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Faith, Doctrine and Roman Catholic Canon Law

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 July 2008

Robert Ombres
Robert Ombres
Affiliation:
Prior of Blackfriars, Cambridge
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‘It is not at all easy (humanly speaking) to wind up an Englishman to a dogmatic level’.

This quotation is, of course, from Newman's Apologia, where many memorable things are said. Yet, even in England, it seems inescapable to treat of faith and doctrine if we are to consider Roman Catholic canon law. As Christian believers, consequently holding certain doctrines about Christ and his Church, we have a theology of canon law and a theology in canon law. We explore the theology of canon law whenever we consider why there is canon law at all in a Church founded on the unique saving grace of Jesus Christ, and we explore the theology in canon law whenever we consider how faith and doctrine show themselves in the making and application of canon law.

Type
Research Article
Information
Ecclesiastical Law Journal , Volume 1 , Issue 4 , January 1989 , pp. 33 - 41
Copyright
Copyright © Ecclesiastical Law Society 1989

References

1. Newman, J.H.. Apologia Pro Vita Sua (ed. Svaglic, M. J.) (Oxford 1967) p. 185.Google Scholar

2. Protestant, Eastern Orthodox and Anglican responses to the 1983 code can be found in The Jurist (1986) at p.347f, 376f and 394fGoogle Scholar. L' Année Canonique (1987) has the responses of the French Reformed and the Ortodox at p.411f and 423f.Google Scholar

3. Anglican-Roman Catholic Marriage (Church Information Office 1976) pp. 11–12.Google Scholar

4. The Canon Law of the Church of England (London 1947) pp.82–83.Google Scholar

5. Communicationes (1973) 249Google Scholar; a convincing case for having the 1983 code is made out by Corecco, E.. ‘Theological Justifications of the Codification of the Latin Canon Law’ in M. Theriault & J. Thorn. Le Nouveau Code de Droit Canonique (Ottawa 1986) I, 69–96.Google Scholar

6. Summa Theologiae I-II q. 106 and q. 108Google Scholar. St. Thomas has a full treatment of divine, natural and human laws in the Summa at I-II qq. 909–97. But see Corecco, E.. “‘Ordinatio Rationis’” o ‘Ordinatio Fidei’ Communio (1977) 1–22.Google Scholar

7. This translation of the Apostolic Constitution is from the massive The Code of Canon Law: A Text and Commentary edited by Coriden, J. A., Green, T. J., Heintschel, D. E. (London 1985).Google Scholar

8. The connection between sacramentality and canon law would repay further reflection: Ombres, R.. ‘Why then the Law?’ New Blackfriars (1974) 296–304CrossRefGoogle Scholar; Varela, A. Rouco & Corecco, E.. Sacramento e Diritto: Antinomia nella Chiesa? (Milan 1971)Google Scholar; Feliciani, G.. Le Basi del Diritto Canonko (Bologna 1979) p.57fGoogle Scholar. The matter was raised in the drafting of the new code and taken up by Pope Paul VI: Communicationes (1969) 79, 97f and (1973) 14fGoogle Scholar.

9. Congar, Y.. Tradition and Traditions (ET London 1966) p. 14.Google Scholar

10. Cicognani, A. G., Canon Law (Maryland. 1934).Google Scholar

11. Congar, Y. “Titres donnés au Pape” Droit Ancien et Structures Ecclésiales (Variorum repr. London 1982) chpt vi.Google Scholar

12. ‘Pastor Bonus’ Acta Apostolicae Sedis (1988) 841–934Google Scholar; Re, N. Del. La Curia Romana (Rome 1970).Google Scholar

13. Moore, E. Garth & Briden, T., Moore's Introduction to English Canon Law (London & Oxford 1985) p. 1Google Scholar; cf the remarks of Cardinal Felici in Communicationes (1973) 246.Google Scholar

14. Gauthier, A., ‘La Part du droit Romain dans le Code de Droit Canonique de 1983’ in M. Theriault & J. Thorn op. cit. pp. 131–140.Google Scholar It used to be said that ‘Ecclesia vivit lege Romana’.

15. Fagiolo, V.. II Codice del Post-Concilio: Introduzione (Roma 1984)Google Scholar; Bertolone, V., La Salus Animarum nell' Ordinamento Giuridico della Chiesa (Roma 1987)Google Scholar; Ombres, R., ‘Justice and Equity in the 1983 Code’ Priests & People (1987) 143–148.Google Scholar

16. Communicationes (1982) 133Google Scholar; Coriden. Green & Heintschel op.cit. p. 129; V.Fagiolo op.cit.p.8

17. Augustine, C., A Commentary on Canon Law (London 1920) IV. 445Google Scholar; Wernz-Vidal, , Jus Canonicum (Rome 1934) IV. 261.Google Scholar

18. Mixed Marriages: A Revised Directory (CTS London 1977).Google Scholar The bishops mentioned that over the past few years an average of just under 65% of all marriages celebrated in Catholic Churches in England and Wales involved a non-Catholic.

19. Congar, Y., ‘Jus Divinum’ Droit Ancien op.cit. chpt ii.Google Scholar Even where jus divinum does apply there can be flexibility in its concrete expression; Rahner, K., ‘Structural Change in the Church of the Future’ Theological Investigations (ET London 1981) XX p. 122.Google Scholar

This article is a slightly expanded version of a lecture given to the Ecclesiastical Law Society at Church House. Westminster on 17 September 1988. I was helped by the questions put at that meeting and by the advice of Fr David-Maria Jaeger. OFM.