A comparative analysis of religious marriage in the Czech Republic and England and Wales

This paper focuses on certain aspects of religious marriage that are common to the Czech Republic and England and Wales (e.g. legal impediment of age), as well as the differences between the two jurisdictions (e.g. same-sex marriage). All analyses were conducted with reference to canon law. The paper first presents an outline of the current legal framework regulating marriage and then proceeds to elaborate on how these countries distinguish between civil and ecclesiastical marriages. This is followed by a chapter on the understanding of marriage as a union between two people. In the Czech Republic, this understanding always includes only a man and a woman, while in England and Wales, “marriage” also applies to same-sex couples. The final chapter examines statutory age restrictions for marriage, noting a recent convergence in the minimum legal age considered in both jurisdictions.