JWG on Interchurch marriages

A selection from the 8th report of the Joint Working Group between the Roman Catholic Church and the World Council of Churches, pp. 21-22.

3.2. INTERCHURCH MARRIAGES

The issue of interchurch marriages has been on the agenda of the JWG at different periods of its mandate. For instance, from 2 to 4 October 1989 in Geneva the JWG held a consultation on interchurch marriage to "assess the difficulties and opportunities of interchurch marriages".

During the current mandate of the JWG, discussion on this issue began at the first meeting plenary in Antelias, Lebanon, in 2000, and from the start the JWG took account of its previous work. It acknowledged that this is still an important and urgent matter before the churches and recognized that many look to the JWG to contribute to the churches' response to this pastoral concern. The following steps were proposed as a service that the JWG might offer to the RCC and to member churches of the WCC who are continuing to work on the questions and problems associated with interchurch marriages:

to identify the available materials on interchurch marriages; (Association of Interchurch Families)
to study these materials to assess which factors are specific to the life of the churches, and which are more likely based on cultural considerations; (Association of Interchurch Families)
to identify initiatives that may be helpfully shared across the churches.

It is with considerable disappointment that, due to a sheer limit of time and staff resources, this JWG was not able to act upon the recommendations from its first plenary meeting.

The JWG is acutely aware that the theological issues involved in interchurch marriage are extremely complex. Beyond the pastoral concerns lie far-reaching ecclesiological implications for the churches as well as challenges to the varied understandings of the sacramentality of marriage. Despite the limitations of time and resources, the JWG was committed to listen sensitively to current reflection in the churches on this pastoral issue, the source of considerable hurt and pain for many Christians. It recognized the particular wisdom and experience that the Interchurch Families Association can offer in this area. Consequently, in Dromantine in 2001, four presentations were made to the plenary:

ecumenical and ecclesiological implications of interchurch marriages, by Dr Ruth Reardon (Association Interchurch Families);
proposed ways to move forward, by the Rev. Canon Martin Reardon (Association Interchurch Families);
comments on the Ecumenical Directory, by Bishop Donal Murray;
a summary of the 1996 agreement on interchurch marriages between Catholic and Orthodox patriarchs in the Middle East, by Archbishop Paul Sayah.

The third plenary in Stjärnholm in 2002 devoted a session to the issue of interchurch marriages. Three papers were presented reflecting three distinct Christian traditions: Bishop Marc Ouellet spoke of the "Sacrament of Matrimony according to the Catechism of the Catholic Church", Rev. Prof. Viorel Ionita presented an Orthodox perspective, and Rev. David Gill spoke from the point of view of a church of the Reformation. The ensuing discussion revealed that there may be possibilities of convergence on matters of grace and sacrament and the JWG recognized that the issue of interchurch marriage was not unrelated to the implications of the recognition of common baptism.

The difficult theological issues notwithstanding, the JWG continued to underline the need to remind the member churches of the WCC and the RCC of their pastoral responsibilities towards couples in interchurch marriages.