Una Caro and the Consummation of Marriage in the Decretum Gratiani

• Autores: John Alesandro
• Localización: Zeitschrift der Savigny-Stiftung für Rechtsgeschichte.: Kanonistische Abteilung, ISSN 0323-4142, Vol. 129, 2012, págs. 64-148
• Idioma: inglés
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• Resumen

  • In the " Decretum Gratiani " physical consummation is given an essential role in the formation of Christian marriage. The " Decretum " relies on the biblical image of " one flesh " ( una caro, unum corpus ) to support this theory and to explain the ensuing marital rights and obligations. " Una caro " describes principally the abiding reality of the marital relationship, but it also provides the rationale for marriage's attributes: the bilateralism required of the spouses ( the mutuality of the " debitum coniugale " and the departure to enter religious life ), indissolubility and its violation by divorce, sacramental symbolism and the negative effect of sequential bigamy, fidelity and the contradiction of adultery, affinity and the transfer of spiritual relationship. By sistematically examining and interpreting Gratian's arguments and sources, this article illustrates the cohesiveness of the " Decretum's " theory on marriage and how the biblical image of " una caro " is used to support it.