What is the origin of the annulment process in the Catholic Church?

[empantarhei]

I noticed the thread “Why does a non-catholic need an annulment from the catholic church?”
and then wondered how annulments came to be in the Catholic Church.
Thank you.
(And I hope this is the right section!)

 

[1ke]

I suggest the book Annulment: The Wedding That Was by Michael Smith Foster. It’s a very good book on the topic of the Church’s teaching on marriage and nullity.

Matthew’s gospel brings up the idea of a marriage being invalid based on an illicit marriage (one between close kinship)-- it is often mistranslated as “unchastity” or even “adultery”.

The Epistles discuss the dissolution of the bond-- not the same as nullity-- via the Petrine or Pauline Privilege. So, the idea of the Church binding and loosing in cases of marriages goes all the way back to the bible.

The early Canons of various Councils begin to develop regulations regarding marriage-- and it would seem to follow that “nullity” would be a concept developing right along with it for if someone transgressed the Canon their marriage would not be valid.

For example the Canons of Elvira from c. 306 AD have many regulations regarding marriage.

 

[JReducation]

Nullity was already in existence before the death of the last apostle. It was already understood that there were conditions that had to be met for a marriage to be valid.

The process of investigating those conditions has evolved over the centuries.

 

[janeway529]

I believe what’s currently known as “Pauline Privilege” comes directly from Scripture, one of St. Paul’s letters.

 

[1ke]

I believe what’s currently known as “Pauline Privilege” comes directly from Scripture, one of St. Paul’s letters.

However, the Pauline Privilege is a dissolution of the bond, not a case of declaration of nullity. Two different things. But, this certainly demonstrates binding and loosing authority over marriage.

 

[hammerofjezabel]

Annulments are nothing more than divorces in the novus ordo.

Even Michael Rose, a confirmed novus ordorite, will tell you this in his “Goodbye, Good Men”.

My deceased father in law told me of a woman he knew at his novus ordo church that was granted two annulments.

After I told him that what God has joined let no man put asunder he told me that it wasn’t for him to decide.

Annulments in the Church are rare but in the novus ordo church it is common place.