- The Vatican's doctrine office issued a doctrinal note titled "Una Caro" defending monogamous marriage.
- The document explicitly rejects polygamy and polyamory as violations of human dignity and marital unity.
- It was drafted in response to requests from African bishops and addresses the growth of "polyamory" in the West.
- The text emphasizes the "unitive" purpose of marriage as primary, while not challenging the "procreative" purpose.
- The note draws from Scripture, theology and philosophy to present a "propositional" case for exclusive unions.
In a significant reaffirmation of core doctrine, the Vatican has issued a sweeping defense of monogamous marriage, explicitly rejecting polygamy and the modern trend of “polyamory” as incompatible with human dignity and the Christian vision of conjugal love. The document, titled “Una Caro” (One Flesh), was released this week, on November 25, by the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith (DDF) under Cardinal Victor Manuel Fernández. It responds directly to pastoral concerns raised by bishops in Africa, where polygamy remains a challenge, while simultaneously addressing the growing cultural acceptance of non-monogamous relationships in Western societies. This doctrinal note represents a clear, propositional effort to fortify the Church's teaching on marriage’s exclusive unity at a time when its traditional understanding faces multifaceted challenges.
The genesis of a doctrinal response
The impetus for “Una Caro” originated from the appeals of several African bishops during recent Vatican synods. These church leaders sought clearer doctrinal and pastoral guidance for ministering in cultures where polygamy is still practiced. However, the Vatican’s scope quickly broadened. The document’s introduction notes that its drafting was also influenced by “the observation that several public forms of non-monogamous unions – sometimes called ‘polyamory’ – are growing in the West.” By addressing both long-standing practices and emerging social trends, the DDF positions the document as a universal resource, relevant for a global church confronting diverse threats to its marital ideal. Cardinal Fernández described the text as “fundamentally propositional,” aiming to persuade through reasoned argument rather than mere condemnation.
Unity as the cornerstone of marriage
At the heart of the 40-page note is a deep theological exploration of unity as the “founding characteristic” of the marital bond. The document defines this unity as “a unique and exclusive union between one man and one woman,” a mutual belonging so profound and total that it cannot be shared with others. The DDF acknowledges that while the Church’s teaching on the indissolubility of marriage has been extensively developed, reflection on its unitive property has been less thorough. “Una Caro” seeks to correct this imbalance, presenting exclusive reciprocity as the very condition for a “full, open and generative” shared life. It argues that all non-monogamous relationships, including polygamy, adultery and polyamory, are based on a fundamental illusion. They operate under the false premise that “the intensity of the relationship can be found in the succession of faces,” an approach that ultimately fragments the meaning of marital love.
A tapestry of theological and philosophical support
To build its case, the doctrinal note weaves together a rich tapestry of sources spanning two millennia. It traces the Church’s consistent teaching on marital unity from the early Church Fathers like St. Augustine and Tertullian, through medieval thinkers like St. Thomas Aquinas—who defined polygamy as a form of slavery—and into modern theology with figures such as Hans Urs von Balthasar. The document also steps beyond purely theological argument, invoking philosophy and even the poetry of Pablo Neruda and Walt Whitman to illustrate the enduring human aspiration for a singular, exclusive love. This multidisciplinary approach is designed to demonstrate that the Church’s position is not an arbitrary rule but is rooted in a profound understanding of human nature, dignity and the nature of love itself.
Reaffirming doctrine in a contemporary context
The release of “Una Caro” carries significant weight in the current ecclesiastical and cultural landscape. It serves as a stabilizing counterpoint following years of intense internal debate over pastoral approaches to marriage and family, notably sparked by Pope Francis’s 2016 exhortation Amoris Laetitia, which challenged rigid applications of the indissolubility doctrine. Furthermore, it comes after public challenges from conservative cardinals concerning Church teachings on issues related to the LGBT community and papal authority. By strongly reasserting the unitive dimension of marriage as primary, the document also subtly engages with another perennial Catholic debate: the relationship between the unitive and procreative purposes of sexuality. It states clearly that the unitive purpose “is not limited to ensuring procreation,” a clarification that expands the understanding of marital intimacy while firmly rejecting any form of non-monogamy.
An enduring vision for an exclusive bond
The Vatican’s new doctrinal note concludes as a comprehensive, culturally engaged and theologically robust defense of a foundational institution. While crafted as a positive proposal, its unambiguous rejection of polygamy and polyamory draws a clear boundary in the face of evolving social norms. By framing monogamy not merely as a prohibition but as a path to profound human fulfillment and dignity, particularly for women, the Church positions its ancient teaching as a relevant answer to modern anxieties. “Una Caro” ultimately presents the exclusive, lifelong bond between one man and one woman not as a restrictive tradition, but as the only union capable of bearing the total, intimate and generative love that defines the Christian vision of marriage.
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