Unequally Yoked? Religion and Spirituality in Couples in Which One Believes in God and the Other Does Not

Abstract

This qualitative study examined religion and spirituality among couples in which one person (a Catholic) believed in God and the other (e.g., an atheist, an agnostic) did not. Specifically, this study explored how the relationship impacted each individual’s beliefs about the existence of God and the extent to which the couples incorporated religious or spiritual elements into their relationship. Some of the nonbelievers became more open to the possibility of God’s existence, whereas others remained unchanged. Some believers reported that their faith was actually strengthened through the relationship. Couples incorporated religious elements into their relationship (e.g., having a religious wedding, attending church together) to varying degrees. A typology of the couples based on spiritual engagement and the nonbeliever’s openness to God emerged from the findings. Pastoral or clinical implications for working with such couples are discussed.