Ethics Unit 5 Study Guide

Study Guide: Cohabitation, Contraception, Marriage, and Annulment 1. Marriage 101: Skip the Trial Run Def. Cohabitation – living together; getting to know one another; preparing for marriage Four red flags associated with Cohabitation: 1. There is nothing to show that cohabiting leads to a stronger marriage; can actually make divorce more likely 2. It’s wrong to assume you learn how to have a good relationship by cohabiting 3. The longer people live together without marriage, the more likely it is they will never marry. 4. Cohabiting parents break up at a much higher rate than married parents. Things to Consider:

2. Catholic Update: Cohabitation Events in United States leading up to couples cohabitating: -

the “greening of America with its antipathy towards institutions of any type

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bitter debates over the Vietnam War

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legalization of abortion

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common acceptance & practice of contraceptives

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introduction of explicit sexual scenes in films & television

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common tolerance of cohabitation

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growing mobility of our culture

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delay of marriage due to graduate studies & the training for professions

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accelerating rate of divorces

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rapid pace of life in the United States

Reasons couples cohabit: convenience, economy, & discernment Consequences of cohabiting (Negative affects): higher risk of divorce, satisfactory adjustments in marriage, harmful effect upon children 3. Contraception

Characteristics of Marriage as defined in the article -

instituted by God

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lifetime community of man and woman

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both give themselves totally, definitively, and exclusively to one another as a community which reflects God’s love for his people

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reflects love and fruitfulness

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community of openness to life as well as a community of two persons’ love for one another

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cannot be introverted anymore than the love and care of God are introverted

Issues couples need to consider when determining family size -

their circumstances

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their own material & psychological resources

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responsibilities to their extended family, to society, & to the church

Differences between natural and artificial conception Natural – having sex when the woman is infertile Artificial – placing something in the way of getting a woman pregnant Why is natural conception permissible? NFP is acceptable because it gives witness that both the marriage community and the generation of new life are God’s gift; it’s a sign of respect for God’s creative lordship. Differences between objective evil and personal sin as connected to contraception Objective evil – contraception is wrong in and of itself Personal sin – the people using contraception are not necessarily sinning What things need to be considered when looking at ways to deal with world population? - increasing standard of living reduces population growth, food is a problem of distribution rather than of absolute scarcity, solutions which do not respect human dignity are not answers (self-defeating) Why is contraception a difficult reason and why is it still important? Difficult because: economic and social situations in which many couples find themselves are not conducive to having large families and often threaten the foundations of the family relationship; insights into human sexuality bring new problems and new questions; culture now tells us in innumerable ways that regular sexual activity is absolutely necessary for human

happiness and that the postponement of satisfaction is unhealthy if not impossible; traditional teachings of the church about married sexuality have been called into question to the point that what used to be a source of security and clarity is now a source of confusion for many. Important because: paradigm of the twentieth-century debates concerning the nature of Catholic morality and the limits of Catholic teaching authority on moral issues. Majority and Minority arguments of the papal commission of contraception Majority: -

minority fails to recognize the evolutionary character of that teaching

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a change in the traditional would not necessarily undermine the moral teaching authority of the Church

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rejects the natural-law theory of those who support the traditional

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conjugal act itself must be viewed not as an isolated reality but in the larger context of human love, family life, education, etc.

Minority: -

“constant and perennial” teaching of the Church

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change in the traditional would undermine the moral teaching authority of the church

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analysis of conjugal act itself, contraception changes an act which is naturally oriented to procreation into an act which is oriented to the mutual benefit of both spouses

What is Humanae Vitae? What are its major points? Is it infallible? Humane Vitae: “Of Human Life,” Pope Paul VI’s encyclical on regulation of births (contraception, abortion, NFP, etc.) Major points: wants people to come back to the observance of the norms of the natural law and that each and every marriage act must remain open to the transmission of life, unitive and procreative parts, rhythm method, argues against contraception Infallible: NO American and European reactions to the papal encyclical American: “conscience is inviolable and no man is to be forced to act in a manner contrary to his conscience, as the moral tradition of the church attests,” priests must not be too quick to assume

European: accepted, but stated that couples should use their consciences when deciding and those couples who chose artificial contraception aren’t separated from the love of God The six principles which Catholics must take into account when making moral decisions 1. The goodness of procreation, as an expression of mutual love and for the welfare of the human community at large 2. The sanctity of human life 3. The personal dignity and welfare of the spouses, their children, and their potential children 4. The inviolability of conscience 5. The responsibility to act on an informed conscience 6. The right and responsibility of the Church to teach on matters pertaining to morality

4. Contraceptive Methods Natural family planning – rhythm method Artificial methods – condom, pill, etc. 5. Catholic Update: Sacrament of Marriage How is Christian marriage different from civil marriage? Christian marriage is based on love and it is an open-ended contract Def. Marriage: a lifelong and faithful union of a man and a woman mutually committed to sharing their life and love together; modeled after and strengthened by God’s own love for his people; an intimate partnership in which each person gives the other freedom to grow and which is directed toward bearing fruit Three characteristics of Sacramental Marriage 1. Mutual Commitment and Growth demands: a concentrated effort to develop communication skills (openness); a delicate balance between assertiveness and surrender; a positive outlook; renewal; trust in the love a couple chares, even when that love seems to wane.

2. Personal freedom: both partners will continue to grow, develop, and change 3. Fruitfulness What do you have to do to get married in a Catholic Church?

1. Contact parish 2. Marriage preparation 3. Baptismal Certificate 4. Policy for Teens 5. Interview with Priest 6. Planning the Liturgy 6. Catholic Update: Why the Church is Granting more Annulments Definition of terms What is a declaration of nullity? – annulment How is an annulment different from a divorce? Annulment – a judgment by the Church that what seemed to be marriage never was in fact a true marriage, does not dissolve an existing marriage Main reasons for increase in the number of annulments -

second Vatican Council fostered development in the theology of marriage by restoring the interpersonal relationship of the spouses as an essential component of marriage

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advances in psychology have provided a deeper understanding of the complexity of both human decision-making and interpersonal relationships

How has the Church’s understanding of marriage changed? – deepened it How did Aquinas define marriage? – relationship between spouses What does quality of consent entail? -

must be free and discerning

What is meant by capacity to carry out consent? -

don’t be crazy

What emotional problems may make a marriage covenant impossible? psychoses, homosexuality, alcoholism, personality disorders, etc. Identify the nine steps in the process necessary to obtain an annulment (see update, too long)