Abstract

Canon Law is an unappreciated scholarly field both within and without the Church. This essay does not deal with the motives behind this lack of appreciation but rather proposes methodological pathways to establish a new relation between Canon Law and juridical science. I follow the writings of Max Weber who highlighted the unique contribution of Canon Law in guiding Civil Law towards the path of rationality. Canon Law's cultural capital, accumulated over a period of two millenia, can illuminate the comparative study of western juridical traditions.