look for someone who welcomes them
A good partner for you will see your children as part of the blessing, not an obstacle.
Talking about your past, honestly and briefly
Be honest from the start. On your profile, a simple line is enough: "Divorced, with two teenage children. My faith carried me through a hard few years and I'm ready to share life again." It is truthful, it is not a confession, and it lets the right person know where you are. Our Christian dating profile tips help with the rest.
On an early date you do not need to tell the whole story. Share the outline, speak kindly about your former spouse, and say what you have learned. If the relationship deepens, talk more fully about how your church sees your situation and whether you would both be free to marry. That conversation is easier with someone who shares your faith, and it is better had early than late.
If you are widowed rather than divorced, much of this still applies, but your grief has its own shape and our page on Christian dating over 50 may suit you better.
Room for your second chapter
Most Christian Love members are between 35 and 54. Daily matches take faith and values into account, verified badges show who is genuine, and our safety page explains how we look after you. For more, read can I date and stay true to my faith or browse all our guides for Christian singles.
Questions about dating after divorce
Is it a sin for a divorced Christian to date?
Christians answer this differently. Many churches allow remarriage after adultery or desertion, some leave it to the minister, and the Catholic Church allows it only after an annulment. Pray, read Matthew 19 and 1 Corinthians 7, and talk to your own church.
How long should a Christian wait to date after divorce?
There is no set time. Wait until the divorce is final, the grief has settled, and you are dating because you want a partner, not to escape loneliness or prove something.
Should I mention my divorce on my dating profile?
Yes, briefly. A short, honest line about being divorced, and about your children if you have them, helps the right people find you and saves awkward surprises later.
Can a divorced Catholic date?
The Catholic Church asks divorced Catholics to seek a declaration of nullity before entering a new relationship that could lead to marriage. Your parish priest can explain the process.
When should my children meet someone I am dating?
Once the relationship is serious and you are confident in it. Keep the first meeting short and low key, and let your children set the pace.
Your next chapter can still be a love story
Meet Christian singles aged 18 or over, and let grace make room for a new beginning.
Join now