Dissolution of marriage during the spousal lifetime in ecclesiastical law

Abstract

The article examines the concept of dissolution of ecclesiastical marriage according to modern legislation of the Russian Orthodox Church. The author studies the origins of this concept, while special attention is paid to secular law. The grounds of dissolution of ecclesiastical marriage are specifically analyzed. The article studies the historical prerequisites for the formation of the Russian Orthodox Church concept of divorce, which determines the grounds for the termination of ecclesiastical marriage during the life of the spouses. The author comes to the conclusion that the idea of ecclesiastical marriage dissolution is consistent in general with eastern orthodox canonical tradition. The influence of the Russian Orthodox Church’s own tradition is of particular importance for the modern concept. At the same time, there are gaps in the modern provisions of ecclesiastical legislation on marriage; e. g., the legislator does not pay sufficient attention to certain new public life phenomena. In addition, the author notes that current legislation of the Russian Orthodox Church does not introduce an obligation of the laity to dissolve an ecclesiastical marriage in connection with certain circumstances considered in Eastern Orthodox canon law as grounds for divorce. The principle of family law of the Russian Orthodox Church is the protection of marriage.