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Donum Vitae: An Association External to the Church? A Rebuttal from a Personal and Theological Perspective - Discussed: Religion, Law, and Democracy: Selected Writings. By Ernst-Wolfgang Böckenförde. Edited by Mirjam Künkler and Tine Stein. Translated by Thomas Dunlap. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2020. Pp. 480. $65.00 (cloth); Oxford Scholarship Online by subscription (digital). ISBN: 9780198818632. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780198818632.001.0001.

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Discussed: Religion, Law, and Democracy: Selected Writings. By Ernst-Wolfgang Böckenförde. Edited by Mirjam Künkler and Tine Stein. Translated by Thomas Dunlap. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2020. Pp. 480. $65.00 (cloth); Oxford Scholarship Online by subscription (digital). ISBN: 9780198818632. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780198818632.001.0001.

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 October 2022

Sabine Demel
Sabine Demel*
Affiliation:
Professor of Canon Law, Faculty of Catholic Theology, University of Regensburg
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Abstract

In 1995, the German legislature introduced the rule that a woman who terminates her pregnancy in the first trimester, which is illegal, would not be punished if she had previously undergone a legally prescribed counseling session. The counseling session, while oriented toward the protection of unborn life, is also open-ended, respectful of the decision-making right and duty of the pregnant woman. At the request of the pope, the German bishops instructed the existing counseling centers of the Catholic welfare organizations not to issue any written certificates of such counseling, as such certificates could ultimately be used to evade punishment. In order to continue to be able to offer counseling, Catholics, among them Ernst-Wolfgang Böckenförde, founded the association Donum Vitae (Gift of Life), which continues to issue certificates when requested. For the German bishops, the association, founded by Catholics for Catholics and non-Catholics alike, is external to the church. But what precisely is Donum Vitae? What does it stand for? Why are assessments of the association divided until this day? The essay examines these questions theologically and legally.

Keywords

canon lawabortionethical counselingCatholic Church in Germanysalvific missionSecond Vatican Councilapostolate of the laityApostolicam ActuositatemFederal Constitutional Court
Type
Book Review Symposium: Ernst-Wolfgang Böckenförde, Religion, Law, and Democracy
Information
Journal of Law and Religion , Volume 37 , Issue 3 , September 2022 , pp. 530 - 540
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Copyright
© The Author(s), 2022. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of the Center for the Study of Law and Religion at Emory University

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References

1 StrafGesetzbuch [StGB] [Criminal Code], § 218, https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/stgb/index.html.

2 The second abortion decision of the Federal Constitutional Court in 1993: BVerfGE 88, 203—Abortion II (Schwangerschaftsabbruch II) (1993). English translation and commentary in. , Donald P. Kommers, and , Russell A. Miller, : The Constitutional Jurisprudence of the Federal Republic of Germany (Durham: Duke University Press, 2012), 387–93Google Scholar See Demel, Sabine, Abtreibung zwischen Straffreiheit und Exkommunikation. Weltliches und kirchliches Strafrecht auf dem Prüfstand [Abortion between impunity and excommunication: Secular and ecclesiastical criminal law under scrutiny] (Stuttgart: Kohlhammer, 1995), 131–42Google Scholar.

3 For examples of conflict situations that can arise as a result of pregnancy, see “Schwangerschaftskonflikt” (Pregnancy conflict counseling), Donum Vitae, accessed August 20, 2022, https://donumvitae.org/beratung-hilfe/schwangerschaftskonflikt. For the situation in the 1960s and in general for German abortion law, see Böckenförde, Ernst-Wolfgang, “Abolition of Section 218 of the Criminal Code?,” in Religion, Law, and Democracy: Selected Writings, ed. Künkler, Mirjam and Stein, Tine, trans. Dunl, Thomasap (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2017), 318–38Google Scholar, at 324–35.

4 See StGB § 218a, paragraph 1. If there is a medical or criminal indication—that is, if the life of the pregnant woman is in danger or there is a risk of serious damage to her physical or mental state of health (medical indication) or the pregnancy is due to rape (criminal indication)—the abortion is also not punished, according to StGB § 218a(2) and (3). This is not, however, because the abortion does not meet the criteria of a crime pursuant to StGB § 218, but because it is classified as lawful in these two cases. A duty to provide counseling is not prescribed for these two cases of exemption from punishment.

5 Tröndle, Herbert, “Preisgabe eines Reformziels. Zur Schwangerschaftskonfliktberatung” [Surrending a goal of reform. On crisis pregnancy counseling], in Auf Leben und Tod. Abtreibung in der Diskussion [To life and death: Abortuion in discussion], ed. Hoffacker, Paul, Steinschulte, Benedikt, and Fietz, Paul-Johannes (Bergisch Gladbach: Bastei Lübbe, 1991), 191–207 Google Scholar, at 200. Unless otherwise indicated, all translations from the German are by Sadhana Senthilkumar.

6 BVerfGE 88 (1993), 282–83.

7 Ulrike Heidenreich and Wolfgang Janisch, “Bewusstsein dank Ultraschall” [Consciousness thanks to ultrasound], Süddeutsche Zeitung, May 28, 2013, 6.

