SENIOR CHRISTIAN LIVING
HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT
Term 3-Handout Number 3
INTRODUCTION TO CHRISTIAN MARRIAGE
The Sacrament of Matrimony in the Catholic Tradition
Origin of the Sacrament of Marriage
"If we restrict sacrament to certain liturgical rituals, it is logical to think of Baptism as the initial sacrament. If, however, we consider the fundamental sacramentality of all human experience . . . there is good reason for seeing human friendship as the most basic sacrament of God's saving presence to human life."
- Thus, Bernard Cooke in “Sacraments and Sacramentality”, justifies his treatment of Matrimony as perhaps the most basic sacrament in human experience.
- Through marriage, we are reminded of God's potential presence in all human relationships. The importance, which Cooke attaches to Matrimony, is reflected in the New Code of Canon Law where Matrimony receives more attention than any other single subject.
While Cooke's work and the extensive treatment of Matrimony found in the Code are good examples of the rich reflection being done on the sacrament today, it is important to see how Matrimony has developed over the centuries to reach this point.
In the Old Testament, marriage is most frequently treated as a patriarchal institution for the perpetuation of the tribe. However, late in the history of Israel, we can see signs of a growing sacramental awareness in the creation stories of Genesis and in the prophetic literature, (understood of course, in the broader notion of sacramentality). Many biblical scholars see in Genesis (1:27): God created man in the image of Himself,
In the image of God He created him,
Male and female He created them,
In the New Testament, all three Synoptic Gospels record Jesus affirming the permanence of marriage. In both Mark and Matthew, Jesus makes reference to Gen. 2:24 which speaks of the union of man and woman as part of God's divine plan. Most scholars agree that this teaching of Jesus represents a significant change from the Jewish tradition of the time.
At first glance the Pauline tradition presents an ambivalent attitude toward marriage. I Corinthians, for example, seems to discourage Christians from marrying. This however must be read in light of Paul's expectation of an imminent Second Coming, an event which must relativize all other life commitments.
Ephesians, on the other hand, compares the union of man and woman in marriage to that of Christ's relationship to the Church. Here we see the theological flowering of the Old Testament use of the marriage bond as an image of Yahweh's fidelity to Israel. Here also is an indication of growing appreciation in the Christian tradition for the sacramentality of marriage based on a covenant relationship between two individuals. The Church Patristic period reveals remarkable diversity in Catholic understandings of marriage. One thing is clear--during this era there was no mandated religious ceremony required for valid marriages. Juridical concerns with regard to marriage were handled exclusively by the state. While consent and blessing of the bishop or presbyter was encouraged (e.g. Ignatius, Letter to Polycarp) there is no evidence that this was a common practice.
One significant development which occurred in the Middle Ages, was the rise of ecclesiastical marriage ceremonies and legislation. Prior to this period, it was left to civil authorities to legislate marriages. The Church concerned itself with only the moral dimension of the marriage relationship. This changed, in part, because of a clash in traditions regarding matrimony. In the Roman culture, a marriage was legal and binding on the basis of consent between the spouses and their guardians.
In the Roman tradition, this prior consent was considered binding. The Church therefore slowly began to recommend public consent given in the presence of a priest and witnesses. By the twelfth century, ecclesiastical wedding ceremonies incorporating this public witness, had become common in Europe. The Council of Trent made such ceremonies mandatory. Twentieth century theology has had a profound impact on the Church's understanding of marriage. Personalist philosophies have influenced such theologians as:
- Edward Schillebeeckx to see the sacramentality of marriage in the interpersonal relationship between husband and wife rather than in the marriage contract.
- Bernard Cooke has spoken of marriage as the paradigm of Christian friendship which therefore has symbolic significance for all human relationships.
- Karl Rahner saw in the marriage relationship a unique sign of the Incarnation. This incarnational dimension is revealed in the radical self-giving between the spouses. Marriage then provides one more way in which the presence of Christ is manifested in the world. Biblical scholars also contributed to the development by calling the Church to return to the covenantal imagery of the Scriptures.
The Second Vatican Council was not blind to these developments. Contractual language was passed over in favor of more covenantal language (See Gaudium Et Spes, #47-52). While the importance of the propagation of life as an integral function of the marriage relationship was maintained, it was not set over and above what the Council called "the true practice of conjugal love".
