Pauline privilege

proper noun

A Christian doctrine, interpreted among Catholics and some Protestants as allowing the dissolution of a marriage between two non-baptized persons in the case that one (but not both) of the partners seeks baptism and converts to Christianity and the other partner leaves the marriage.

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Meanings

proper noun
  1. A Christian doctrine, interpreted among Catholics and some Protestants as allowing the dissolution of a marriage between two non-baptized persons in the case that one (but not both) of the partners seeks baptism and converts to Christianity and the other partner leaves the marriage.

Origin

Drawn from the apostle Paul's instructions in the First Epistle to the Corinthians.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

Pauline privilege. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Pauline%20privilege

MLA

“Pauline privilege.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Pauline%20privilege. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Pauline privilege,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Pauline%20privilege.

Source: Pauline privilege on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.