Mercy and the Rule of Law: A Theological Interpretation of Amoris Laetitia

1. Amoris Laetitia: What is Does and Does not Say ..............1
The Non-Controversial Chapters .............2
The Controversial Chapter 8, Accompanying, Discerning and Integrating Weakness............9
2. The Rule of Law, Not the Law of rules..........21
The rule of Law versus the law of Rules..........21
Law as alive in the scriptures..........24
The advice of the Gospels ...............28
The flexibility of mercy and generosity .........32
Aquinas on law and rules .........34
3. Mercy and Chapters 8..............41
The Unity of Mercy and law ..............42
A pagan Sensibility ...........44
The pastoral Application of Mercy and Law........46
The Brother-Sister relationship ........48
What cases are Affected ........51
The Language of Indissolubility .......52
Mercy and the Tolerance of Lesser Evils .........54
Marital Bonds .......57
The Comforts of Clarity: the Grand Inquisitor .........62
4. Entering the Field Hospital.......67
A viable family in an Invalid Marriage ............73
A Miserable life after Divorce......75
A Brother-Sister Relationship Leading to Divorce......76
A Declaration of Annulment Denied...........77
A Good life after Divorce.......79
The Bestowal of Mercy.......81
5. Scripture and History .........85
Early Scriptural Surprises and Later Developments ........85
Dilemmas, Ambiguity, and History ........95
6. Other Viewpoints ....113
The Dubia ......114
An Ahistorical Analysis ......125
A Study of Indissolubility ..........138
Thomistic Perspectives ........150
Slippery Slopes......154
Mercy as Weakness......158
7. Penance and Communion .......161
The Possibility of Absolution when a Firm Purpose of Amendment Cannot be Made ...........161
The Possibility of Communion for Contrite Serious Sinners ........167