Freedom of Conscience in the Code of Canon Law
Freedom of Conscience in the Code of Canon Law

Summary/Abstract: Whereas the democratic state, as not bound by any religious confession, is notentrusted with delating of certain ideology or religion, the commission of the Church consists in announcing of a concrete doctrine. Another difference consists in the fact that there is a canon law catalogue containing predominantly duties of believers over their rights. However, it is not allowed to compel externally anybody to adopt the catholic faith, and the Church has to abstain from a dishonest proselytism. The acts of the faith and of the cult within the Church should be also realized within the framework of liberty guaranteed to the faithful by the norms of canon law. The paper continues by concrete examples in which these possibilities of liberty and choice may take a place, for example free choice of state of life, right of proper spirituality and rite or freedom of theological research. However, no undertaking of believers may be denominated as Catholic if it not obtains the consent of competent ecclesiastical authority.

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