Bible & Theology Course for the Laity, DVK, Bangalore

Full Reports on the Bible & Theology Course - 2004

Catholic Tradition on Sexuality & Marriage

It is interesting to look into the Church's stand on Sexuality & Marriage over different times.

Patristic Period

The fathers of the Church did not develop a consistent theology of sexuality. In the context of paganism (non-religionism), where adultery and prostitution were common, fathers of the Church insisted on virginity. Martyrdom was always considered very ideal in the Catholic Church. With the conversion of Constantine, persecution came to an end. Then on, virginity was considered bloodless martyrdom. Procreation of the children was the only end of marriage. St Augustine considered that marriage is characterized by procreation, fidelity, and sacramentality. He had a pessimistic attitude towards sex, and considered it a consequence of sin. Even today, such pessimistic thinking can be seen.

Middle Ages

This period was dominated by the practice of penitentials that are handbooks on penance meant to guide confessors. These books indicated precisely the penalties and penances. Couples were forbidden to perform sexual acts during menstruation. Sexual acts were also prohibited on certain days like Sundays and feast days, and during certain sacred seasons of the year like Advent, Lent, etc. The common belief was that some evil element is present in every sexual act.

During the second phase of the middle ages, the scholastic formulation of theology was made. According to St Thomas, sex is permissible only within marriage and primarily for the sake of procreation. During this time, the belief was that the male seed was the active principle in procreation and women have no value except to prepare the "garden" for the seed. Until the Second Vatican Council, procreation was considered as the primary goal of marriage.

Contemporary Period

Today's view is marked by the revolutionary contributions of the Second Vatican Council. Gaudium et Spes emphasizes the proper harmony and integration between the procreative and unitive ends of marriage. GS Part II, Ch.1 (GS # 47-52) is set apart for the treatment of dignity of marriage and family.

In 1968, the Papal encyclical letter Humanae Vitae was published. In 1975, the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith issued the document Declaration on Certain Questions Concerning Sexual Ethics. According to this document, the purpose of sexuality is to enable the development of the person and his/her integration into human community. In 1981, Pope John Paul II wrote the Apostolic Exhortation, Familiaris Consortion, which deals with the role of Christian family in the modern world. Again, in 1988, he wrote the Apostolic Letter, Mulieris Dignitatem, which deals with the dignity and vocation of women. In 1996, the Pontifical Council for the Family published the document The Truth and Meaning of Human Sexuality: Guidelines for Education within the Family.

Introduction   Biblical understanding   Song of songs   Catholic tradition
Sexual cells: Basics   All embracing reality   Complementarity & Wholeness
Conclusion   Human Sexuality Index

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