The Council emphasized that as a sacrament, Matrimony is an expression of faith. Finally, the Council teaches that the sexuality of the marriage relationship goes beyond the biological to embrace the whole person. The symbolic power of intercourse is found not only in the openness to bring forth life but in the binding together of man and woman in a covenant of mutual self-giving. Marriage according to the Catechism of the Catholic Church.
Catechism of the Catholic Church, ARTICLE 7 –
THE SACRAMENT OF MATRIMONY
· 1602. Sacred Scripture begins with the creation of man and woman in the image and likeness of God and concludes with a vision of "the wedding-feast of the Lamb."
· Scripture speaks throughout of marriage and its "mystery," its institution and the meaning God has given it, its origin and its end, its various realizations throughout the history of salvation, the difficulties arising from sin and its renewal "in the Lord" in the New Covenant of Christ and the Church.
Marriage in the order of creation
1603 "The intimate community of life and love which constitutes the married state has been established by the Creator and endowed by him with its own proper laws.... God himself is the author of marriage."
Web Definition of Marriage (www.wikipedia.com)
· Civil marriage is the legal concept of marriage.
· The reasons people marry vary, but usually include one or more of the following: legal, social and economic stability; the formation of a family unit; procreation and the education and nurturing of children; legitimizing sexual relations; public declaration of love.[ A marriage is often declared by a wedding ceremony, which may be performed by a religious officiator, through a similar government-sanctioned secular officiator, or (in weddings that have no church or state affiliation) by a trusted friend of the wedding participants. The act of marriage usually creates obligations between the individuals involved, and in many societies, their extended families Following is the Church’s official definition of the Sacrament of Matrimony: “The matrimonial covenant, by which a man and woman establish between themselves a partnership of the whole of life, is by its nature ordered toward the good of the spouses and the procreation and education of the offspring; this covenant between baptized persons (two Catholics or one Catholic and one baptized Protestant) has been raised by Christ the Lord to the dignity of a sacrament” (CCC, # 1601).
SENIOR CHRISTIAN LIVING
HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT
Term 3-Handout Number 3
INTRODUCTION TO CHRISTIAN MARRIAGE
The Sacrament of Matrimony in the Catholic Tradition
Origin of the Sacrament of Marriage
"If we restrict sacrament to certain liturgical rituals, it is logical to think of Baptism as the initial sacrament. If, however, we consider the fundamental sacramentality of all human experience . . . there is good reason for seeing human friendship as the most basic sacrament of God's saving presence to human life."
- Thus, Bernard Cooke in “Sacraments and Sacramentality”, justifies his treatment of Matrimony as perhaps the most basic sacrament in human experience.
- Through marriage, we are reminded of God's potential presence in all human relationships. The importance, which Cooke attaches to Matrimony, is reflected in the New Code of Canon Law where Matrimony receives more attention than any other single subject.
While Cooke's work and the extensive treatment of Matrimony found in the Code are good examples of the rich reflection being done on the sacrament today, it is important to see how Matrimony has developed over the centuries to reach this point.
In the Old Testament, marriage is most frequently treated as a patriarchal institution for the perpetuation of the tribe. However, late in the history of Israel, we can see signs of a growing sacramental awareness in the creation stories of Genesis and in the prophetic literature, (understood of course, in the broader notion of sacramentality). Many biblical scholars see in Genesis (1:27): God created man in the image of Himself,
In the image of God He created him,
Male and female He created them,
In the New Testament, all three Synoptic Gospels record Jesus affirming the permanence of marriage. In both Mark and Matthew, Jesus makes reference to Gen. 2:24 which speaks of the union of man and woman as part of God's divine plan. Most scholars agree that this teaching of Jesus represents a significant change from the Jewish tradition of the time.
At first glance the Pauline tradition presents an ambivalent attitude toward marriage. I Corinthians, for example, seems to discourage Christians from marrying. This however must be read in light of Paul's expectation of an imminent Second Coming, an event which must relativize all other life commitments.
