THCP301 - Canon Law of the Church

Year

Credit points

Campus offering

Prerequisites

THBS100 Introduction to the Bible and THCT100 What Christians Believe

Teaching organisation

Unit rationale, description and aim

The law of the Catholic Church reflects the Church's own fundamental understanding of her common faith life. Canon Law is considered as integral to the Church's pastoral practice and governance as well as to an understanding of the rights and responsibilities of Church membership. In this unit, students gain an appreciate for the significance of Canon Law in how it regulates fundamental aspects of church life and provides guidance and order to the largest institution in the world. Canon Law also has been historically influential in the development of civil law in Europe and internationally.

This unit is an introduction to the Canon Law of the Catholic Church, as enunciated in the Code of Canon Law for the Latin Church in 1983 and the Code for the Eastern Churches in 1990. The unit explores the connections between the theology of Vatican II and these codes of canon law, with due reference to the history of the Church's legal tradition, to civil law and the application of the law in the pastoral life of the church. The aim of the unit is for students to understand and analyse the theological and legal dimensions of Canon Law and apply a critical understanding of the relevance and implications of Canon Law to the life of the church.

Learning outcomes

To successfully complete this unit you will be able to demonstrate you have achieved the learning outcomes (LO) detailed in the below table.

Each outcome is informed by a number of graduate capabilities (GC) to ensure your work in this, and every unit, is part of a larger goal of graduating from ACU with the attributes of insight, empathy, imagination and impact.

Explore the graduate capabilities.

On successful completion of this unit, students should be able to:

LO1 - Identify and explain the major features of the development of the Church’s legal systems (GA5); 

LO2 - Analyse the relationship between Catholic ecclesiology, with particular reference to Vatican II, and the Church’s contemporary canon law (GA4, GA5); 

LO3 - Apply an understanding of the role of Canon Law in the life of the Church, and of the rights and responsibilities of Church members within the law (GA1, GA4, GA5). 

Graduate attributes

GA1 - demonstrate respect for the dignity of each individual and for human diversity 

GA4 - think critically and reflectively 

GA5 - demonstrate values, knowledge, skills and attitudes appropriate to the discipline and/or profession 

Content

1) Canon Law of the Catholic Church 

• Law in relation to theology: Vatican II and the 1983 Latin and 1990 Eastern Codes 
• The history of canon law  
• The interaction of canon law and civil law 

2) Organisation of and leadership in the church  

• Respective roles and authority in the Church 
• Rights and obligations of all members of the Church 
• Property and its administration 

3) The Church proclaiming and teaching its faith 

4) The Church celebrating its faith 

• Sacraments and other liturgical acts 
• The declaration of the nullity of a marriage 

Learning and teaching strategy and rationale

The unit involves 150 hours of focused learning, or the equivalent of 10 hours per week for 15 weeks. The total includes formally structured learning activities such as lectures, tutorials, online learning, video-conferencing, or supervision. The remaining hours typically involve reading, research, and the preparation of tasks for assessment. 

The unit is normally offered in attendance mode. Students learn through formally structured and sequenced learning activities that support the achievement of the learning outcomes. Students are asked to critically reflect, analyse, and integrate new information with existing knowledge, draw meaningful new connections, and then apply what they have learned. Collaborative and peer learning is also emphasised.  

THCP301 emphasises students as active, adult learners. Students are recognised as adult learners who engage best when what they are learning is relevant to them and gives them the opportunity to be responsible for their own learning. In many ways, the student is the one who drives the learning forward, and their active participation in this unit is essential. Learning is designed to be an engaging and supportive experience, which helps students to develop critical thinking and reflection skills.  

Assessment strategy and rationale

In order to pass this unit, students are required to attempt all assessment tasks and achieve an overall grade of Pass (50% or higher).  

The assessment tasks for this unit are designed for students to demonstrate their achievement of each learning outcome. 

Task 1 asks students to explain and analyse the relationship between Catholic ecclesiology, with particular reference to Vatican II, and the nature and development of canon law. 

Task 2 asks students to apply an understanding of an aspect of Canon Law in the life of the Church, and of the rights and responsibilities of Church members within the law. 

Task 3 invites students demonstrate an understanding the nature and development of Canon Law and its contemporary relevance to the life of Christians and the church. 

Overview of assessments

Representative texts and references

Beal, J. P. ed. New Commentary on the Code of Canon Law: Commissioned by The Canon Law Society of America. New York: Paulist Press. 2000. 

Canon Law Society of Great Britain and Ireland. The Canon Law Letter and Spirit: A Practical Guide to the Code of Canon Law. Collegeville, MI: Liturgical Press, 1995. 

Code of Canon Law: Latin-English Edition. Washington, DC: The Canon Law Society of America, 1983. 

Coriden, J. An Introduction to Canon Law. Rev. ed. New York: Paulist Press, 2004. 

Coriden, J. The Rights of Catholics in the Church. New York: Paulist Press, 2007. 

Flannery, A. ed. Vatican Council II: The Conciliar and Post-Conciliar Documents. Vol I. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1984. 

Huels, J. M. The Pastoral Companion: A Canon Law Handbook for Catholic Ministry. 3rd ed. Quincy, IL: Franciscan Press, 2002. 

McAreavey, J. The Canon Law of Marriage and the Family. Portland, OR: Four Courts Press, 1997. 

McKenna, K. E. The Ministry of Law in the Church Today. Notre Dame, IN: University of Notre Dame Press, 1998. 

Orsy, L. Receiving the Council: Theological and Canonical Insights and Debates. Collegeville, MI: Liturgical Press, 2009.