Good article. I definitely agree that it is not inherently wrong. Although it seems to be the case of even if it is legitimate, is it really the best way to deal with the situation.
A few things come to mind. First, it seems like the unchanging law is that heretics, schismatics, and the unrepentant are not to receive certain sacraments. What does change seems to be the criteria by which we judge whether a person is in such a state—eg, this or that particular Greek Orthodox Christian. Since we cannot be sure, and since “conditions on the ground” change through history, the laws get updated accordingly. There is also the oscillation of leniency versus strictness since the sacraments exist to bring grace to sinners while also being holy themselves and thus needing protection.
Second, modern attitudes tend toward the lenient almost to the point of making the exception into the rule. Like a lot of “seeker friendly” stuff, it’s not clear that this actually has the hoped-for effect, but we can hope that God has used these “modern attitudes” to his advantage to save souls.
I actually see an example of canon 844 §§3 in action in my Byzantine rite parish every week. One of our parishioners is a canonically Serbian Orthodox man married to a Catholic, and generally lives an entirely Catholic ecclesial/sacramental life, does not belong to an Orthodox parish, and in all appearances seems to be Catholic.
He's been in this situation for a very long time (decades?), but for whatever reason (likely personal/family?) he isn't willing or able to formally leave the Serbian Orthodox Church.
Good article. I definitely agree that it is not inherently wrong. Although it seems to be the case of even if it is legitimate, is it really the best way to deal with the situation.
A few things come to mind. First, it seems like the unchanging law is that heretics, schismatics, and the unrepentant are not to receive certain sacraments. What does change seems to be the criteria by which we judge whether a person is in such a state—eg, this or that particular Greek Orthodox Christian. Since we cannot be sure, and since “conditions on the ground” change through history, the laws get updated accordingly. There is also the oscillation of leniency versus strictness since the sacraments exist to bring grace to sinners while also being holy themselves and thus needing protection.
Second, modern attitudes tend toward the lenient almost to the point of making the exception into the rule. Like a lot of “seeker friendly” stuff, it’s not clear that this actually has the hoped-for effect, but we can hope that God has used these “modern attitudes” to his advantage to save souls.
I actually see an example of canon 844 §§3 in action in my Byzantine rite parish every week. One of our parishioners is a canonically Serbian Orthodox man married to a Catholic, and generally lives an entirely Catholic ecclesial/sacramental life, does not belong to an Orthodox parish, and in all appearances seems to be Catholic.
He's been in this situation for a very long time (decades?), but for whatever reason (likely personal/family?) he isn't willing or able to formally leave the Serbian Orthodox Church.