There has always been divorce, even in the days of Jesus and Jewish marriage. The church's absolute rule does not take into account other scripture passages.
If Jesus gave the church that power to 'bind and to lose' and to 'forgive and retain' it ought to do more 'loosening' than binding, and more 'forgiving' than retaining.
The Church should learn to work with people where the are, as 'Joy of Love' recommends.
A look at divorce rates ought to give us an inkling as to whether the church 'rules' are in accord with the reality of  people's lives.