Canon Law : Introduction

lreli1291b  2019-2020  Louvain-la-Neuve

Canon Law : Introduction
Note from June 29, 2020
Although we do not yet know how long the social distancing related to the Covid-19 pandemic will last, and regardless of the changes that had to be made in the evaluation of the June 2020 session in relation to what is provided for in this learning unit description, new learnig unit evaluation methods may still be adopted by the teachers; details of these methods have been - or will be - communicated to the students by the teachers, as soon as possible.
2 credits
15.0 h
Q1

  This learning unit is not being organized during year 2019-2020.

Teacher(s)
Christians Louis-Léon;
Language
French
Main themes
The articulation between theology and law; the theologies of canon law; the notion of the fundamental rights of the faithful; the role and effectiveness of canon law in the life and practice of the Church.
Aims

At the end of this learning unit, the student is able to :

1 - to grasp the place and the role of canon law in the life and practice of the Church;
 
- perceive how ecclesiological data are put into practice in concrete terms;
 
- use documents and instruments of work in canon law, including the texts of the Code of Canon Law of 1983;
 
- articulate ecclesiology, pastoral theology and canon law.
 

The contribution of this Teaching Unit to the development and command of the skills and learning outcomes of the programme(s) can be accessed at the end of this sheet, in the section entitled “Programmes/courses offering this Teaching Unit”.
Content
After a historical and conceptual introduction, the course presents the major places of contemporary canon law: what are the issues and concrete practices in general, based on the structure of the 1983 Code, and in particular on the notion of fundamental rights of the faithful.
According to this course, the ecclesiological relevance of canon law is questioned in order to grasp the scope of the debates on the 'theology of canon law'.
Introduction:
  • History of Canon Law: from practice to science
  • The variety of canonical norms
The practice of Canon Law and the 1983 Code:
  • Presentation of the way of codification
  • Analysis of the structure of Code
  • Institution and fundamental rights
  • Major doctrinal issues
  • Major practical issues
  • Application in time and natural law
  • Personal application and Ecumenism
Conclusions: Theologies of Canon Law: between law and theology
  • Theological uncertainties and ecclesiological conflicts
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Teaching methods
Introduction is provided in a ex catedra way, and after that the course is based on interactions with students based on readings and short personal assignments.
 
Evaluation methods
Each student has to prepare a short paper offring a critical synthesis of two journal papers about "theology of canon law".
Classical oral examination. A list of questions will be available to students at the end of the course. The examination consists of a theoretical question and a practical case.
 
Bibliography
L. GEROSA, Le droit de l'Église. Manuel de théologie catholique, Luxembourg, Saint-Paul, Paris, Le Cerf, 1998
P. VALDRINI, Droit canonique, Paris, Dalloz, 1999
 
Faculty or entity
TEBI


Programmes / formations proposant cette unité d'enseignement (UE)

Title of the programme
Sigle
Credits
Prerequisites
Aims
Bachelor in religious studies