Catholic Perspectives
on Authority in the Roman Catholic ChurchDates: January 12, January 19, January 2, February 2, February 9, February 16
Times: 9-11 a.m.
Location: St. Aloysius Parish Library, 2025 Stuart Avenue, Baton Rouge, LA 70808
Adults of all faiths are welcome.
Facilitators: James Bolner, Sr., and Greg Hussey (e-mail: jimbolnersr@cox.net; phone: 766.5987)
Seminar Description: This seminar examines the sources of the church's authority in Scripture, tradition, and church documents. Topics to be treated are: the papacy and the Vatican, the magisterium, the hierarchy, canon law, the status of of the laity, and ecclesiastical sanctions for disobedience.
Tentative Outline
I. A Brief History of the Church, Its Authority, and Its StructureII. Sources of the Teaching Authority of the Church
III. How the Church Is Governed: Popes, The Vatican Bureaucracy, Bishops, Clergy, Canon Law
IV. The Laity and Church Authority
V. Enforcing Church Authority: Sanctions
VI. The Authority of the Church in the United States
Key Resources
Christianity TimelineEcumenical Councils of the Church [http://www.catholicism.org/pages/ecumenic.htm]
Major Councils of the Church [http://www.dailycatholic.org/history/councils.htm#rc-21]
The Catechism - Text on Authority in the Church [From the Vatican website]
The Code of Canon Law (1983) [Second Site: The Code of Canon Law]
The College of Cardinals (http://www.catholic-pages.com/hierarchy/cardinals.asp)The Roman Curia (http://www.catholic-pages.com/vatican/curia.asp)
Thomas J. Reese, S.J., "Papal Transition" (America, October 24, 2003)
Avery Cardinal Dulles, S.J., "The Papacy for a Global Church" (America, July 15, 2000)
Francis A. Sullivan "The Magisterium in the New Millennium" (America, August 27, 2001)
Tom Beaudoin, "Our Catholic Watergate" (America, June 3, 2002)
Frederick W. Gluck, "Crisis Management in the Church" (America, December 1, 2003)James D. Davidson, "Fewer and Fewer" (America, December 1, 2003)
Jane Lampman, "The Ongoing Evolution of Christianity" (The Christian Science Monitor, May 15, 2003. [Discusses the work of Elaine Pagels.]Thomas G. Plante, "After the Earthquake" (America, January 5, 2004)
General Resources
The
Vatican
The
Catechism of the Catholic Church [Vatican website]
The Dogmatic Constitution of the Church - Lumen Gentium
Pastoral
Constitution on the Church in the Modern World - Gaudium et Spes
Catholic
Resources on the Internet
Religious
Resources on the Internet
Voice of the
Faithful
"Voice of the Faithful in Baton Rouge," The Advocate, November 15, 2003
Michael Paulson, "Bishops may punish politicians: Proabortion position of Catholic lawmakers a source of frustration," The Boston Globe, November 11, 2003
_______________________________________________________________
