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The Role of Western Religious Values in Peacemaking for Divorcing Families
Author(s) -
Marx Jeffrey A.
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
family court review
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.171
H-Index - 4
eISSN - 1744-1617
pISSN - 1531-2445
DOI - 10.1111/fcre.12160
Subject(s) - battle , peacemaking , spouse , conciliation , wife , islam , forgiveness , shalom , sociology , humanity , value (mathematics) , psychology , criminology , law , social psychology , political science , arbitration , theology , history , machine learning , computer science , philosophy , archaeology
Peace (wholeness and integrity) is to be sought as the highest goal in the divorce process, affecting not only the divorcing couple but their family and community as well. The value of “community” found in the three major Western religious traditions suggests that more than just the immediate family should be involved in crafting divorce settlements and that the involvement of clergy may aid in the divorce process, especially in providing rich religious metaphors and exempla to promote peaceful negotiations. Other religious values such as “humanity in the divine image,” “love,” and “the fullness of time” can be useful in working with the divorcing couple to allow their stories to be told, provide time to sort out their complex emotions, and help reduce the impulse to see the other solely as an enemy to be eliminated in battle. “Sin and atonement” can serve an important role in restorative justice, while “the delayed arrival of the divine kingdom” provides a reasonable way to assess what determines success, both for the divorcing couple and for divorce professionals. Key Points for the Family Court Community: Religious values found in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam can be consciously utilized to help divorcing couples separate more peacefully. Providing opportunities for each spouse to be fully heard and seen is a crucial component in helping to bring more peace into the divorce process.