Jauktu Laulību Slēgšanas Prakse Starp Kurzemes Guberņas Ev. Luterisko Un Katoļu Draudžu Ticīgajiem (19. Gs.-20. Gs. Sākums ): The Practice of Mixed Marriages between the RomanCatholics and the Evangelical Lutheran Believers in theProvince of Courland (the 19th century-the beginning ofthe 20th century).
The present paper explores the practice of mixed marriages between the Roman Catholics and the Evangelical Lutheran believers in the province of Courland in the 19th and the beginning of the 20th centuries. It provides wide context to the denominationally mixed marriages in order to emphasize the in...
| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | Latvian |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
| Published: |
LU Akadēmiskais apgāds
2011
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| In: |
Cel̜š
Year: 2011, Issue: 61, Pages: 13-33 |
| Further subjects: | B
Evangelical Lutheran Church
B Catholic Church B MIXED orientation marriage B Catholics B Religions B Russia |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (kostenfrei) |
| Summary: | The present paper explores the practice of mixed marriages between the Roman Catholics and the Evangelical Lutheran believers in the province of Courland in the 19th and the beginning of the 20th centuries. It provides wide context to the denominationally mixed marriages in order to emphasize the inconsistencies between the civil laws of the Russian Empire, the regulations of the Evangelical Lutheran Church and the legal documents that determined the activities of the Catholic Church. The research paper is based on extensive studies of historical materials in the archives of Russia, Lithuania and Latvia. At that particular time in the province of Courland, mixed marriages between Catholics and Lutherans were not a frequent practice. Most mixed marriages were recorded in Semigallen -- an ethnically and denominationally complex area of Courland. Although the legal acts of the Russian Empire provided for a free choice in case of marriage among the followers of different denominations (except Orthodox), as well as the confessional affiliation of the children, the clergy of both denominations did not exactly conform to these legal regulations. Catholic priests were especially conservative. They would pose various obstacles to prevent getting married in a Lutheran church, for example, they would refuse to provide a certificate of the parish records, they would make newly married couples promise to baptize and bring up their children born in the marriage according to the Catholic tradition. Catholic clergy would also try to convert Lutheran believers to Catholic faith. Not infrequently Lutheran pastors would inform the Ministry of Interior about these controversial issues, yet nothing was done to regulate the situation legally. The main concern of the Russian Empire was to support and extend the influence of the Orthodox Church. Disagreement among other denominations was not recognized as significant as they had no real influence on the existing social order nor could they cause increasing dissatisfaction in the population. The Ministry of Interior was also aware there was no way they were able to influence the canonical Roman Catholic interpretation of the law regarding the sacrament, which was foundational for higher and lower Catholic clergy. It has to be mentioned that at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century there was no spirit of ecumenism in different Christian parishes. This was the reason why a change of religious affiliation or marriage to a person belonging to another denomination was seen as equal to apostasy. |
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| Contains: | Enthalten in: Cel̜š
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