The Right to Due Process in the Church. A Comparative Ecclesiastical Approach

In the aftermath of Vatican II, questions concerning due process were
not among the main issues debated in canon law. Other topics dominated,
including participation, the status of lay people, collegiality.
Marriage was a covenant, not a contract. The Church was a community, not
an institution. A plea for a more prominent role of canon law was
perceived as a lack of true pastoral spirit. Theologians often argued
that the Church had to offer more than just law, while it used to be
less. Today, the situation changed, though not completely, and at times
with a lot of reluctance.


This book offers various contributions on due process: the functioning
of the Apostolic Signatura and other tribunals within the Roman Catholic
Church; an historical overview of due process, covering the evolution
over many centuries; the Anglican ideas, norms and traditions; the
reformed perspective. A final address by professor Rik Torfs,
contributing to the scientific development of church law, and offering
practical suggestions to the ecclesial world.