The Repealed Prohibition of Baptism and Religious Marriage, Without the Previous State Process, Approval and Register

DOI: https://doi.org/10.31207/ih.v10i1.276
Keywords: Baptism, Marriage, Public Registry, Canon Law, Obligations with the State

Abstract

This study explains how the Ecuadorian registry regulation has evolved related to the prohibition of celebrating baptism and religious marriage without having managed the identity registry and having carried out the civil marriage previously. Curiously, this prohibition was born in the Ecuadorian legal system with the advent of the secular State. From then, some constitutionalists experts observed that it was a contradiction to proclaim the separation of Church and State, allowing the State to control the sacraments of the Christian community by imposing prohibitions. Fortunately, the latest regulatory reforms of the Public Registry have eliminated such prohibition. However, some ecclesiastical sectors continue acting as if it still exists. These matters are analyzed with a casuistic, historical, and legal method that illustrates how the regulation had evolved and which is the current standard today. The analysis is divided into four sections. The first section identifies the problem and explains the current practices within the Catholic Church, despite the regulation changes. The second section describes certain cases where it is no longer convenient for the Church to require a civil certificate to officiate ecclesiastical ceremonies. The third section provides a historical and legal perspective of the Ecuadorian legislation. Finally, it is concluded that today the prohibition against celebrating baptism and religious marriage without the mediation of State registries has ceased to exist, and the Christian authorities are urged to review whether their practices can be better adapted to the new legal framework.

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Author Biographies

Juan Carlos Riofrío Martínez-Villalba, Strathmore University (Nairobi, Kenia)

Associate Professor of Human Rights and Jurisprudence at Strathmore University (Nairobi, Kenia). Professor of Constitutional Law (principal) and Theory of Law (principal) at University of the Hemispheres (Quito, Ecuador), where he was Dean of the Faculty of Law and, now, he is the Director of a Master’s degree in human Rights, Constitucional and Environmental Rights. Visiting professor at University of Angers (France) and in other universities. He has three degrees, one specialty and two doctorates in Guayaquil, Quito and Rome: last Ph.D. at Pontificia Università della Santa Croce. Director of Ius Humani Law Journal. Unique author of twelve books of law and humanities, and of many others like coauthor, published in America and Europe. Attorney at Law at Coronel & Pérez lawfirm in Ecuador.

See also his Web Site.

Jaime Baquero de la Calle Rivadeneira, University Hemisferios (Quito, Ecuador)

Ph.D. Professor of Law at University Hemisferios (Quito, Ecuador).

Pablo Marcelo Espinosa Quiroz, University Hemisferios (Quito, Ecuador)

Master of Law in U.S. Law from Washington University in St. Louis (United States). Professor of Legal History at University Hemisferios (Quito, Ecuador) and Canon Law at Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador (Quito).

Juan Pablo Aguilar González, University of Navarra (Spain)

Graduated in Law from University of Navarra (Pamplona, Spain). Studying and validating Law at University Hemisferios (Quito, Ecuador).

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Published
2021-04-28
How to Cite
Riofrío Martínez-Villalba, J., Baquero de la Calle Rivadeneira, J., Espinosa Quiroz, P. M., & Aguilar González, J. P. (2021). The Repealed Prohibition of Baptism and Religious Marriage, Without the Previous State Process, Approval and Register. Ius Humani. Law Journal, 10(1), 185-197. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.31207/ih.v10i1.276
Issue
Vol 10 No 1 (2021): Ius Humani. Law Journal
Section
Papers
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