Annulments and the Catholic Church [Paperback]

Edward N. Peters (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 2004

Few topics in the Catholic Church are more misunderstood than annulments. To some, both Catholics and non-Catholics alike, it is synonymous with "Catholic divorce."

Written in everday language, Annulments and the Catholic Church is an invaluable resource for lay people who want to understand this challenging issue and pastoral leaders who need to offer guidance on questions of theology and canon law.

This book addresses the most common questions people have about annulments, including:

How is an annulment different from a divorce?
Are there too many annulments granted today?
Does the length of a marriage affect an annulment case?
How do people begin the annulment process?
Does a wedding between a Catholic and a non-Catholic require an annulment?
Is alcoholism or physical abuse grounds for an annulment?

Editorial Reviews

Review

I highly recommend this work as a text for Catholic high school marriage courses and for Pre-Cana programs. -- Fr. Peter M.J. Stravinskas, S.T.D., Ph.D., Founding Editor, The Catholic Answer

This is the 'must-read' book on annulments. It is the best book on the subject, bar none. -- Jimmy Akin, Director of Apologetics and Evangelization, Catholic Answers

About the Author

Dr. Edward N. Peters received his civil law degree from the University of Missouri at Columbia and his doctoral degree in canon law from the Catholic University of America. He has held a number of teaching and administrative posts, including Director of the Office for Canonical Affairs for the Diocese of San Diego as well as Defender of the Bond and collegiate judge on diocesan and archdiocesan appellate tribunals. He currently is professor of canon law for the Institute for Pastoral Theology in Ypsilanti, Michigan. A frequent guest on Catholic media apostolates, Dr. Peters' articles and reviews have appeared in a wide variety of Catholic and secular publications. He maintains a canon law website, and serves as a consultant to many ecclesiastical institutions and persons. He and his wife Angela are raising six children.

Product Details

• Paperback: 197 pages
• Publisher: Ascension Press (May 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1932645004
• ISBN-13: 978-1932645002
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #321,127 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #65 in Books > Law > Family & Health Law > Divorce & Separation

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Clear, No-Nonsense Explanation of annullments, July 25, 2006

By 

R. Findon (Wind Gap PA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Annulments and the Catholic Church (Paperback)

This book explained the entire annullment process in terms a layperson could understand. The book is divided into question/answer segments, all relevant and easy-to-understand. The best resource I've found on an often confusing topic. A must-read if you are considering annullment or need to answer those who question the process.

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Resource, May 22, 2008

By 

James M. Green "James M Green" (Arizona) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Annulments and the Catholic Church (Paperback)

After the wife of my youth left me I purchased this book to better understand the process I would be going through. I was so impressed with it that I bought additional copies for my witnesses and even the wife of my youth so that they would understand it as well. Ed Peters has managed to distill into simple questions and answers all the important information on this oft-misunderstood process.

In addition to explaining the basic process this book also dispels most common misunderstandings regarding annulments. Annulments are NOT "Catholic divorce" as many mistakenly claim. This book will help you understand and correct such errors and explain why there is a fundamental and essential difference between divorce and the investigation into the validity of a marriage that the Catholic Church performs. Divorce is a grave matter and the acceptance of it by the ecclesial communities of our separated brethren in clear contradiction to our Lord's express commands is a great scandal. This book will better equip you to explain the truth.

This book will also help to assuage concerns over alleged "abuses" of the process, especially here in the USA. After reading this book I no longer wonder if there might be something wrong in the process because of the high number of marriages found to be invalid here in America; instead I now wonder what is wrong with our culture that produces so many invalid marriages.

Again, I cannot recommend this book highly enough. Buy it.

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Straight Answers to Tough Questions, March 24, 2007

By 

John O'Donnell (Perth, Western Australia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Annulments and the Catholic Church (Paperback)

A comprehensive and understandable treatment of a very complex subject