In his recently reprinted Family and Civilization , Carle Zimmerman notes that the “domestic family” ideal developed in the 12th century. In this model, marriage is liberated from family power, from patriarchalism. He quotes from a text on Canon law: “The marriage jure canonico ought to be completely free from family power, and here, as in many other points, Pierre Lombard won out over Gratian. Lombard is in effect the first who taught absolutely that the consent of parents is never an essential condition of valid marriage. On this point he made only two contentions: (1) the consent only of the two to be married, makes the marriage; and (2) the consent of parents to the sacrament is not for the purpose of making the sacrament, but like other forms is merely to add decency and dignity to the union.”
Peter Leithart
Peter J. Leithart is President of Theopolis Institute. He is the author of numerous books on theology, literature, and culture, including Theopolitan, Defending Constantine, and Baptized Body.
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