The epistemological status of professional deontology of the jurist in the church and the basic deontological principles

Abstract

Although the deontological perspective regarding the professional work of the jurist in the Church constitutes an object of reflection of the pontifical Magisterium, a fulcrum of certain ecclesial juridical norms, and an issue occasionally treated by canon-law scholars, we are still in search of clear criteria that could provide the unifying features for specifically deontological analysis. This article advocates that the basic deontological principles provide the essential structuring role for the constitution of the object of canonical deontology, that is, for the outline of an epistemological status of this scientific discipline. Having clarified that canonical deontology has an auxiliary function with regard to the actualization of justice in the Church, and that deontological reflection focuses on the role of the jurist in all the possible manifestations of his professional service in the Church, the article describes the basic features of the seven basic deontological principles.