Sacramental Marriage

Explain in a broad sense what Sacramental marriage is in the Catholic Denomination of Christianity

Sacramental marriage is a covenant by which a man and women establish themselves a life partnership, ordered by its nature to the good of spouses and procreation

Explain the origins of the belief of Sacramental Marriage

The belief was first instituted in Genesis 2:24 when God made Eve for Adam ,saying, ‘Man shall be joined to his wife and they shall become one flesh’. In Genesis, God presented his intention for marriage to be a helpmate relationship between one man and one woman.

Broadly state how SM has developed over time

As society changes, the Church’s understanding of the belief of SM originating from Genesis , developed leading to changes in its teachings and practices.

State 3 features of Sacramental marriage

-fidelity
-offspring
-Sacramentality

Describe the feature of fidelity

fidelity means to have strict faithfulness to one person

provide a quote highlighting the feature of fidelity

‘So do not be unfaithful to the wife of your youth’ -Malachi 2:16
the Old Testament passage highlights that part of upholding SM means to be strictly devoted to one’s partner.

what are the social ramifications of fidelity

In a contemporary context it means not having sexual relations with anyone but your partner and to support them spiritually

Explain the feature of offspring

it means to be open to conceiving children as a gift from God through sexual relations

Provide a quote highlighting the feature of offspring

After creating Eve for Adam, God commanded them to ‘Be fruitful and multiply’ - Genesis 1:28
The creation story shows how as part of marriage , God intended for Christians to bear children to raise them in the Catholic faith

what are the social ramifications of offspring

beacause it is an important end of marriage, entering one without the intention of having children is a grave wrong

define the sacramentality as a feature of marriage

a catholic marriage is sacramental because it represents the mystical union between Christ and the Church

Provide a quote highlighting sacramentality as a feature

‘Husbands, love your wife just as Christ loved the Church.’ Ephesians 5:25
This New Testament passage highlights how the bond between couples mirror the unbreakable bond of Christ and the Church, making it lifelong

explain the social ramifications of sacramentality as a feature

Because marriage is lifelong, civil divorce cannot dissolve the sacramental bond between spouses; instead, couples must seek an annulment to argue that the sacramental marriage was never established.

state 3 periods in time that developed understanding of sacramental marriage

1. Post Constantine Church (312-470)
2.Council of Trent (1545-1563)
3.Vatican II (1963-1965)

Outline factors during the Post Constantine Church that caused the change

During this time, Christianity became the state religion of the Roman Empire, leading many people to convert for political and social advantage rather than genuine faith. Consequently, pagan marital and sexual practices entered the Church, creating confusion about the nature of Sacramental Marriage.

Explain why the Church responded to these factors

-The debauchery in Roman society caused the Church to develop its people’s understanding of SM having spiritual significance through its theology.

What clarifications or decisions were made by the Post Constantine Church in response to the conditions of the time period

For example, theologian Augustine of Hippo introduced the teachings of the 3 values of marriage: fidelity, offspring and sacrament.

Provide an example of how Augustine developed SM through introducing the 3 goods of marriage

‘Let these nuptial goods be the objects of our love: offspring, fidelity, the unbreakable bond.’
By introducing the values, Augustine clarified the Christian marriage is a permanent, holy sign.
It pointed back to Genesis to reaffirm that God created marriage to be permanent.

Explain the effect of the Augustine’s clarifications of the 3 goods

short term: created moral expectations leading to a more restrictive view of sexuality at that time, reducing debauchery
long term: Augustine’s idea of ‘sacramentality’ shaped the theology, influencing it later to be declared a Sacrament at Trent

Explain the political and social conditions during the time of the Council of Trent (1545-1563)

During the Protestant Reformation, reformers such as Martin Luther rejected several Catholic teachings, including the belief that marriage was a sacrament. During this time, marriages were often conducted privately and were difficult to verify.

Explain how this caused the Church to develop the und of sm

In 1545, Pope Paul III established the Council of Trent to reaffirm its beliefs, like the Sacramentality of Marriage, countering the heresies

What clarifications did the Church make in the Council of Trent

The Council declared,. ‘If anyone says matrimony is not one of the seven sacraments.. let him be anathema.’
-clarified the Council to be a sacrament instituted by Christ
-it pointed back to Wedding feast in Cana when Jesus elevated marriage into a sacrament

Explain the effect the Council of Trent’s clarification on the Rite of SM

short term: Following its declaration,it promulgated the Tametsi decree 1563 highlighting the requirements for marriages to occur before a priest and two witnesses. This standardised the marriage practice

long term: modern catholic marriages originate from Trent’s reforms including priestly witness and public recognition.

Explain the social and political conditions of the Vatican II (1963-1965)

After two world wars, society’s major cultural shift caused a rise of increased divorce rates.

Explain how the Church sought to respond to the social conditions through Vatican II

In 1963, Pope John XXIII convened the Council for Aggiornamento, to better communicate the Church’s beliefs, including the Sacramentality of Marriage to the modern world.

Explain the Vatican II’s clarification on SM

It promulgated the Gaudium et Spes, highlighting that ‘married love is caught up in divine love.. so the spouses can strengthen each other in being a mother and father.’ this emphasised the role of marriage in modern society where the mutual good of the spouses and having children are important.

What impact did the Vatican’s clarification have on the Rite of SM

short term:instituted a broader selection of Scripture readings from Latin to vernacular language, making the ceremony more participatory
long term: deepened the Church’s understanding of marriage as a lifelong partnership centred on the good of the spouses, while still affirming procreation as essential

Why is SM a sacrament

-it was instituted by God and reaffirmed by Christ in the Wedding feast in Cana and confirmed in Matthew 19:6
-it is a visible sign of Christ’s mystical union with the Church
-confess grace to the spouses

What does the CCC 1131 say about sacraments

‘The Sacraments are efficacious signs of grace instituted by Christ and entrusted to the Church.’

What does Matthew 19:6 about Jesus’ confirmation of marriage as a sacrament

‘Therefore, what God has joined together let no one separate.’

religious belief

a conviction about an idea central to a religion and expresses a religious truth - e.g SM

teachings

informs people on how to respond to belief (fidelity)

practices

a way of doing something religious (exchange of vows)

why in general does the Church develop SM to safeguard its teachings

Marriage was instituted by God in Genesis and further affirmed in Christ’s teaching. The Church, through the Magisterium, develops and expresses its understanding of the sacramentality of marriage to fulfil its role of safeguarding Christ’s teachings and looking after the holiness of believers

Explain why the Post Constantine Church developed SM

In response to political conditions, the Church developed its understanding of the sacramentality of marriage, first revealed in Genesis, in order to safeguard Christian beliefs from the influence of pagan marital practices.

Explain how the Church develops the und of SM

The Church expressed and developed its und of SM through theologian Augustine of Hippo who introduced the three good of marriages.

Explain why the Council of Trent developed the und of SM

The Council of Trent developed the und of SM to allow the Mag to fulfil its role of safeguarding the Church

Explain how the Church developed its und of SM during Council of Trent

The Church developed its Und of SM through its worship through SM ceremony. The Council required the Rite to include priests and witnesses, highlighting its sacramentality.g

Explain why the Church develops SM in Vatican II

The Vatican sought to clarify how marriage, as a sacrament allowed the couple to grow in holiness, by fulfiling their vocation as parents.

Explain how the church developed and expressed the und of SM during Vatican II

The Church developed its Und of Sm through ecumenical councils such as the Vatican II. It promulgated the Gaudium et Spes, a dogmatic Constitution that clarified marriage allows couples to fulfill their calling to parenthood.