(RNS) — His ascent indicates the church may be doubling down on doctrinal conformity, especially around marriage and family.

The reorganization is a further step in Pope Francis’ gradual overhaul of the Roman Curia, which has included in recent months the replacement of several top personnel. The Palazzo del Sant’Uffizio, ...

ROME — Pope Francis on Feb. 14 overhauled the current structure of the Vatican's doctrinal office, creating an independent section to handle disciplinary matters related to the sexual abuse of minors.

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Recognizing the doctrinal authority of bishops’ conferences does not mean allowing them to reject the teaching authority of the pope, but rather to apply church teaching to their ...

Decentralizing doctrinal authority, or deciding certain doctrinal questions at local levels rather than universally, has been seen as a pivotal step for those aiming to make dramatic changes to ...

Vatican City • A new Vatican doctrinal note describes marriage as an exclusive and “indissoluble union” between one man and one woman, reaffirming the Catholic Church’s criticism of polygamy and ...

Supreme Court opinions typically are governed by well-established doctrines for determining whether a statute passes First Amendment muster. Notably, content-based laws (ones targeting particular ...