Authority is exercised in many ways and forms in the Catholic Church today. By What Authority? offers a helpful introduction to the forms of Church authority that are concerned with authentic Christian belief. Gaillardetz (Gă lăr dēē) explains what it means to say that the Bible is inspired, how Scripture and tradition are related to one another, the role of the Pope and bishops in preserving the Christian faith, the levels of Church teaching authority, how to deal with disagreements with Church teaching, the distinctive role of the theologians, and the contribution of all the baptized in the formation of Church teaching. This book introduces readers to a basic understanding of the nature and exercise of authority in the Catholic Church as understood within the vision of the Church offered by the Second Vatican Council. The chapters conclude by outlining disputed issues regarding the topic of that chapter and a select list of opportunities for further reading.

Chapters in Part One: The Authority of Scripture and Tradition are "What Does It Mean to Say the Bible is Inspired?" “What Is the Canon of the Bible?” and “What Is the Relationship Between Scripture and Tradition?” Chapters in Part Two: The Authority of Church Teaching and the Church's Teaching Office are “How Do We Understand the Magisterium Today?” “How Do the Pope and Bishops Exercise Their Teaching Authority?” and “What Is Dogma and Doctrine?” Chapters in Part Three: The Authority of the Believer and the Believing Community are “What Is the Sense of the Faithful?” “Is There a Place for Disagreement in the Catholic Church?” and “What Is the Proper Relationship Between the Magisterium and Theologians?”

Richard R. Gaillardetz, PhD, is the Margaret and Thomas Murray and James J. Bacik Professor of Catholic Studies at the University of Toledo. Among his other publications is Teaching with Authority, published by Liturgical Press. He is an official delegate on the U.S. Catholic—Methodist Ecumenical Dialogue. In 2000 he received the Sophia Award from the faculty of the Washington Theological Union in recognition of “theological excellence in service to ministry.”