The Pauline Privilege

The Pauline Privilege is a principle in Catholic Church law allowing a non-Christian spouse to be free from marriage if their partner converts to Christianity and the marriage was originally between a Christian and a non-Christian. If the non-Christian spouse chooses not to convert and the marriage cannot continue, the church may dissolve the marriage, recognizing that the initial bond was created under different religious circumstances. This privilege aims to preserve the spiritual integrity of the Christian partner while respecting the rights and conscience of the non-Christian spouse.