Engagement in Christian law

Abstract

     The engagement as a preliminary stage of concluding marriage contract is very significant within various schools in Christian jurisprudence due to the fact that this stage in which a man and woman can ascertain the future success of their marriage. However, the multiplicity of Christian schools in Iraq and lack of a unified personal status law for Iraqi Christians are among the most pressing challenges faced by whom intend to marry. In particularly, issues related to the fulfillment of substantive or formal conditions for engagement, the impediments that may prevent it, and the legal consequences of its termination or dissolution. In this research, we examine the engagement in general through ecclesiastical laws and Christian-specific legislation, for the purpose of unifying legal provisions so that it be a starting point to draft law governing all aspects of personal status for Christians in Iraq.

Keywords: engagement, Christian jurisprudence, dissolution of engagement, formal conditions, impediments of engagement