ABSTRACT
The History of Divorce. Among the Romans of the Empire period and among the ancient Teutons marriage and divorce were matters of civil contract. During the Middle Ages the church gradually arrogated to itself the control over marriage and divorce. These came under the canon (church) law rather than the civil law. Ecclesiastical control reached its climax in the declaration of the Council of Trent in 1563, which redeclared marriage indissoluble for any reason. This has remained the official doctrine of the Roman Catholic Church to this day. Catholics cannot be prevented, of course, from making use of the civil divorce legislation, but if they do so they risk expulsion from the church.
