I'm a cradle Catholic, so I do know the "rules" when it comes to getting a divorce in the eyes of the Catholic Church--basically, you must get the marriage "annulled" by a Priest, or you cannot remarry in the Catholic Church.

I had no idea, however, how other religions viewed religious divorce--until I came upon an article in Mediate.com which discussed a divorce in the Jewish religion. It's called a "get," and many Orthodox Jews are refusing to give them to their wives (in the Orthodox Jewish Community, a woman cannot remarry until her husband gives her a "get.")

So, out goes the child support, spousal support, etc., resulting in many women struggling financially after civil divorce.

The article discussed the ways a mediated divorce may help circumvent the problem:

1)Keeping it out of the courtroom --and, hence, allowing the husband to maintain his dignity and pride.

2) Creative solutions--the couple can come up with ways to compromise in "exchange" for a "get."

3)Level the playing field--if there is any power or control issues, they can be mitigated in divorce mediation

4)Avoid public shame--if the issue becomes public in some communities, the one denying the divorce may dig in his heels even more

5) Decrease double trouble--asking for a divorce is hard enough. Asking for a "get" can be even harder. So, divorce mediation can give women an alternate setting in which to ask for the "get."

I'm so glad I stumbled upon this article--it brings up the issue of religion in divorce--and the difficulty some may encounter when trying to get a civil AND religious divorce...all good things to consider when mediating divorce!

Britt