ABJURATION. - Retraction of error in matters of faith. In classical Latin and in late Latinity (cf. Du Cange, Glossarium mediae et infimae latinitatis, Paris 1840), the terms abiurare and abiuratio were used in the proper sense of denying with an oath: ab-iurare. In present-day language it means the renunciation or retraction of an idea or a doctrine and, in ecclesiastical legal language, the retraction of error on the part of a non-Catholic in order to be admitted or readmitted into the communion of the Church.
The current canonical discipline imposes a formal act of a[bjuration] on all those who, after having stained themselves, in the external forum, with the crime of apostasy, heresy or schism, wish to be readmitted into the communion of the faithful (CIC, can. 2314, § 2) and to the use of the sacraments (can. 731, § 2). The reason is that when heresy, schism or apostasy have a public character, they are a scandal to others, and scandal demands adequate reparation; whereas if they do not appear outwardly, repentance and confession suffice.
1. SUBJECT OF A[BJURATION]
A[bjuration] is imposed only on adults, because only adults are deemed capable of having given full and true adherence to error. Children and minors under the age of puberty, before receiving baptism, make only a profession of faith in the presence of witnesses (Holy Office, 8 March 1882). And these adults must be Christians. For pagans, Muslims, and Jews who wish to enter the Catholic Church, baptism suffices. Now the cases in which a formal act of a[bjuration] is demanded of an adult Christian are two: either it is a question of a Catholic who has become publicly a heretic, schismatic or apostate (passing over to Judaism or Protestantism, or to a dissident Church, etc.) or of a non-Catholic Christian, that is, one baptized in heresy or schism, who wishes to convert to Catholicism. In the first case, since the guilty party has incurred excommunication ipso facto (CIC, can. 2314, § 1), the following process is observed: a[bjuration], then absolution from the excommunication in the external forum, and consequently also in the internal forum (can. 2251); finally the guilty party may ask for sacramental absolution of his sin from any confessor (can. 2314, § 2). In the second case: a) if the convert has received a baptism that is certainly invalid, there is no need for a[bjuration]; it suffices to administer baptism; b) if the baptism is certainly valid, the following process is observed: a[bjuration], absolution from the censure in the external forum, sacramental confession; c) if the baptism is doubtful, then instead: a[bjuration], conditional baptism, sacramental confession, conditional absolution.
2. CEREMONIES AND FORMULA OF A[BJURATION]
A[bjuration] can be received only by the local Ordinary (excluding a vicar general lacking a special mandate) or by a delegate of his appointed case by case. And it must be made in the presence of at least two witnesses (can. 2314, § 2). The rite to be followed, the formalities and precautions are set out in the Roman Pontifical (Part III, tit. Ordo ad reconciliandum apostatam, schismaticum vel haereticum) and in certain documents of the Holy Office, among which we may recall those of 20 July 1859, of 28 March 1900, of 19 Feb. 1916. To these formalities and precautions refers the clause "aliisque servatis de iure servandis" of the cited can. 2314, § 2. Certain formulas were approved by the Holy Office in 1925, 1933, 1936 respectively for dissidents (and particularly for Russians) and for Protestants. The local Ordinary, moreover, remains free to prescribe an even shorter formula.
Formulas of a[bjuration] are also found for unbelievers (pagans, Jews, Muslims) (cf. Rituale Romanum, tit. II, cap. IV: Ordo baptismi adultorum), but evidently these are not a[bjuration] in the proper sense.
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