https://doi.org/10.21697/lr.16392
This article explores the key themes and insights from the groundbreaking conference “Marriage versus Religious Freedom: Cultural and Legal Aspects in Poland and Tanzania”, organized by the University Center for Religious Freedom Studies at Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski University in Warsaw on 23rd May 2025. The conference addressed critical gaps in understanding Tanzanian marriage customs and the rise of intercultural and interreligious unions in both Poland and Tanzania. The author combines pastoral theology with empirical observations to analyze marriage as a socio-religious institution in both cultural contexts.
The study employs a pastoral theological methodology, emphasizing the dynamic interplay between theory and practice, particularly in religious and multicultural settings. It examines the historical evolution of marriage from a social, economic, and religious contract to a modern civil institution, contrasting European Christian perspectives with African communal and ancestral traditions. Key differences include family structures (nuclear
vs.extended), child-rearing practices, rituals like male circumcision and female genital mutilation, and the spiritual significance of marriage in Tanzanian culture, where it serves as a bridge between ancestors and future generations.
Religious freedom emerges as a central concern, particularly in Tanzanian interfaith marriages, where tensions arise between state law, Christian doctrine, Islamic principles, and customary practices. The article advocates for pastoral strategies – such as intercultural counseling and community education – to navigate these complexities while respecting both cultural identity and religious integrity. Ultimately, the study underscores the necessity of more scientific dialogue and mutual understanding of the Tanzanian unification between custom, law and religion in regards to marriage.
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Język Polski
English