Two Commentaries to Agreed Statement on Mixed Marriage Released by North American Orthodox-Catholic Theological Consultation

In February 2024, the North American Orthodox-Catholic Theological Consultation was pleased to release their newest document, entitled “The Pastoral Care of Mixed Marriages: Neither Yours nor Mine – but Ours”.

In a world characterized by an increasing number of Christian families in which members are from different Church traditions, the pastoral care of mixed marriages presents both profound challenges and unique opportunities. The document represents a significant ecumenical effort to address these complexities from a shared Christian perspective.

Following the publication, two members of the Consultation produced two canonical commentaries, one Catholic and one Orthodox, that offer insightful reflections on this agreed statement. Released in August 2024, the commentaries explore the document’s implications for pastoral ministry to couples in which one spouse is Orthodox and the other Catholic. Both the agreed statement and commentaries can be found here. The commentaries reflect the views of their authors but are intended to foster a deeper understanding of the statement’s recommendations and stimulate further discussion.

The North American Orthodox-Catholic Theological Consultation is sponsored jointly by the Committee for Ecumenical Relations of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the United States of America, the Bishops’ Committee for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, and the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops.