John Courtney Murray, S.J., and the Development of Doctrine

Abstract

The writings of John Courtney Murray, S.J., are preoccupied with the problem of reconciling the American experience of religious liberty with Catholic doctrine on relations between Church and state. This essay examines four analytical tools the Jesuit priest applied to problems of Church-state relations: thesis and hypothesis, applying unchanging principles to variable circumstances, the development of doctrine, and historical consciousness. Though he was wary of formulating universal rules, Murray articulated four enduring principles of Church-state relations. These analytical tools and enduring principles may help guide current debates about matters of Church and state.