Ephesians, on the other hand, compares the union of man and woman in marriage to that of Christ's relationship to the Church. Here we see the theological flowering of the Old Testament use of the marriage bond as an image of Yahweh's fidelity to Israel. Here also is an indication of growing appreciation in the Christian tradition for the sacramentality of marriage based on a covenant relationship between two individuals. The Church Patristic period reveals remarkable diversity in Catholic understandings of marriage. One thing is clear--during this era there was no mandated religious ceremony required for valid marriages. Juridical concerns with regard to marriage were handled exclusively by the state. While consent and blessing of the bishop or presbyter was encouraged (e.g. Ignatius, Letter to Polycarp) there is no evidence that this was a common practice.
One significant development which occurred in the Middle Ages, was the rise of ecclesiastical marriage ceremonies and legislation. Prior to this period, it was left to civil authorities to legislate marriages. The Church concerned itself with only the moral dimension of the marriage relationship. This changed, in part, because of a clash in traditions regarding matrimony. In the Roman culture, a marriage was legal and binding on the basis of consent between the spouses and their guardians.
In the Roman tradition, this prior consent was considered binding. The Church therefore slowly began to recommend public consent given in the presence of a priest and witnesses. By the twelfth century, ecclesiastical wedding ceremonies incorporating this public witness, had become common in Europe. The Council of Trent made such ceremonies mandatory. Twentieth century theology has had a profound impact on the Church's understanding of marriage. Personalist philosophies have influenced such theologians as:
- Edward Schillebeeckx to see the sacramentality of marriage in the interpersonal relationship between husband and wife rather than in the marriage contract.
- Bernard Cooke has spoken of marriage as the paradigm of Christian friendship which therefore has symbolic significance for all human relationships.
- Karl Rahner saw in the marriage relationship a unique sign of the Incarnation. This incarnational dimension is revealed in the radical self-giving between the spouses. Marriage then provides one more way in which the presence of Christ is manifested in the world. Biblical scholars also contributed to the development by calling the Church to return to the covenantal imagery of the Scriptures.
The Second Vatican Council was not blind to these developments. Contractual language was passed over in favor of more covenantal language (See Gaudium Et Spes, #47-52). While the importance of the propagation of life as an integral function of the marriage relationship was maintained, it was not set over and above what the Council called "the true practice of conjugal love".
The Council emphasized that as a sacrament, Matrimony is an expression of faith. Finally, the Council teaches that the sexuality of the marriage relationship goes beyond the biological to embrace the whole person. The symbolic power of intercourse is found not only in the openness to bring forth life but in the binding together of man and woman in a covenant of mutual self-giving. Marriage according to the Catechism of the Catholic Church.
Catechism of the Catholic Church, ARTICLE 7 –
THE SACRAMENT OF MATRIMONY
· 1602. Sacred Scripture begins with the creation of man and woman in the image and likeness of God and concludes with a vision of "the wedding-feast of the Lamb."
· Scripture speaks throughout of marriage and its "mystery," its institution and the meaning God has given it, its origin and its end, its various realizations throughout the history of salvation, the difficulties arising from sin and its renewal "in the Lord" in the New Covenant of Christ and the Church.
Marriage in the order of creation
1603 "The intimate community of life and love which constitutes the married state has been established by the Creator and endowed by him with its own proper laws.... God himself is the author of marriage."
Web Definition of Marriage (www.wikipedia.com)
· Civil marriage is the legal concept of marriage.
· The reasons people marry vary, but usually include one or more of the following: legal, social and economic stability; the formation of a family unit; procreation and the education and nurturing of children; legitimizing sexual relations; public declaration of love.[ A marriage is often declared by a wedding ceremony, which may be performed by a religious officiator, through a similar government-sanctioned secular officiator, or (in weddings that have no church or state affiliation) by a trusted friend of the wedding participants. The act of marriage usually creates obligations between the individuals involved, and in many societies, their extended families Following is the Church’s official definition of the Sacrament of Matrimony: “The matrimonial covenant, by which a man and woman establish between themselves a partnership of the whole of life, is by its nature ordered toward the good of the spouses and the procreation and education of the offspring; this covenant between baptized persons (two Catholics or one Catholic and one baptized Protestant) has been raised by Christ the Lord to the dignity of a sacrament” (CCC, # 1601).
