Autonomy and Democracy in an Autocratic Organization: The Case of the Roman Catholic Church
This article examines data from surveys, historical records, position papers, minutes of group meetings, and other sources to shed light on the ways the laity of the Roman Catholic church in the United States are bringing about change, often in spite of the hierarchy and Vatican bureaucracy. A range...
| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Journals Online & Print: | Drawer...
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| Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
| Published: |
Oxford Univ. Press
1994
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| In: |
Sociology of religion
Year: 1994, Volume: 55, Issue: 4, Pages: 379-396 |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (JSTOR) Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) |
| Summary: | This article examines data from surveys, historical records, position papers, minutes of group meetings, and other sources to shed light on the ways the laity of the Roman Catholic church in the United States are bringing about change, often in spite of the hierarchy and Vatican bureaucracy. A range of traditional teachings and policies focusing on sexuality, marriage, the priesthood, the locus of authority, and participation in decision making within church organizations, are examined in the light of Gallup surveys carried out nationally in 1987 and 1993. These data plus the qualitative data indicate the existence of a pluralism that pits the magisterium (teaching authority located in the Vatican) and most of the American bishops on one side and a growing majority of laity on the other. This pluralism raises questions about the possibilities for organizational change within the Church in America. |
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| ISSN: | 1759-8818 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: Sociology of religion
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| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.2307/3711978 |