The process of separating from one’s spouse is subject to not only many laws but also social commentary and often times religious doctrines. For some Illinoisans, their religious affiliation makes the divorce process even more difficult than it already is. Religious paths that take a particularly complicated approach toward divorce include most of the world’s major religions, as well as many minority faiths.
Many religious paths have not traditionally looked kindly upon divorce. In fact, in some cases, certain forms of religious affiliation may make it difficult to undergo the divorce process. Parties may find themselves experiencing difficulty in their religious social groups, for instance, or may question whether it is ok to go against religious teachings.
The Catholic religion in particular, however, is attempting to relax a previously tough stance on separation. Specifically, Pope Francis recently requested a more merciful approach to divorce while still following the church doctrine. Thus, Cardinals from all over the world gathered recently to discuss how to achieve a lighter heart when it comes to divorce.
There couldn’t be a more appropriate time to re-evaluate. The decision to separate is not an uncommon one nowadays, both in the Chicago area and the rest of the country. This may be for a number of reasons, and certainly one of such reasons has to do with the fact that divorce is more accepted socially than it has been in the past.
The state of Illinois currently implements a number of laws surrounding divorce that attempt to make the process of separation slightly easier and more straightforward for couples. While the law is certainly doing all that it can to make separation more clear, the process of divorce is still not easy. Regardless of their faith, parties must still understand things like alimony, avoiding a divorce dispute and understanding divorce-related emotions. Ensuring one has vigorous and knowledgeable representation during a separation can help ensure a fair and just result in the end.
Source: U.S. News & World Report, “Cardinals delve into divorce-remarriage debate,” Nicole Winfield, Feb. 20, 2014