A canonical historical study of chapter two of the reform of marriage at the Council of Trent

Résumé

The objective of the investigation was to examine the development of Chapter Two of the Reform of Marriage in its historical and canonical context and its distinctive phrasing of “experience teaches” (docet experientia) in limiting the number of godparents. The path taken and its methodology was to review the source documents of the Council, especially those of the congregations on baptism and marriage in 1547 and 1563. From the Council itself, it was a simple step to the various memorials and preliminary documents on the subject submitted by representatives from Spain, Portugal, France, and Italy. Then, with the examples cited by Jedin and others, there was the ample legislation from synods and other assemblies from the century before the Council to compare and to assess. The synodal texts, particularly from Spain and Portugal, proved to be extensive.