The issues of authority and governance in the Roman Catholic Church permeate each and every aspect of the church’s identity, teaching, influence, organization, moral values and pastoral provision. They have left their mark, in turn, upon its diverse theological and philosophical traditions. The trends of postmodernity, advances in communication, the advent of new ecclesial movements and theologies, and a perceived policy towards inc4reasing institutional centralization on the part of the curial authorities of the church in Rome, have all facilitated a continuous and lively stream of dialogue and disagreement on authority and governance in relation to the place of the church in our age and the new millennium. Focusing on the modern/post-modern period in the Roman Catholic church, but grounded in the historical contexts, Reading in Church Authority present an accessible source book and introduction for all those exploring current debates and studying central themes in church authority.