8 Heidenreich and Janisch, “Bewusstsein dank Ultraschall,” 6.

9 See StGB § 218b (as amendended in 1976).

10 Compare StGB § 219 (as amended in 1976) with StGB § 219 (as amended in 1995).

11 John Paul II, Letter to the German Bishops (January 11, 1998), https://www.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/de/letters/1998/documents/hf_jp-ii_let_27011998_bishops.html (in German).

12 See press release of the Permanent Council of the German Bishops’ Conference (November 22, 1999), Archiv für katholisches Kirchenrecht 168, no. 1 (1999): 115.

13 Bischöfliche Richtlinien für katholische Schwangerschaftsberatungsstellen [Episcopal guidelines for Catholic pregnancy counseling centers], Amtsblatt der Diözese Regensburg 9, no. 6 (2000): 87–89, at 87.

14 The Central Committee of German Catholics is an association of Catholic laity. It includes representatives of diocesan councils and Catholic associations and individuals from the church and society.

15 See Decree on the Apostolate of the Laity “Apostolicam Actuositatem,” Arts. 1 and 2.

16 See “Über Uns,” Donum Vitae, https://www.donumvitae.org/ueber-uns (last visited July 1, 2022).

17 Schüller, Thomas, “Zwischen Freiheit und Bindung. Kirchliche bzw. kirchenunabhängige Vereinigungen als Orte (er)neu(t)er karitativer Aktivitäten, dargestellt am Beispiel Donum Vitae e.V.” [Between freedom and commitment. Church and church-independent associations as places of (re)new(ed) charitable activities, illustrated by the example of Donum Vitae e.V.], in Die Kirche von morgen. Kirchlicher Strukturwandel aus kanonistischer Perspektive [The church of tomorrow. Church structural change from a canonical perspective], ed. Ahlers, Reinhild, Laukemper-Isermann, Beatrix, and Oehmen-Vieregge, Rosel (Essen: Ludgerus, 2003), 243–57Google Scholar, at 256–57.

18 Codex Iuris Canonici [Code of Canon Law] (1983) c.215.

19 See Codex Iuris Canonici 1983 c.215. Ecclesiastical association law distinguishes between canonical and noncanonical ecclesiastical associations, whereby canonical is to be understood as synonymous with ecclesiastically constituted, that is, the statutes of canonical ecclesiastical associations (also) correspond to the special statute requirements of the 1983 Code of Canon Law in cc.298–329. By contrast, noncanonical ecclesiastical associations form their statutes freely, independently of the special ecclesiastical association regulations, so that the term noncanonical is synonymous with not ecclesiastically constituted and without a canonical statute. Autonomy of the statutes, however, does not imply absolute freedom from all ecclesiastical regulations. Rather, it implies freedom within the framework of the ecclesiastical self-understanding and thus within general ecclesiastical law.

The distinction between canonical and noncanonical ecclesiastical associations gives expression to the fact that Catholic Christians have the right to found associations that pursue ecclesiastical goals, without being obliged at the same time to adopt the status of a canonical association according to canons 298–329. This is so because a canonical association is also subject to certain obligations toward the ecclesiastical authority and is therefore restricted in the free exercise of its rights. But legal provisions that restrict the free exercise of rights are to be interpreted narrowly according to canon 18; in other words, they may only be applied according to their exact wording. And according to the exact wording of canons 298–329, associations are not covered under canon 215. The fundamental right of the faithful to freedom of assembly and association granted in canon 215 prohibits imposing on an association the rights and duties associated with the status of a canonical association without the will of the association in question, or even against it.

20 Erklärung der deutschen Bischöfe zu Donum Vitae e.V. vom 20 Juni 2006 [Declaration of the German bishops on Donum Vitae e.V. of June 20, 2006], Amtsblatt der Diözese Regensburg 6, no. 21 (2006): 59.

21 See Demel, Sabine, Handbuch Kirchenrecht. Grundbegriffe für Studium und Praxis [Handbook of canon law: Basic concepts for study and practice] (Freiburg: Herder, 2013), 596–607 Google Scholar.

22 In Germany, the civil state keeps a registrar of church membership for tax purposes and therefore also registers departures from the church.

23 Codex Iuris Canonici 1983 c.215.

24 Codex Iuris Canonici 1983 c.215.

25 See Francis, Pope, Der Name Gottes ist Barmherzigkeit. Ein Gespräch mit Andrea Tornelli [The name of God is mercifulness: A conversation with Andrea Tornelli] (Rome: Kösel, 2016)Google Scholar, back cover.

26 See Barbara Just, “Brüder im Geiste trotz unterschiedlicher Ansichten. Jurist Böckenförde und Religionsphilosoph Spaemann im Gespräch” [Brothers in spirit despite differing views. Jurist Böckenförde and religious philosopher Spaemann in conversation], Katholische Nachrichten Agentur, November 14, 2012, https://www.kna-news.de/mediaobject.jsf?moid=40597348&nh=mui2o0.3.