Folia Canonica 8. (2005)
STUDIES - Grigorios D. Papathomas: An Open Ecclesial Communitarism: Dispar-Mixed Marriages and Adult Converions
158 GRIGORIOS D. PAPATHOMAS swered: “Do not prevent him [...] For whoever is not against us is for us.” (Mark 9:39-40; Luke 9:50). Thus, every manifestation of Trinitarian communion within Creation should be favourably accepted by the ecclesial body... In addition, let us make a comparison relating to confession, though we should not appeal to such arguments. If a man, by means of confession, declares to the Church that, prior to his imminent marriage, he has had affairs with five different women, the Church performs the ceremony as his first marriage. On the other hand, if he declares that he has already contracted three civil marriages, the Church does not celebrate [a 4th] marriage. That is why civil marriage constitutes an actual marriage both from a practical and, mainly, theological viewpoint, since this marriage is also a public engagement founding a community of life, image of the Kingdom of the coming century, in the presence of a community of persons. Conclusions - Proposals Presenting two examples from contemporary ecclesial reality might be the best way to summarise the above. Example 1 : The Case of a Non-Baptised Member (without Religions) A member of the Church loves someone that happens to be non-baptised, and has chosen to remain non-baptised and without religion until they both come to Church and declare that they wish to contract a marriage with the blessing of the Church. We answer that they cannot, since one of them is unbaptised. Then, turning to that person we tell him/her that we will only celebrate the marriage if he/she gets baptised, otherwise such a marriage is impossible (both for the non-baptised and for the baptised person) : a complete refusal to offer blessing to a baptised person. However, such a refusal implies an obvious restraint of freedom. We improperly blame the believer of... having unduly fallen in love with an unbaptised person. The final argument which is given is: “This is our Tradition (sic)”! And so, once again, the “(ethno)cultural” prevails against the “theological” within the Church... But because the young couple is motivated by love, the unbaptised one finally gives in to the pressure and declares: “I will undergo baptism, though I do not wish it, because I love you and want to marry you”. This happens whilst we know very well that the fundamental condition for the celebration of the Mysteries within the Church is freedom... Every good intention which constrains the conscience becomes harmful and constitutes, as pertinently remarked by Berdiaev, “the nightmare of imposed good”, in which human freedom, desired and obtained by God Himself at the price of His death, remains unbeknownst.
