Silk: Is Douthat a Donatist? | National Catholic Reporter

Silk: Is Douthat a Donatist? | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: Ross makes some interesting observations and comparing his intellect with Silk's is a bit much.  The question of Communion by the remarried is not so much one of sin as practice. The Church could simply opine that receiving unworthily was never part of issues of marital law or even all but the gravest) as opposed to all, mortal sins.  Silk is clever, however, in stating that the argument dissolves into rigor - but that is the nature of the beast.  One can also be called a Rigorist by addressing the question of what kinds of marriages were Jesus talking about in Matthew - all of them or the ones where a family broke up a previously arranged marriage to form a more socially upward one?  Other marriages where the actions of one spouse toward another can be blamed for not just breaking a marriage, but for doing actual harm, should be treated differently - as leaving such marriages is not sinful - and nor would finding a new spouse if one is the victimized party (victimizes should be excluded from future marriage - and indeed the Church - until they repent and the judge of repentance should be the wronged spouse, not just the Confessor.  Is his rigorism?  Probably, but it is useful is setting a question that his been left far too open for centuries.