Questions of Canon Law

Teacher(s)

Christians Louis-Léon;

Language

French

Main themes

It provides a pragmatic introduction to a religious legal system, i.e. the current law of the Catholic Church. (Other teachings on canon law are also provided in other programs organized by UCL). The course introduces students to the practical arrangements for legal intervention in the Catholic Church, managing the religious status of more than one billion followers worldwide. A mainly technical analysis is adopted to introduce more specific topics of canon law, chosen by the students.
The specificity of canon law over state law or in relation to other religions is analyzed about marriage and its forms of nullity and dissolution; about ecclesiastical status; about penal canon law against abuse in religious practices (e.g. the crisis of sexual offenses), about the status of religious courts.

Aims

At the end of this learning unit, the student is able to :
1	-   understand the locus and role of canon law within the life and practice of the Roman Catholic Church understood as a community of believers; -   evaluate the relationship between canon law, State law and human rights as a joint project for good citizenship; -   find (at least some) ways of resolving issues using canon law.

Content

An introduction defines the fundamental concepts of canon law, and presents a brief historical overview of the evolution of canon law. This path will help identify methodological problems with canon law and uphold the criticisms that have been addressed to it.
The introduction also shorthly describes the main structures of canon law : rights of the faithful, sacramental law, procedures of appeal.
The course in a more detailed way analyses two completely distinct matters: - the canon law of religious marriage (with a special awareness to the contemporary debates within the Catholic Church and the society as well); -the sexual abuse crisis in the Catholic Church (sanctions, procedures, status of victims). 
In addition, students may also choose another specific focus: canon law control to dissidence and doctrinal abuse; canon law about the relations between different religions and beliefs; status of the lay faithful (specific engagement to Catholic marriage, engagement in society, engagement in a religious NGO)

Teaching methods

Due to the COVID-19 crisis, the information in this section is particularly likely to change.

Classical ex catedra teaching.
COVID: Face-to-face teaching will be encouraged wherever possible.
Hybrid modalities for online teaching are possible. Some special sessions could be held only on Teams.
WARNING : If circumstances so require, the course will switch to distance learning according to modalities to be agreed upon with the students.

Evaluation methods

Due to the COVID-19 crisis, the information in this section is particularly likely to change.

Students assignements : Some short papers will be required on specific focuses along the semester. They will be included in the final evaluation for 30% of the mark
Open book written exam, for 70% of the mark, in two parts : -(a) a question drawn at random from a list communicated at the end of the course, and (b) the resolution of a practical case, in particular from the reading of a canonical court sentence (translated into French) or a press release.
In the September session, a similar written exam will account for 100% of the mark.

Other information

Online resources

See the moodle website of the course.

Bibliography

• Codex de droit canonique (1983) est indispensable (en accès libre sur internet).
• CHRISTIANS, L.L., Le mariage en droit canonique, Bruxelles, Larcier, 1995, 100 pp.
• VALDRINI, et al., Droit canonique, Paris, Dalloz, 2e ed., 1999

Faculty or entity

TEBI