New Update’: Janelle Brown Isn’t With Kody Anymore, But She’s Not Sure She’s ‘Divorced’

Janelle Brown seems like she is done being married to Kody Brown, but is the Sister Wives star truly “divorced”?

When news came out about Kody and Janelle Brown making drastic changes in their relationship, most of the world assumed that the two were heading toward a divorce. However, fans and audiences quickly learned that the news of the couple’s separation didn’t necessarily mean the dissolution of their marriage.

If Janelle doesn’t consider herself to be with Kody anymore, why would she still see herself as married to the father of her six children? Janelle Brown has a unique perspective on her relationship — and whether or not she is actually “divorced.”

For Kody and Janelle, Divorce Isn’t a Simple Process

The world watched as the marriage between Christine and Kody Brown met its demise, but that isn’t the only divorce that has taken place within the Sister Wives. Robyn Brown ended her marriage to the father of her three oldest children a few years before the Sister Wives show began.

Being that Robyn was in a monogamous relationship at that point in her life, the process was not as complex as one that is rooted in polygamy can be.

When it comes to the relationship between Kody and Janelle, extra steps must be taken before the two are considered divorced in an official sense.

Because of their beliefs, specific criteria must be met in the eyes of the church for a divorce to be approved due to the tie between having multiple wives and a person’s ultimate place in Heaven.

Depending on the sect a family is involved in, a person may not be wholly divorced from their spiritual marriage until they have entered into a relationship with another individual.

However, many stipulations come into play, including the process of “unsealing” a marriage through the church to release Heavenly obligations that a husband has.

The Brown Family Abides By Strict Religious Guidelines

Kody Brown and his wives became household names through their reality television show that depicts the life of a practicing polygamist family. The practice of polygamy can be seen in some sects of the Mormon religion. In terms of the division followed by the Browns, which is known as the Apostolic United Brethren (AUB), polygamy is more common.

While Christine Brown has since denounced her practice of the AUB sect, Janelle and Kody are still practicing members who abide by the rules and regulations set forth by the religion.

Because Christine no longer follows the direction of the AUB, she didn’t feel any religious repercussions by leaving her marriage to Kody Brown. With no legal ceremony having taken place to cement their marriage and only spiritual vows taking place, nothing needed to happen to dissolve their union.

Therefore, Christine felt comfortable just deciding that the two were divorced and moving forward without any guidance or input from outside sources.

While Christine has moved on from the church that saw the start of the large family, Janelle Brown still abides by the AUB sect and feels differently about the divorce process than her Sister Wife.

The reality star has stated that she still feels she is married to Kody, albeit without a physical relationship, until she comes to terms with her covenant with God and how to move forward.

Kody and Janelle Have Been Married Since 1993

Janelle Brown was the second wife of Kody Brown, having joined the family with him and Meri Brown in 1993. Shortly after, Christine Brown entered the family as well. Kody and Janelle are the parents of six children, which include two daughters and four sons.

Although Kody and Janelle have been married for a long time, a friend of Kody Brown’s once predicted a future with the patriarch having just one wife. While the relationships between Kody and his wives have all experienced rocky times, many fans felt for a long time that Janelle would remain part of the plural family.

However, the cracks started to show further in the reality series, with Janelle voicing her displeasure with the family dynamics and the favoritism towards the last wife, Robyn Brown.

Despite the pleas to remedy the situation through marital counseling, the battle appeared largely one-sided, with Kody Brown instead choosing to put the effort solely on Janelle to save their relationship and not doing his part to get the two to a better place.

Time will tell what the Brown family’s future holds, specifically for Kody and Janelle. Will Janelle decide to take the same route as her Sister Wife Christine and part ways with both the family patriarch and the church? Or will she remain married to the father of her children but live a separate lifestyle?