A highly interdisciplinary research
By its very nature and because of the topics addressed and the methodology used, the project is highly interdisciplinary. The nature and mission of ‘government’ in the Church are partly dealt with by ecclesiology but, since the exercise of government is also an object of justice and as such constitutes a legal good, it is also the subject of canon law: the topics of constitutional law, ecclesiastical organization and also the fundamental theory of law in the Church are therefore largely covered. The problems will also be approached from a historical perspective, which will enable us to understand their characteristics, problems and solutions. Since the concept of government is not exclusive to the Church, links and comparisons will be made with civil law, constitutional law and administrative law.
Each discipline (theology, canon law, civil law, history) can thus contribute to a plural analysis of the concept, not only through its own content (definitions, concepts, examples), but also through its own point of view and methodology. The notion of ‘Church Government’ has so far been studied in a fragmentary or partial manner, which has also conditioned the results obtained and often made them inadmissible or misunderstood in other disciplines.
For this reason, the Research Group plans to include several representatives of these disciplines among its participants in a joint research project.
