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Hello, as I am a german catholic thinking your website is great I will now ask one question which is disturbing me for some days: Jesus prohibited making oaths, the RCC doesn’t. It even requests it quite often (e.g. seminarists recieving ordination). Could someone pls explain this contradiction(?) to me? Thank you very much. Ulrich
 
This is the Church’s teaching on oaths for the Catechism of the Catholic Church:
2150 The second commandment* forbids false oaths*. Taking an oath or swearing is to take God as witness to what one affirms. It is to invoke the divine truthfulness as a pledge of one’s own truthfulness. An oath engages the Lord’s name. "You shall fear the LORD your God; you shall serve him, and swear by his name."81
2151 Rejection of false oaths is a duty toward God. As Creator and Lord, God is the norm of all truth. Human speech is either in accord with or in opposition to God who is Truth itself. When it is truthful and legitimate, an oath highlights the relationship of human speech with God’s truth. A false oath calls on God to be witness to a lie.
2152 A person commits *perjury *when he makes a promise under oath with no intention of keeping it, or when after promising on oath he does not keep it. Perjury is a grave lack of respect for the Lord of all speech. Pledging oneself by oath to commit an evil deed is contrary to the holiness of the divine name.
2153 In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus explained the second commandment: "You have heard that it was said to the men of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.’ But I say to you, Do not swear at all. . . . Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from the evil one."82 Jesus teaches that every oath involves a reference to God and that God’s presence and his truth must be honored in all speech. Discretion in calling upon God is allied with a respectful awareness of his presence, which all our assertions either witness to or mock.
2154 Following St. Paul,83 the tradition of the Church has understood Jesus’ words as not excluding oaths made for grave and right reasons (for example, in court). "An oath, that is the invocation of the divine name as a witness to truth, cannot be taken unless in truth, in judgment, and in justice."84 2155 The holiness of the divine name demands that we neither use it for trivial matters, nor take an oath which on the basis of the circumstances could be interpreted as approval of an authority unjustly requiring it. When an oath is required by illegitimate civil authorities, it may be refused. It must be refused when it is required for purposes contrary to the dignity of persons or to ecclesial communion.
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What do you think the Church does that is contrary to Jesus’ teaching?
 
Thanks for your answer. In Mt 5.33-37 33 “'Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, “Do not break your oath, but fulfil to the Lord the oaths you have made.”34 But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; 35 or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. 36 And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. 37 All you need to say is simply “Yes,” or “No”; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.”
it is said that we must not swear at all. And the Church requests seminarians to make oaths on holding celibacy. (Even 2 times: befor deaconate and before ordination to priesthood)
Although I presume that the holy Church has got a very good explanation for this things this bible passage is a little bit confusing. Could you please explain that?
Thank you very much.
Greetings
Ulrich

(sorry for my grammar mistakes)
 
The Catechism cites 2 Cor 1:23; Gal 1:20, where Paul swears oaths.

I understand it as Jesus telling us that if we only tell the truth when we swear an oath, there’s something seriously wrong with us.
 
andrewagill said:
The Catechism cites 2 Cor 1:23; Gal 1:20, where Paul swears oaths.

I understand it as Jesus telling us that if we only tell the truth when we swear an oath, there’s something seriously wrong with us.
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Say what?:confused:
 
Me123 said:
Thanks for your answer. In Mt 5.33-37 33 “'Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, “Do not break your oath, but fulfil to the Lord the oaths you have made.”34 But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; 35 or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. 36 And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. 37 All you need to say is simply “Yes,” or “No”; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.”
it is said that we must not swear at all. And the Church requests seminarians to make oaths on holding celibacy. (Even 2 times: befor deaconate and before ordination to priesthood)
Although I presume that the holy Church has got a very good explanation for this things this bible passage is a little bit confusing. Could you please explain that?
Thank you very much.
Greetings
Ulrich

(sorry for my grammar mistakes)
Click to expand...
My explanation is that you may be confusing oaths with vows. They are not the same. I believe what you have called oaths above, the Church calls vows.
Here is an article on oaths: newadvent.org/cathen/11176a.htm
Here is an article on vows: newadvent.org/cathen/15511a.htm
 
THANX! Now I’m able to understand this. Thank you very much!
 
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