Does Devoting to Prayer Contribute towards Longevity in Marriage? A Phenomenological Qualitative Study on the Lived Experiences of Born-Again Anglican Christians in Ankole Diocese

This paper studies devotion to prayer and longevity in marriage among born again Anglican Christians in Ankole diocese. This study was purely qualitative in nature in which a Phenomenological approach was used. In-depth Interviews were conducted with 12 born-again Anglican Christians (married for 50 years and above and had been in salvation for 20 years at the time of data collection), 2 parish priests and 1 archdeacon. The aim of this study was to investigate how lived experiences of devoting to prayer among the born again Anglican Christians contribute to longevity in marriage. Using content analysis, data was analysed, coded and findings were presented under themes and sub themes. The results reveal that devotion to prayer among the born- again studied helps them to navigate marriage challenges in a healthy way. Deeper investigations show that self-reflection through prayer, one is able to deal with difficult issues. Finally, more investigations reveal that regular prayers, keeps couples connected spiritually and one is able to deal with marital stress, just in case. The study concludes that longevity in marriage among born-again Anglican Christians in Ankole diocese who are married for fifty years and above is harmonious partly due to the role played by devotion to prayer. The study recommends regular prayers among married couples if long-lasting marriages are to be harmonious