All articles · 11 October 2026

Shared faith, different faiths

For some people, sharing a faith is essential. For others, sharing values is enough. Both deserve an honest conversation.

What the research found

A study by a Pew Research Center researcher, using a national survey of American couples followed from 2009 to 2013, found that about 39% of married different-sex couples had partners with different religious affiliations. Before other factors were considered, interfaith couples had about 82% higher odds of divorce than same-faith couples.

The important detail

After accounting for how good each relationship was at the start, the difference was no longer statistically significant. The author suggests that weaker relationship quality may help explain the higher risk. So what seems to matter is not the label, but how well a couple agrees on what faith means in daily life.

Questions faith raises in a home

• How faith will be practised at home, and how often
• How children will be raised and taught
• Which holidays and traditions you will keep
• What each family expects

On Marriage-Ready Society

Faith questions are optional. If you answer, they count for 20% of the compatibility score and are not shown on your profile. If you mark shared faith as essential, members with a different faith score lower.

Questions to ask each other

• What role does faith play in your week?
• How would you like to raise our children in faith?
• Is there a tradition you could never give up?

Sources

1. McClendon, D. Interfaith Couples and Relationship Stability. Extended abstract, Population Association of America annual meeting 2016.

These articles share research findings, not personal advice. Studies show patterns across many couples; your situation may differ.