Introduction
In this blog article, two Church documents will be discussed, Gaudium et Spes and Lumen Gentium, particularly because they specifically speak about marriage. Before delving into the subject, it is important to keep in mind that in the context of the Catholic Church, the general definition of marriage is always between the baptised and hence it is the reason why it is also considered to be a sacrament. This post is divided into three main parts, the first part is solely on Gaudium et Spes, the second part briefly discusses Lumen Gentium and the third part mentions in a nutshell how these two documents were the pediments for the formulation of the definition of the sacrament of matrimony in the Code of Canon Law. Amoris Laetitia had to be mentioned very summarily due to the importance it gives to both the documents to be explored in just one paragraph.
This pastoral constitution dedicates five paragraphs on the sacrament of marriage, particularly in chapter one entitled ‘Fostering the nobility of marriage and the family.’ This document reaffirms the three bona that constitutes marriage, thus stating that marriage is a “conjugal covenant… a lasting one… the off-springs… oneness.”[1] These date back to St. Augustine and later also tackled by St Thomas Aquinas, who in fact referred to these goods of marriage as bonum coniugum, bonum fides, bonum proles and bonum sacramentum.[2][3]
Paul VI continues to compare the relationship between the spouses with the relationship of Christ with his Church. He explains that the spouses are to love one another “with perpetual fidelity through mutual self-bestowal,” just as Christ gave himself as an expression of his love towards his Church.[4] Marriage, being a sacrament, fills the spouses with Christ’s spirit which then it permeates the theological virtues to the spouses, that is, fides, spes and caritas.[5] Furthermore, there is an insistence in this document on the obligation of the spouses to educate the offspring especially in religious education.[6]
A special emphasis is given to the children especially their contribution to the sacrament of marriage. Their contribution helps in making the spouses holy. The relationship of gratitude and kindness between the parents and the children creates harmony which emits love and trust. In response, the children are to show their love towards their parents in hard times and when they become old and lonely.[7] Couples are also to have concern towards their children’s education as already mentioned earlier in the document. However, further on in the document, it is stated that the parents are to do their part in draw on psychological, cultural and social renewal, if and where needed.[8] From the background of the family, the children are to be given as much as possible what is needed so that they too may one day be able to enter into the sacrament of marriage when the age is suitable.[9]
In paragraph 50, the children are referred to as “the supreme gift of marriage.” A beautiful image is presented in the same paragraph when the document references the book of Genesis (Gen 2:18) and the book of Matthew (Mt 19:4) to refer to God’s intention of not having man to be alone. Additionally, Paul VI points out that God had the intention to allow humanity to share in the participation of creation with him[10] which indeed makes humans cocreators with God. As much as it was in God’s plan and intention from the beginning, humanity gets to taste some of God’s power in creation and furthermore, humanity may continue to flourish and thus God’s family will continue to be enriched and expanded.[11]”In other words, the spouses cooperate in creation with God’s love and so this makes them interpreters of the love of God.
Since love is part of being human, “it involves the good of the whole person, and therefore can enrich the expressions of body and mind with a unique dignity.”[12] This document explains that the actions involved in marriage, unite the couple both in intimacy and in chastity, thus the importance of virtue. A reference is made to the bonum sacramentum, when Gaudium et Spes specifies that divorce and adultery should never profane the sacrament of marriage. As the Church is well aware of the virtues needed for the sacrament, it is suggested that the spouses, through God’s grace, are to pray and cultivate together the spirit of sacrifice, the large heartedness and the steadiness of love.[13]
Emphasis is made more closely on the virtues which eventually leads to a well-formed conscience. The document insists that the spouses are to be submissive towards the teaching office of the Church which, in light of the Gospel, interprets the law authentically. Therefore, a well-formed conscience, attuned to the divine law, should assist the spouses in following the Church’s teaching.[14] A high amount of emphasis on the children can be noted in the document however the Church makes a reference that marriage is not just an institution for procreation. First and foremost, the bond between the spouses which is unbreakable and the children’s welfare ask of the couple mutual love so that it can be cultivated and advanced. Thus, marriage demands a whole way and communion of life of the spouses and it holds its indissolubility and value, even when children are lacking no matter how much often times the couple desires them.[15]
Gaudium et Spes explicitly states that the safeguarding of life is a ministry handed on to humanity by God and therefore infanticide and abortion are both crimes. Thus, Christians are not to make use of methods of birth control which the teachings of the Church disagree with.[16] Notably, “the moral aspects of any procedure do not depend solely on sincere intentions or on an evaluation of motives, but must be determined by objective standards.”[17] The Church explains what is ideal for the family, that is the presence of the father in the children’s upbringing and the mother’s domestic role.[18] Lastly on the sacrament of marriage, Gaudium et Spes insists on priests and other professionals trained in family matters to assist and guide the family in a way which the contemporary family needs to be guided.[19]
Marriage in Lumen Gentium
This dogmatic constitution includes the definition of marriage and refers to it as the sacrament of matrimony in two chapters, in chapter two and in chapter four. In chapter two entitled “On the People of God,” Lumen Gentium specifies once again as Gaudium et Spes does on the importance of the sacraments and the exercise of the virtues which help humanity as God’s community to reach its potential.[20]
This document points out that the spouses in a Christian marriage are and take part in the unity and love which is fruitful that exists between Christ and the Church and they are to assist one other to exercise and promote holiness in their life as a married couple in addition to and in the hindering of their children as well as in their education.[21] It is explicitly written in the document that the family comes from the wedlock of Christians which thus new citizens are born and who are made children of God through the power of the Holy Spirit in baptism. A catch phrase which is interesting to note in Lumen Gentium is that the Christian family is the domestic church, and this is because therefore, the parents are to be the first preachers of faith to their offspring.
