Jesus Creed
I am grateful the Vatican has chosen a General Assembly to expound a Christian theology of family in the context of evangelism. I have clipped the opening paragraph to the document (only a working paper called Instrumentum laboris) and then the outline. The Catholic Church’s document on social work remains the finest study ever, and I suspect next year’s General Assembly findings will be a monumental achievement.
What would it take to get a Protestant version of such an endeavor?
On 8 October 2013, Pope Francis convoked the III Extraordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops to treat the topic: The Pastoral Challenges of the Family in the Context of Evangelization. The General Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops began its preparation by sending the Preparatory Document, which generated significant reflection among the People of God. The results of that consultation are presented in this Instrumentum Laboris. The Holy Father has determined that the work of Synod of Bishops is to take place in two stages, forming an single organic unity. In the III Extraordinary General Assembly in 2014, the synod fathers will thoroughly examine and analyze the information, testimonies and recommendations received from the particular Churches in order to respond to the new challenges of the family. The Ordinary General Assembly in 2015, representing a great part of the episcopate and continuing the work of the previous synod, will reflect further on the points discussed so as to formulate appropriate pastoral guidelines….
Table of Contents
Part I
Communicating the Gospel of the Family in Today’s World
Chapter I
God’s Plan for Marriage and the Family
The Biblical Teaching on the Family (1-3)
The Family in the Documents of the Church (4-7)
Chapter II
The Knowledge and Acceptance of the Teachings on Marriage and the Family from Sacred Scripture and Church Documents (8)
The Knowledge of the Bible on the Family (9-10)
The Knowledge of the Documents of the Magisterium (11)
The Necessity of Properly Prepared Clergy and Ministers (12)
A Diversified Acceptance of Church Teaching (13-14)
Some Reasons for the Difficulty in Acceptance (15-16)
Fostering a Greater Knowledge of the Magisterium (17-19)
Chapter III
The Gospel of the Family and the Natural Law
The Relation of the Gospel of the Family to the Natural Law (20)
Present-Day Problems Related to the Natural Law (21-26)
Practical Objections to the Natural Law concerning the Union between a Man and a Woman (27-29)
A Call for a Renewal in Terms of Language (30)
Chapter IV
The Family and Vocation of the Person in Christ
The Family, the Person and Society (31-34)
In the Image of Trinitarian Life (35)
The Holy Family of Nazareth and Learning to Love (36-38)
The Differences, Reciprocity and Manner of Living as a Family (39-42)
The Family and the Integral Development of a Person (43-44)
Guidance in the Renewed Desire to Marry and Form a Family and the Related Crises (45-48)
Ongoing Formation (49)
Part II
The Pastoral Program for the Family in Light of New Challenges
Chapter I
The Pastoral Program for the Family: Various Proposals Underway
The Responsibility of Bishops and the Clergy and the Charismatic Gifts in the Pastoral Care of the Family (50)
Marriage Preparation (51-56)
Popular Piety and a Familial Spirituality (57)
Support for a Familial Spirituality (58)
Testimony on Behalf of the Beauty of the Family (59-60)
Chapter II
The Pastoral Challenges of the Family (61)
a) The Crisis of Faith and Family Life
Pastoral Action in the Crisis of Faith (62-63)
b) Critical Situations within the Family
Difficulty in Relationships / Communication (64)
The Break-Up and Breakdown of Families (65)
Violence and Abuse (66-67)
Dependence, the Media and the Social Network (68-69)
c) External Pressures on the Family
The Impact of Work on the Family (70-71)
Migration and the Family (72)
Poverty and the Struggle for Subsistence (73)
Consumerism and Individualism (74)
Counter-Witness in the Church (75)
d) Special Situations
The Weight of Societal Expectations on the Individual (76)
The Impact of Wars (77)
Disparity of Cult (78)
Other Critical Situations (79)
Chapter III
Difficult Pastoral Situations
a) Situations in Families (80)
Cohabitation (81-82)
De facto unions (83-85)
Persons Separated, Divorced and Divorced and Remarried (86)
Children and Those Who Are Alone (87)
Teen Mothers (88)
Situations of Canonical Irregularity (89-92)
Concerning the Reception of the Sacraments (93-95)
Other Requests (96)
Concerning Separated and Divorced Persons (97)
Streamlining the Processing of Marriage Cases (98-102)
Pastoral Care in Difficult Situations (103-104)
The Request for Marriage by Non-Practicing Catholics and Unbelievers (105-109)
b) Concerning Unions of Persons of the Same Sex
Civil Recognition (110-112)
An Evaluation of the Particular Churches (113-115)
Some Pastoral Guidelines (116-119)
The Transmission of the Faith to Children in Same Sex Unions (120)
Part III
An Openness to Life and Parental Responsibility in Upbringing
Chapter I
The Pastoral Challenges concerning an Openness to Life (121-122)
Knowledge and Acceptance of the Magisterium concerning a Mentality of an Openness to Life (123-125)
Some Causes of Difficulty in Acceptance (126-127)
Pastoral Recommendations (128)
Concerning Sacramental Practice (129)
Promoting a Mentality of an Openness to Life (130-131)
Chapter II
The Church and the Family in the Challenge of Upbringing
a) The Challenge of Upbringing in General
The Challenge of Upbringing and the Family Today (132)
The Transmission of the Faith and Christian Initiation (133-134)
Some Specific Difficulties (135-137)
b) Christian Education in Difficult Family Situations (138)
An Overview of the Situation of Upbringing (139-140)
Requests Addressed to the Church (141-145)
The Response of the Particular Churches (146-150)
The Time and Manner of the Christian Initiation of Children (151-152)
Some Specific Difficulties (153)
Some Pastoral Guidelines (154-157)
Conclusion (158-159)
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