Full Text for Propositions on Marriage and Divorce (Text)

Propositions on Marriage and Divorce. 431 1.521. Ad Librum Emimii Ma.rJistri Nostri Mag. Ambro8ii Oatharini, DefensoTis SilvestTi, Prieriatis Acerrimi, Responsio. -iliefe €5d)tift lag am 1. Illptif 1)anbfci)tiftHc1) bot unb erf(1)ien nod) in nemfelben l)J{onat im ilrucf. ~ine .IDette Illuflage 111urbe im 9Jlonat ~uli fetti\lgefteUt. ilie bcutfdJe iiberiellul1\l, bon ~aul 6peratus angefertigt, erfdJien 1.524. :Die 18eantruortullg bet \'l'rage naci) ilan. 8, Db bet ~a\lft ruirllid) ber IllntidJrift fet, nimmt einen groflen steil ber 6c1)tift ein. (6t. 530uifet Illusgabe XVIII, 1434-1.583.) (\),ottfetul1Q forQt.) ~. ~. oR t e t man n. Propositions on Marriage and Divorce. 1. The mutual consent}) directly and unmistakably given, of one woman to be the wife of one particular man,2) and of that man to h8 the husband of that same woman, both of them being capable of contracting marriage, is, according to Scripture, the very essence of the marriage contract. It is immaterial whether this mutual promise or consent is designated an engagement, a betrothal, or is called by any other name, as long as it is shown to have been made.3) (0071-sensus, non concnbit1tS, facit matrimonium.) 1) Gen. 24, 58. 67; 25, 20; 29, 21. 2) Gen. 2, 24; Matt. 19,4; Prov.5, 17; Rom. 7, 2; 1 Cor. 7,3.39; Eph. 5, 31. 33. 3) Matt.I,IS; Luke2,5; Gen. 19,8. 14. 2. The validity of this promise, consent, betrothal, or engage­ment is conditioned by the consent of the parents or those in loco parentis}) also by certain restrictions concerning the degrees of affinity and consanguinity obtaining between the contracting partics.2) 1) Gen. 24, 4. 51; 29,16.19.21; 1 Cor. 7, 36. 37. 2) Lev. 18, 6 if.; 20, 10-23; Deut. 27, 20-23; Ezek. 22,10 f.; 1 Cor. 5, 1. 3. Parental consent is essential to the validity of an engage­ment,l) provided it is not arbitrarily withheld, especially for selfish reasons,2) so that it would amount to a prohibition of marriage.3) 1) Gen. 24; Col. 3, 20; Eph. 6,1; 1 Cor. 7, 36; Deut. 7, 3; Jer. 29, 6; Ezra 9,12; Neh.13, 25; Judg.14, 1 f. 2) Provo 26, 2. 3) Gen. 2,18; 1 Cor. 7, 2. 4. Oonditional engagements receive full validity by the removal ·of such (justified) conditions. Gen. 29, 18; Ruth 3, 13. 5 . .Ii valid betrothal, engagement, promise, or consent is, in fo],o Bibliae et ecclesiae, tantamount to marriage. Gen. 29, 21; Matt. I, 18-20; Luke 2, 5; Deut. 22, 23 f.; 28, 30; Joel 1,8; Hos.4,13; John3,29; Ps.45; 68,12; Rev.21,2.9; 22,17. (Cf. Lu­other, 19, 101. 105.) 432 ~et ~aftot all! \Juter ~tebiget. 6. The nuptials constitute the public acknowledgment of the valid engagement and the permission of the civil authorities to make use of the privilege of cohabitation. Gen. 2, 24; 1 Cor. 7, 3. 4. 7. The purpose of holy wedlock is the mutual care and protection commanded in Scripture,!) cohabitation,2) and the procreation of children.3) 1) Gen. 2, 18. 20; Eph. 5, 28-33; 1 Cor. 7, 12. 13; Col. 3, 19; 1 Pet. 3,1-7. 2) Gen. 29, 21; 1 Cor. 7,2-5. 3) Gen. 30, 1; 38,16-18; 1,28; I Tim. 2,15; 5,14; 1'5.128,3-6; Luke 1, 5S. 8. The union of holy wedlock is ordinarily indissoluble except by death. Matt. 19, 6; Mark 10, 9; Rom. 7, 2; 1 Cor. 7, 39. 9. The right of the injured party in holy marriage to ask for a public dissolution, or divorce, is clearly granted in Holy Scripture in the case of adultery (fornication), although this step is not mandatory. Matt. 19, 9; 5,32; Luke 16, 18. 10. There is only one other solution of the marriage bond pos­sible, namely, when an unbelieving spouse becomes guilty of malicious desertion (or rcfuses the distinctive duty of wedlock) and the other spouse makes use of the right to have such dissolution publicly ac­knowledged. When an unchristian spouse deserts the other mali­ciously and will not by any means be persuaded to return, the innocent party is no longer under bondage to the deserter and may, after having obtained a legal divorce, marry again. 1 Cor. 7, 2. 9. 15. P. E. RJlETZMANN. 4 III ~ ®in guter ~aftor fjat mand)erIei ~arente. ®r ift ein eifriger mif ~ fionar. ®5 Hegt iijm am ,\;Jeraen, feine ,\;Jerbe au mel)ren. 9Jlirool)I ex: rocii3, bai3 ber mefel)I Q:l)dfti; ,,@eijet ijin unb Ieijret aIle !Bolfer unb taufe± fie" uflu., IDla±±l). 28, 19, aIlen Q:ijrif±en girt, fo fiil)It er fiel) bod) a19 ein ~iener am jillort liefonber5 berpflid)tet, biefem mefel)I nad)au~ fommen. reio ludjt er benn neue