SOCI 221 FINAL PAPER
1. List the main points the Pope discussed in the chapter revolving families.
2. Pick one aspect listed in the document and argue the churches position.
Do you agree with the pope/ or disagree?
Explain your opinion.
Abstract
Amoris Laetitia is in the first place a solidarity manifest to the people who feel lost in the family life. Being an admonishment as a matter of form, it yet bears resemblance to a heart-to-heart talk showing compassion, kindness and affinity for humanity. Referring to Gospel as to an unquestionable doctrine, it emphasizes the cordial closeness with every human including those who are far from being perfect. The document urges to maintain and strengthen the catholic family pattern with its complexity and variety, meanwhile representing an attempt to turn to the pressing issues the family institution is undergoing these days.
Family and Marriage Concept in Amoris Laetitia
Chapter 2 covers a lot of the exhortation matter and mainly revolves around the family, its reality and relation to Christ. Holy Father describes the family life as a labor of love under the pressure of present-day challenges and complications. Among them, he mentions social and economic insecurity, forced family migrations and persecution, misinterpretation of pastoral activities and the Church role, consumerism relationships and some other. (Pope Francis, 2016, p.32). The Pope reflects as well upon the painful question of unofficial alliances and gay marriages concluding that neither of these bonds can foster future generations because they are incapable of transmitting life. Nevertheless, Francis stresses that homosexuality – although cannot be equated to marriage and family – is to be respected and same-sex couples must not suffer from discrimination, aggression or violence (Pope Francis, 2016, p.41).
The Pope discloses the good even in complicated and disordered situations believing that unfortunate people are craving for God and praying. He does not repel them; on the contrary, he urges to help and comfort them, despite the fact that they do not live the life of a saint. Many of the considerations made in the work were dictated by Francis’s personal experience, which makes the narration more vivid and persuasive.
Argument
Lots of the Pope’s claims and speculations have been severely criticized though, even by the faithful. The fragile topic of synods was opened with a definite rejection of single-sex marriages without any further dwelling upon the subject, as if it were too obvious to go into details, which caused many protests and objections. It was also the notion of family defined by Francis that brought about various discussions and arguments. The Pope gives quite a limiting definition of family as a legitimated union of a man and a woman, emphasizing this is the exclusive way to offer a certain stability and prosperity to the couple. I would like to take a closer look at this argument.
One could hardly deny that weakening of the family values produces a negative effect on society dynamics and hampers moral progress. However, I suppose it is a mistake to acknowledge only the families which formalized their status in a document. For a natural society, it looks rather unnatural to see a threat in the feelings that need no confirmation and an example in the ones that require a special license. In my opinion, some of the community values should be reviewed, especially when it comes to the family regulations. The government does not provide commitment, loyalty and fidelity when a couple decides to get married. A couple cultivates these qualities throughout their life based on their mutual will, and it does not require the traditional bureaucratic approach. In Amoris Laetitia the Holy Father Francis (2016) mentions that ‘there is no stereotype of the ideal family, but rather a challenging mosaic made up of many different realities”, so maybe we are to rediscovering the whole idea of common-law marriages and the family generation (p.46).
References
Pope Francis (2016). Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Amoris Laetitia. Vatican press, 23-46.
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