The Notion of Sacrament about Marriage - Essay Example

s: Details: Due Recent Writing On Marriage Has Explored The Notion Of Sacrament In Relation To Marriage. Evaluate Their Contribution to the Discussion Marriage is a form of sacrament. This statement has been supported by most recent theological writings on marriage. The view of marriage as a sacrament can be given various illustration depending on the time of reference. During the medieval European, Christian marriages were associated with the elites. In the western civilisation time, marriage was looked into with respect to individual’s decisions. The sacrament of marriage depends on the graceful acts associated with it. This may be in the will of god or the will of the Holy Spirit. Marriage can be viewed as an institution or experience depending on the description given with reference to it. All the same, the church considers man and woman mutually in a relationship as per the will of God. The description of this may also vary with time and civilisation which influences legislation and action of man. The way in which the Christians viewed Christ’s perfection became applicable in cases involving marriage of baptised individuals. This brought the spirituality of these couples was kept away from any blemish acts instead of a sacrament becoming the full realisation of it as the nature of the marriage. Marriage has been viewed by Christians as a sacrament of vocation. The structure of the Christian matrimonial bed defines the identity of marriage as a sacrament. The sacrament takes place as convenient to the convent involving God and revealing the salvation mysteries. The love in a woman man relationship, in accordance to the needs of the Holy Spirit defines the sacrament. Marriage was traditionally viewed to be a contract based institution contrary to the Christian view of marriage as a sacrament. In this context, it was meant to gain mutual rights and possession of partners. In the contract, and sacrament identity of a marriage, relationship became apparent as various people made descriptions of the same (Carlo 76). In the view of marriage as an institution, the husbands view their spouses and the relationship separate from the sacrament of marriage. The end of marriage becomes the end aim of marriage as it comes in the subsequent marriage generations. There was a turning point in the Vatican council that described the marriage as a structure where man and woman receiving from one another as established by the creator. Laws regulating how they carry themselves are in a manner that the partnership is rooted in agreement of both parties in the biblical terms. The sacrament of marriage can also be viewed as a consecration which reflects God's love for man the matter of sacrament was to be found in a mutual understanding made between the two in the relationship. The priest took part in qualifying the partners in the sixteenth century, which, however, was described by Cano that it recognised marriage as a contract. But the priest becomes the minister of the sacrament and gave priestly blessings. In this way, the marriage in Christianity religion get a description from the book of John that describes the spirit calling whoever feels thirsty to take the water of life. The Holy Spirit cannot be seen, and the sacred silence, therefore, should be kept by conjugal community for them to receive the language of the Holy Spirit through praying. They intern get the gift of sacrament and life as a true spiritual generation of marriage The idea of marriage has been conceptualised by the church as being natural. Those who do their marriage in the church do it before God just like he constituted the marriage between Adam and eve at the beginning of creation. Humans, however, have taken control of various events in marriage such as reproduction, which has been manipulated by science. Humans are expected to rep[reduce in the most effective manner thereby passing their genes to the subsequent generations. the mating process has been intervened by human events. biological forces have dominated, and humans have resorted to other forms of mate choice such as same mate or relative mates, which restricts procreation (Lawler 18). The Christian perspective has thereby changed resulting to the opposite will of God. Marriage involves relational phenomenon’s not only an institution but also inexperience. Marriage in western civilisation is social from the basis. In this time, it was recognised as a social function involving procreation. Customs kept the marriage institution under check of morals. It was through marriage that sexual activity was channelled, and a structure for raising children was made. A network of relationship was established as the population grew from the closest relative to distant ones. Breakage of marriage would destroy such structures and were avoided by the partners. This is in line with the biblical reading that what god has put together, no man can do apart. Some scholars, however, viewed that this was a way of protecting the women from being cast by their husbands. Every individual should be appreciated, in the western civilisation, this gave a different concept. It cuts across all social classifications call for their right and freedom of conscious. In 1917, canon law was promulgated; it described marriage as a contract of two persons. This had a weakness in describing how children can be brought up and educated, but the decision made privately by individuals was respected. According to selling (163), the church on the contrary refers marriage as a "one on one relationship between a single man and a single woman." The sacrament of marriage comes as a social reality in most churches performing weddings, which is endorsed by priests in the presence of witnesses as the sacrament is celebrated in this manner. Living in a relationship after the couple has been consummated describes the consummation rather than having sexual intercourse as the traditional purpose o f marriage. God promised his people love despite them being capable of making sin and he himself should punish the sinners since the marriage relationship is sacramental It is learnt that marriage is an institution comprising of man and woman but more defined as a relationship between man and woman by the grace of God. This, however, has been influenced by various factors such as civilisation that has introduced manipulations to the way of reproduction and marriage. Viewing marriage as an institution has the disadvantage of lack of structure definition. This has changed over time from the medieval time to date. Modifications on the Christian view of marriage as a sacrament has chghang4ed with various actions relating to marriage in the church getting introduced. Such an example is the wedding in the catholic churches. The root fact about marriage as a sacrament does not rely on the sexual pleasures associated by it; rather it is defined by both parties living in the relationship by the grace of God. Works cited Rodger Burggraeve, Foket M. Marriage, divorce, remarriage: challenges and perspectives For Christians. Virginia: Peeters, 2007. Print. Klaus Demmer & Aldegonde Brenninekmeijer-Werhahn, eds, Christian Marriage today. Washington: Catholic University of America, 1997. Print. Lawler Michael. Marriage and Sacrament: A Theology of Christian Marriage Abbey: Liturgical, 1993. Print. Read More