Customer Reviews

An Introduction to Canon Law

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This is a very concise and helpful introduction to Canon Law. It is not easy to find many introductory books in English. This is probably, as far as American publications go, the best one out there.

It is an easy read and it would also be worth while to keep this book on one's shelf for reference. Considering the depth of the Code of Canon Law, Father Coriden was always to the point and quite balanced. Here and there you can perceive some of the ecclesiastical laws or matters that he takes issue with as well as a little bit of extra emphasis on the sections of the Code that deal with a subject that he is quite interested in: the various rights of the faithful. He has another book on this subject and is intent on emphasizing and writing about what he terms a "bill of rights" for the baptized. He also does things such as go out of his way only to refer to priests as "presbyters".

But again, for a handy introduction to Canon Law, this book has to be one of the best there is out there and I cannot imagine anyone who purchases it not being satisfied.

This gives a quick, easy to understand, in a nutshell briefing on a difficult, legalized subject. It helps greatly. I recommend it to all students of the "Law" and future deacons like myself.

I find this revision extremely helpful. I will use it with my students this summer. The case studies challenge the student to apply their learnings and learn the skill and art of application.

In comparison to A Concise Guide to Canon Law; A Practical Handbook for Pastoral Ministers and Surprised By Canon Law: 150 Questions Laypeople Ask About Canon Law, this is basically what the title indicates: an introduction rather than like these other two resources. It is meant for someone who will later be pursuing further studies in Canon Law, or someone who needs to understand the basics of it, maybe like those who pursue Master's Degrees in Religious Studies and will be working in a parish as a Pastoral Associate or some like capacity, assisting the Pastor. It is meant to give a sufficient understanding of the history and the "why" behind Canon Law, as well as a summary of the diverse sections of the law as it is published.

James A. Coriden has been involved in commentaries on Canon Law for some times now. He is an author of several books and since 1985 has been one of the three general editors of Code of Canon Law: A Text and Commentary, Code of Canon Law a Text and Commentary, Study Edition, and also of the later New Commentary on the Code of Canon Law that came in 2000.

You will find that this book will read very much like the above commentaries on the various sections like the Church Hierarchy, including things like Parishes and Pastors; or the functions of the Church, specifically "Sanctifying" or "Governing." It is not quite as technical in its explanations as these commentaries. It does not need to be, for the purpose it serves. It also has about twenty pages of case studies, which provide for students to work out solutions and apply the code to various real-life situations.

It makes a good textbook for use in a university, seminary, or even a parish in adult education classes. It is a welcome addition to anyone's library who just wants to know more about how the Church administrates itself. It also provides actual Code #'s, should one want to delve into the Code itself.

Coriden is an excellent teacher. He writes directly and succinctly. When I first studied canon law in the mid-90's, I made use of an earlier edition, but this updated version reads very nicely. I had given consideration to using it in a canon law course that I am teaching. This textbook is not a canon by canon expository, although it does, at least cursorily, follow the schema of the 1983 Code of Canon Law. It is thematic in its approach, with more attention given to those elements of ecclesiastical law that are applicable to everyone, i.e., rights and duties, and elaborates nicely on the three munera of teaching, governing, and sanctifying, with a useful overview of temporal goods, general norms, sanctions/penal law, and procedural law.

I would recommend this Introduction to anyone who wants to examine the Church's legal tradition as it applies to today's world.