2020_03_30_ICS_domingo-witte

Rafael Domingo Oslé, head of the Chair Álvaro D'Ors del Institute for Culture and Society (ICS) of the University of Navarra, has edited the book 'Christianity and Global Law' together with Professor John Witte, Jr. of Emory University. The volume has been published by publishing house Routledge -the third most prestigious worldwide according to the Scholarly Publishers Indicators ranking-.

In this work, the first to be published on Chair, 25 eminent figures from the world of law, Philosophy, history, Economics and theology from the USA, Canada, Australia, Germany, Italy, Great Britain and Spain collaborate. In their contributions they reflect on the relationship between Christianity and the common law of humanity that has come to be called global law.

According to Rafael Domingo, the contributions of Christianity to area of global law "are evident, just as they are in the fields of international, criminal, procedural, family, contractual, constitutional and commercial law. Legal systems, however much they continue to secularize, can never renounce their DNA, which is profoundly spiritual".

Solidarity, dignity, subsidiarity, common good?

The book consists of three parts. The first part studies some of the main architects of the ideas shaping the global lawfrom St. Paul to Jacques Maritain. In the second part, we analyze the Christian roots and dimensions of the guiding principles of global lawThe authors address the following issues: solidarity, dignity, subsidiarity, common good, etc. Finally, the authors address some of the pressing global issues and challenges that could benefit from this Christian legal perspective (migration law, use of force, Criminal Law international).

The Full Professor Rafael Domingo has highlighted 10 contributions of Christianity to global law: 

1. A Trinitarian framework that illuminates global law from the Love of God.

2. A doctrine of the image of God that underlies human dignity, equality among persons, and freedom and moral responsibility.

3. An anthropology that places people and their human rights at the center of the legal system.

4. A deep sense of respect for the universe and all creation.

5. The promotion of spiritual values such as mercy, love and forgiveness that foster the unity of the political community.

6. A well-integrated distinction between Church and State.

7. The doctrine and the development of religious freedom and all the rights that depend on it.

8. A universal conception of the natural moral law.

9. A development of Canon Law with a global scope that goes beyond the idea of territory.

10. Sound political and social principles, such as solidarity, subsidiarity and participation, among others.