Marriage Rules - Catholic Contradiction? How To Tell What Is What?

[fides' Jack]

The Baltimore Catechism IS still binding - in matters of faith and morals.  

 

That's one of the few actual (rather than perceived) problems with the Baltimore Catechism; it doesn't just teach about faith and morals, there are also aspects of Church law therein, which can and do change.  

 

The question of whether a catholic can legally marry a non-Catholic (within Church law), are simply that - Church law.  It was never doctrine, just Church law.

 

Therefore, there are still no doctrinal contradictions here (or contradictions of any sort of belief) - no matter how you interpret either Catechism on this point.

[Quietfire]

Infallability, Doctrine, Church Law, Dicipline.  Words most have a hard time understanding.

[Groo the Wanderer]

DG understands em.  Just ignores em and pretends ignorance.  She's smarter than the average bear.

Edited January 12, 2013 by Groo the Wanderer

[Anastasia13]

The Baltimore Catechism IS still binding - in matters of faith and morals.  

 

That's one of the few actual (rather than perceived) problems with the Baltimore Catechism; it doesn't just teach about faith and morals, there are also aspects of Church law therein, which can and do change. 

 

Why is church law a flexible, non-moral issue?

 

I take it who you can marry is church law by not a moral issue? Why would that be so?

 

Is moralizing things like this kind of church law scrupulousness?

Edited January 13, 2013 by Light and Truth

[arfink]

Is moralizing things like this kind of church law scrupulousness?

 

Short answer: Yes.

[Anastasia13]

Short answer: Yes.

 

Why do people do that? I'm still trying to figure out what is wrong with me.  I mean, realistically, who you marry will have a major impact on your life, and if you choose someone who pulls you at all from God's word, church, truth, desire for your life, etc., then aren't you intentionally choosing something that is less of God and choosing pleasure in this world over things of God?  It's that contradictory to our call to be holy people of God? Wouldn't that mean you love God less if you do that?  That may seem extreme, but I honestly fail to see where the reasoning fails here. (I hope you will forgive my temporary derailing of the thread. My last blog entry was on being ticked off that I had to be like that to be a good Christian.)

Edited January 13, 2013 by Light and Truth

[arfink]

Why do people do that? I'm still trying to figure out what is wrong with me.

 

What, get scrupulous? It's just part of being a fallen human I think.

[Anastasia13]

More added.

[arfink]

Why do people do that? I'm still trying to figure out what is wrong with me.  I mean, realistically, who you marry will have a major impact on your life, and if you choose someone who pulls you at all from God's word, church, truth, desire for your life, etc., then aren't you intentionally choosing something that is less of God and choosing pleasure in this world over things of God?  It's that contradictory to our call to be holy people of God? Wouldn't that mean you love God less if you do that?  That may seem extreme, but I honestly fail to see where the reasoning fails here. (I hope you will forgive my temporary derailing of the thread. My last blog entry was on being ticked off that I had to be like that to be a good Christian.)

 

Um, well if you did marry someone with the full knowledge that they would in fact do this to you I would say that's problematic. But I don't think that a Catholic marrying a non-Catholic is going to necessarily make this the case. It often might, but the reason the Church doesn't prohibit it is because there are many cases in which a non-Catholic spouse will not be a hindrance to the faith of the other, and in fact many have converted to Catholicism as a result of marrying a Catholic.

[fides' Jack]

I think part of what must be understood is that Church Law has a lot to do with changing cultures.  That's why law changes from place to place, country to country, language to language.  There are differences in how people think and what people need.  Changes in Church Law try to look at that.

 

Morality in actions (outside of circumstances) is objectively good, bad, or neither, and will always remain the same way, in every place in the universe.

[Evangetholic]

301. Does the Church ever permit mixed marriages or marriages between close relatives?

For grave reasons the Church sometimes permits mixed marriages or marriages between close relatives; such a permission is called a dispensation.

 

Ew! Incest is gross. I like the other answers better.

 

No not incest. The Catholic Church will allow cousins to marry (not forbidden by God in any case), rarely uncles and neices (gross, but still not forbidden), and extremely rarely aunts and nephews (which IS forbidden in the Old Testament). What the Catholic theology around dispensations normally does is allow people do things that the Church not God has forbbidden them to do.

[fides' Jack]

Evangetholic - I've been following some of your posts - I have a lot of respect for you.  You're obviously intelligent and knowledgeable, and you're searching for the Truth (in my book, that's a straight path to the Catholic Church - Protestant converts usually do make great Catholics).  Just be aware that you'll come across many who claim to be Catholic who will not represent the Church accurately; sounds like you're far enough along to know when that's happening, though.

 

As a Catholic, of course, I believe if the Church has forbidden something, then God has forbidden it ('whatever you bind...').  But I'm sure this is an angle you're familiar with.

[Tufsoles]

From what I understand,if I am correct, is that we as Catholics are highly encouraged to marry someone else that is Catholic. There is the possiblity of marrying outside the faith with dispensation. However, they(the non Catholic party) is highly encouraged to convert to Catholicism. This is due to have both parties on the same page. Also, When and if they have Children there is no disagreements on what religion the child(ren) should be raised in.If this does not happen, we all know that the Child(ren) should be raised in our Catholic faith.

With the Dispetatnstion, Couple of mixed marriages must go though pre- Cana. One of the mods or scolars here can better explain than I can. I know what it is but they have better grasp than I do on the topic.