RELIGION AS A DETERMINANT OF MARITAL STABILITY

Using data from the 1987-1988 National Survey of Families and Househol ds, this paper studies the role of the religious composition of unions as a determinant of marital stability. With the exceptions of Mormons and individuals with no religious identification, stability is found to be remarkably similar across the various types of homogamous unions . Consistent with the notion that religion is a complementary marital trait, interfaith unions have generally higher rates of dissolution th an intrafaith unions. The destabilizing effect of out-marriage varies inversely with the similarity in beliefs and practices of the two reli gions as well as with the mutual tolerance embodied in their respectiv e doctrines. The results also suggest that religious compatibility bet ween spouses at the time of marriage has a large influence on marital stability, rivaling in magnitude that of age at marriage and, at least for Protestants and Catholics, dominating any adverse effects of diff erences in religious background.