Casti Connubii - Summary Outline

Some Events Leading up to Casti Connubii

Summary Outline of Casti Connubii

1. Introduction
   1. The great dignity of marriage, and Christ’s intention for it (1)
   2. The demands made on man by the dignity of marriage: knowledge of Christian doctrine concerning it, and conformity with that knowledge (2)
   3. Occasion for writing: errors (3)
      
   4. Subject of encyclical: nature, benefits, and errors concerning marriage (4)
      

2. The origin of marriage (5-9)
   1. Origin of marriage
      
      1. God is the primary author of marriage and its laws (5)
         
      2. The human will by its consent is a secondary source (6)
         
   2. Consequence of this for the nature of marriage
      
      1. Marriage possesses a firmness that neither the union of animals, nor various other unions of men have (7)
         
      2. The state can prevent and punish abuses contrary to marriage, but cannot interfere with the fundamental human right to marry or not to marry (8)
         
   3. Summary (9)
      

3. The goods of marriage
   1. Introduction (10)
      
   2. The three particular goods (11-18)
      
      1. Children
         1. Procreation
            1. Procreation is the end of marriage (11)
               
            2. The supernatural end of man gives high value to procreation (12)
               
            3. Children are destined for the Church (13-14)
               
            4. Conclusion: children are a blessing and task (15)
               
         2. Education (16-17)
            
         3. Concluding remark: the power of procreation should be used only within marriage (18)
            
      2. Conjugal fidelity (19-30)
         
         1. Conjugal fidelity is justice both towards one spouse and towards God (19)
            
         2. Elements of conjugal fidelity
            
            1. Unity (one man and one woman) (20-21)
            2. Chastity (purity in the relationship between husband and wife) (22)
               
            3. Love  (23-25)
               
            4. Obedience (26-29)
               
         3. Summary (30)
            
      3. Sacrament (31-42)
         
         1. Introduction (Sacrament includes indissolubility, and being an efficacious sign of grace) (31)
            
         2. Indissolubility
            
            1. Proof of the indissolubility of marriage
               1. From Christ’s words (32)
                  
               2. From Church’s tradition, as expressed in St. Augustine (33)
                  
            2. Extent of the applicability of indissolubility
               1. Every marriage is by divine decree indissoluble at least in some way (34)
                  
               2. Possibilities for divorce are based on God’s law, not on human decision (35)
                  
               3. A consummated Christian marriage is absolutely indissoluble
                  
                  1. Consummation makes a Christian marriage completely indissoluble (35)
                     
                  2. Because it signifies most perfectly Christ’s marriage with the Church, which can never be dissolved. (36)
                     
            3. Benefits of indissolubility
         3. Efficacious sign of grace (one of the seven sacraments)
            1. Marriage is a sacrament in strict sense (37)
               
            2. Every true marriage between baptized persons is a sacrament (38)
               
            3. The grace of the sacrament (39)
               
               1. Marital grace is given to all who do not present an obstacle to it. (40)
                  
               2. Marital grace is given more abundantly to those who cooperate with it. (41)
                  
            4. Christian marriages should be not only sacramental, but also real images of Christ’s union with the Church, through the spouses manner of life. (42)
   3. Summary (43)
      

4. Errors against marriage and against married life (44-93)
   
   1. Need to speak against the errors (44-48)
   2. General look at the evil of the errors against marriage (49-52)
      1. Fundamental Principle: Marriage is invented by man (49)
         
      2. Consequences of this principle (50-52)
         
   3. Evils opposed to each good of mariage
      1. Children (53-71)
         1. Contraception (53-62)
            1. Contraception is unlawful (53-57)
               
            2. Particular arguments for contraception, and their errors
               1. Health of the mother (58)
                  
               2. The legitimacy of engaging in marital intercouse though no possibility of children (59)
                  
               3. Difficulties in raising children and in continence (60-62)
                  
         2. Abortion (63-67)
         3. Eugenic state control of marriage and reproduction (68-71)
      2. Conjugal fidelity
         1. The first kind of sin against conjugal fidelity is sin against children (72)
         2. Other errors against conjugal fidelity
            1. Against unity and purity (73)
            2. Against obedience (74-77)
               1. Argument that equal dignity of man and woman requires equality between them (74)
                  
               2. Error in this view (75)
                  
               3. Correct aspects of this view (76-77)
                  
            3. Against love (78)
      3. Sacrament (79-92)
   4. Summary (93)

5. Solution/Remedies (94-127)
   1. Subjection to God (94-101)
      
   2. Subjection to the Church (102-109)
      
   3. Effort on the part of spouses (110-111)
      
   4. Preparation for Marriage (112-115)
   5. Help by the state, community, and Church
      1. External relief of necessities (116-122)
      2. Help for the preservation of morals (123-127)

6. Conclusion