OIKONOMIA AND REMARRIAGE IN THE ORTHODOX TRADITION: A PASTORAL SOLUTION FOR THE CATHOLIC CHURCH?

The pastoral problem of divorce and remarriage among Catholics, especially in the developed world, has caused some Catholic authors to give attention to the Orthodox notion of oikonomia and how it might be applied to the marriage discipline of the Catholic Church. The pastoral crisis has created favourable comment from Catholic writers on Eastern marriage practices, which allow remarriage after a period of penance. This article considers whether this truly is a viable pastoral solution or is in fact incompatible with the Catholic understanding of marital indissolubility.