medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
On 11/26/12, John Briggs wrote:
> Talking of modest, Chris is too modest to point out that on a previous occasion he so pungently deprecated the use of the term "deconsecrated", that most of us have never dared (mis)use it again. ("Deconsecrate" is a valid *administrative* term used within the Church of England [only] for the change in legal status of a building or land.)
>
Within the Roman Catholic Church the current usage in English according to the authorized translation into that tongue of the _Corpus Iuris Canonici_ of 1983 is 'relegate to profane but not sordid use' (Can. 1222). See:
'Can. 1222 §1. If a church cannot be used in any
way for divine worship and there is no possibility of repairing it, the
diocesan bishop can relegate it to profane but not sordid use. '§2. Where other grave causes suggest that a church
no longer be used for divine worship, the diocesan bishop, after having heard
the presbyteral council, can relegate it to profane but not sordid use, with
the consent of those who legitimately claim rights for themselves in the church
and provided that the good of souls su[ff]ers no detriment thereby.' <http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG1104/__P4H.HTM>
But in the authorized English-language version of the _Codex Iuris Canonici_ of 1917 one reads at Can. 1200 (on Altars):
' 4° Deconsecration of a church does not result in deconsecration of an altar, whether immovable or movable; and the reverse is true too.' <http://tinyurl.com/ckmknbh>
Given both that 'relegate to profane but not sordid use' is quite a mouthful and that adherence to the language of the _Corpus Iuris Canonici_ of 1983 may be less than universally binding, some will continue to use the brief term 'deconsecrate' in the same traditional, ordinary-language meaning expressed by the Roman Catholic Church in its translation into English of the previous version of its code of canon law.
Best,
John Dillon
**********************************************************************
To join the list, send the message: join medieval-religion YOUR NAME
to: [log in to unmask]
To send a message to the list, address it to:
[log in to unmask]
To leave the list, send the message: leave medieval-religion
to: [log in to unmask]
In order to report problems or to contact the list's owners, write to:
[log in to unmask]
For further information, visit our web site:
http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/medieval-religion.html
|