In chapter four then entitled, “The Universal Call to Holiness in the Church,” there is a reference to married couples and Christian parents which insists that through faithful love they are to reach their own path to holiness.[22] Lastly, just as Christ loved His Bride and delivered Himself to her, the Christian spouses are to resemble this exact relationship among themselves in their sacrament of matrimony.
Marriage in the CIC 1983 and in Amoris Laetitia
Both Gaudium et Spes and Lumen Gentium were solid grounds for the Code of Canon Law of marriage in its definition. What is discussed in these two documents can be found in Can. 1055 – 1062 which entails laws related to marriage as a sacrament. Additionally, in Can. 1134 – Can. 1140 entitled “The Effects of Marriage,” also highlights the teachings explored in Gaudium et Spes and in Lumen Gentium especially in Can. 1134 – Can. 1136. More than just laws focusing simply on the validity and on the liceity of marriage, in addition, they offer an ideal guideline for the Christian spouses to follow in their married life and with their children. For instance, the fact that marriage is a sacrament is noted in both documents discussed earlier and it is also found in the Canon Law (Can. 1055 §2). Another example is that the teaching that a marriage is between a man and a woman that are both baptised (and thus considered a sacrament), to the good of the spouses and for procreation (Can. 1055 §1) and that marriage is unique and indissoluble (Can. 1056), is also found in Gaudium et Spes.
Pope Francis in Amoris Laetitia cites both Gaudium et Spes and Lumen Gentium particularly for their promotion of the dignity of the sacrament of marriage, the love, the faith and the self-giving of the spouses (GS, 48-52) and on the concept of the family as being the domestic church (LG, 11).[23] If there is anything that pope Francis has been promoting is the beauty of discernment and this is exactly what Christian couples should be prepared for before they enter into the sacrament of matrimony, how to discern different circumstances in their married life.[24] It is also ideal that they should be given continuous training and support even after the celebration of the sacrament so that they may flourish in the faith as well as human beings.
Conclusion
In this blog article, Gaudium et Spes and Lumen Gentium were explored to understand the definition of marriage according to the Catholic Church. Although, as we have seen, the Church has also laid down a list of lawsin the CIC 1983 related to what makes a marriage valid or invalid and licit and illicit, the Church also provides guidelines for the people of God to what she believes to be the rightful path. The Church is often critiqued because it is made up of human being as well and obviously human beings are all subject to mistakes. However, it is also true that the Church has years of experience in many areas of human life and so this makes her more reliable.
This is something which I find very positive about the Church. All the arguments are constructive and resemble the human being as he or she is naturally created by God. Additionally, the Church also keeps in mind the needs of the times and tries to enculturate the Gospel without changing her teachings. This is something which I find fascinating and powerful in the Church especially after realising that it is in her interest to save as many people as possible (Can. 1752).
One thing which I would like to explore further and discuss would be the use of contraception within a Christian marriage. To my knowledge, it is clearly stated that only the natural methods are to be used. However, it would be ideal, in my opinion, that the Church together with experts in the area, discuss this topic further on what types of contraception are available and how they work and then the Church can discuss further on what is moral and immoral in this regard. To my mind, in today’s culture, it is already difficult for the spouses to find time for each other and for their family, and planning a family is a very difficult task financially, psychologically and unfortunately even culturally in some places around the world.
My point would be, that natural birth control is not always possible and, in other cases, it is not possible at all. Not accepting any contraception whatsoever encourages the spouses to either not engage in the conjugal act at all (and this is a hit on the bonum coniugum) or to have more children where in most cases there is not a proper ecological environment that is suitable for the prospective offspring (and this aspect goes totally against the Church’s teachings on responsible parenthood). I believe that it is about time that the Church gives this aspect a bit more thought and helps the spouses to discern on what it actually means to be a responsible parent and in which circumstances.
[1] Paul VI, Pastoral Constitution, Gaudium et Spes, 48.
[2] St Augustine, Marriage and Virginity, 33.
[3] Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae, III, Q49, 3.
[4] Paul VI, Pastoral Constitution, Gaudium et Spes, 48.
[5] Ibid.
[6] Ibid.
[7] Ibid.
[8] Ibid., 49.
[9] Ibid.
[10] Ibid., 50.
[11] Ibid.
[12] Ibid., 48.
[13] Ibid., 49.
[14] Ibid., 50.
[15] Ibid.
[16] Ibid., 51.
[17] Ibid.
[18] Ibid.
[19] Ibid.
[20] Paul VI, Dogmatic Constitution, Lumen Gentium, 11.
[21] Ibid.
[22] Ibid., 41.
[23] Pope Francis, Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation, Amoris Laetitia, 67.
[24] Ibid., 208.
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