By What Authority: Foundations for Understanding Authority in the Church

Few topics are as important, or as controversial, as the proper role and exercise of authority in the Roman Catholic Church. Inspired by Pope Francis's bold rereading and determined implementation of the teaching of Vatican II, Richard Gaillardetz has completely revised and expanded his book By What Authority? It offers a helpful introduction to the nature and forms of church authority and their relationship to authentic Christian belief and discipleship. Gaillardetz offers theologically clear and pastorally insightful considerations of:the character of divine revelation, the authority of Scripture and traditionthe role of the pope and bishops in preserving the Christian faiththe levels of church teaching authority, the central faith witness of all the baptizedthe possibility of disagreements with church teaching, and the proper relationship between theologians, the magisterium, and the whole people of Godthe authority of the believing community and the controversial questions that arise when there are conflicting interpretations of church teaching.