Canon law (from Greek kanon, a ‘straight measuring rod, ruler’) is a set of ordinances and regulations made by ecclesiastical authority , for the government of a Christian organisation or church and its members. It is the internal ecclesiastical law governing the Catholic Church , the Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox churches, and the individual national churches within the Anglican Communion. The way that such church law is legislated, interpreted and at times adjudicated varies widely among these three bodies of churches. In all three traditions, a canon was originally a rule adopted by a church council; these canons formed the foundation of canon law.
- A similar tendency to seek definitions which are distinct from those used in other areas of social policy can be found in anti-discrimination law.
- The discipline arose partly out of a critique of trade unions and U.S. antitrust law.
- Anarchism encompasses a broad range of