Arcanum divinae sapientiae

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Arcanum divinae (sapientiae) (ADS) is an encyclical written by Pope Leo XIII. published on February 10, 1880 as a result of the Kulturkampf . It is subtitled “On Christian Marriage”. The title refers to the first words of the encyclical, which begins with Arcanum divinae sapientiae consilium ("The secret of divine wisdom"). ADS can be found in Acta Sanctae Sedis , No. 12 (1879), pp. 385-402. The encyclical, formulated as a warning letter, is addressed “to the patriarchs, primates, archbishops and bishops of the Catholic world who are in peace and communion with the Apostolic See” and bears the subtitle “on indissoluble marriage; a blessing for the state community ”.

Structure and content

In the Latin original, as in the official Italian and French translations, ADS is not further structured. A structure can be seen in the sections and accordingly. In the official English translation it bears 45 para. In the official Spanish and Hungarian translations, there is an outline with numbers and headings that should be presented here as it takes appropriate account of the content.

1 Introduction
The introduction reports on the position of the church and its mission in the world.
2. The history of marriage
The story is shown, starting from the state in paradise, the development in Jewish and paganism up to marriage in Christianity. It is described using the "Doctrine of Christ and the Apostles". This is followed by ecclesiastical marriage teaching with the goals and characteristics of marriage and the reasons why marriage legislation is the task of the church.
3. The struggle for marriage legislation
This refers to the Kulturkampf and civil marriage legislation, which are referred to as the "enemy". It addresses the problems associated with civil marriage and divorce, which is legitimized by states. The text explicitly goes back to the essential characteristics of marriage, especially indissolubility.
4. Admonition to the bishops
The last chapter asks the bishops to observe the Catholic form and to put the "wild marriages" in order. They should also speak out against divorce and worry about marriage preparation.

The letter closes with a prayer for the grace of God and the apostolic blessing .

The Catholic doctrine of marriage

The Pope urged to defend the institution of marriage , which is a “divine secret”, against the increasing secularization and omnipotence of the state. The state began massively to fight against the sole competence of the church in matters of marriage and wanted to emphasize civil marriage as the only important and necessary thing. The Pope protested against this. Marriage as a sacrament is subject to ecclesiastical authority alone, and marriage as a contract is inseparable from the sacrament. So it was about the institution of marriage and the right to be defended by the Church, not so much about questions of marital partnership.

The sacrament of marriage

So it is said in his encyclical that marriage is a sacrament because it is a holy sign that brings about grace and is parable. But this parable and this reference is expressed by that bond of the most intimate union which binds man and woman together and which is nothing other than marriage. From this it follows that every legitimate marriage among Christians is in and of itself a sacrament.

More doctrinal statements on marriage

The ecclesiastical teaching office always attaches great importance to proving the continuity of the doctrinal statements on marriage and society . Until the Second Vatican Council , especially the statements of Popes Leo XIII. (as with this encyclical) and its successors. The Second Vatican Council summarized its deliberations - also building on this encyclical - on “The family: the vital cell of society” in Gaudium et Spes , and on the 50th anniversary of Arcanum divinae sapientiae , Pius XI wrote . on December 31, 1930 the encyclical Casti connubii . Later followed by Pope Paul VI. the encyclical Humanae Vitae and Pope John Paul II 's Apostolic Exhortation Familiaris consortio .

literature

  • Lexicon of World Religions: Christianity - The Sacrament of Marriage. Weltbild, Augsburg 2006, ISBN 3-8289-4979-7 .
  • Rudolf Fischer-Wollpert, do you know? Lexicon of religious and ideological questions (subject area: marriage). Pustet, Regensburg 1982, ISBN 3-7917-0738-8 .
  • Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, Chapter Five: “The Family: The Cell of Society”. Herder, Freiburg im Breisgau 2006, ISBN 3-451-29078-2 .

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ See: http://w2.vatican.va/content/leo-xiii/la/encyclicals/documents/hf_l-xiii_enc_10021880_arcanum.html (23.06.2017).
    http://w2.vatican.va/content/leo-xiii/en/encyclicals/documents/hf_l-xiii_enc_10021880_arcanum.html (23.06.2017);
    http://w2.vatican.va/content/leo-xiii/es/encyclicals/documents/hf_l-xiii_enc_10021880_arcanum.html (23.06.2017);
    http://w2.vatican.va/content/leo-xiii/fr/encyclicals/documents/hf_l-xiii_enc_10021880_arcanum.html (23.06.2017).
    http://w2.vatican.va/content/leo-xiii/hu/encyclicals/documents/hf_l-xiii_enc_10021880_arcanum.html (23.06.2017);

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