An Exploration of Current Conflicts

This Chapter gathers observations on the state of global canon law by collecting recent case studies where global law has taken a contested stance between the Apostolic See and the local churches. These include conflicts over procedural standards in ecclesiastical adjudication; differing views on the operation of centralised and decentralised legislation; differing legal policies and practices between the Apostolic See and the local churches; dissimilar interpretations of the law and how it should be applied; diverse strategies employed to integrate local concerns into the global framework; disagreement about the extent to which lay participation is desirable in a synodal church and about who is responsible for decision-making. These examples of conflicts between the Apostolic See and the local churches exemplify the diversity of challenges in intercultural legal communication.